If you have studied in a foreign education system, you will find below the information you need and the steps to follow to gain admission to universities in Catalonia, according to your situation:
- Qualifications obtained in education systems in states that are members of the European Union (EU) or with whom Spain has signed international agreements of reciprocity. International Baccalaureate or European Baccalaureate
- Qualifications that are officially recognised as equivalent to a Spanish upper secondary school certificate (Batxillerat) from countries outside the EU
- Qualifications officially recognised as equivalent to a Spanish upper secondary school (Batxillerat) certificate obtained in education systems in EU Member States but that do not meet university admission requirements in the country of origin
- Qualifications comparable to that of an advanced vocational training specialist
- Partial validation of unfinished university studies
- Recognition of completed university studies
- Qualifications obtained in education systems in states that are members of the European Union or with whom Spain has signed international agreements of reciprocity. International Baccalaureate or European Baccalaureate
- Qualifications recognised as being equivalent to the Spanish Batxillerat (upper secondary school) qualification obtained in countries outside the EU / qualifications recognised as being equivalent to the Spanish Batxillerat obtained in education systems in EU Member States but that do not meet university admission requirements in the country of origin
- Qualifications comparable to that of an advanced vocational training specialist
- Partial validation of unfinished university studies
- Recognition of completed university studies
Qualifications obtained in education systems in states that are members of the European Union or with whom Spain has signed international agreements of reciprocity. International Baccalaureate or European Baccalaureate
If you have the International Baccalaureate or the European Baccalaureate, or if you come from an education system in the European Union (EU) or another state with a reciprocal agreement*, provided that you meet the academic requirements for university entry in the education system you come from, you should: .
- Follow the university pre-enrolment You must do this via the university admissions portal. For full information about the procedure, see the section on pre-enrolment.
- Bear in mind that the entrance mark is that recorded in the UNEDasiss The entrance mark is between 5 and 10 points.
There are two options for improving the university entrance mark and calculating the admission mark:
- Take the exam in the specific/voluntary phase subjects of the EBAU/PAU at any university in Spain. In this case, the two marks that, when weighted, give the highest marks will be taken into account. If you are taking the exams at a Catalan university, you can see details of enrolment in the calendar.
- Take an exam in UNEDasiss specific competency test (PCE) subjects. In this case, the two marks that, once weighted, give the highest marks will be taken into account, provided that these subjects are eligible for weighting in Catalonia.
Information on which subject areas can be weighted to improve the entrance mark for Catalan public universities and the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia can be found in the weighting table.
Subjects taken at Batxillerat (upper secondary school) level and recognised in UNEDasiss accreditation are not taken into account.
*Countries and education systems:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Croatia Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Baccalaureate, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, International Baccalaureate, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
TOPQualifications recognised as being equivalent to the Spanish Batxillerat (upper secondary school) qualification obtained in countries outside the EU / qualifications recognised as being equivalent to the Spanish Batxillerat obtained in education systems in EU Member States but that do not meet university admission requirements in the country of origin
In these two cases, for university admission, you must have final official recognition of the upper secondary school (Batxillerat) certificate. You cannot be admitted with a conditional registration slip.
Although you will not be assigned a place until your Batxillerat qualification is officially recognised, you can pre-enrol via the university admissions portal. You will find full information about the pre-enrolment process in the section on pre-enrolment.
There are four university entry pathways:
- Upper secondary level examination for university admission (EBAU) / university entrance exam (PAU), any university
You can take the exam at a Spanish university (EBAU) or at a Catalan university (PAU). In the latter case, you will find full information on university entrance exams at this link.
- Upper secondary level examination for university admission (EBAU – UNED)
Please bear the following in mind:
- The UNEDasiss specific competency tests (PCE) must be taken in the following subject areas (general/compulsory phase):
- Three core subject areas: History of Spain, Spanish Language and Literature and a foreign language (English, French, German or Italian).
- One core subject for the area of study: to be chosen from Mathematics, Mathematics Applied to Social Sciences, Latin, and Foundations of Art.
The entrance mark, which can be between 5 and 10 points, is calculated with the average recognised Batxillerat mark (which counts for 60%) and the mark for the general/compulsory phase (which counts for 40%, provided that it is 4 or higher).
- There are two ways in which you can, if you wish, improve the entrance mark and calculate the admission mark:
- Take exams in at least two core subjects in the UNEDasiss specific competency tests(PCE). The results will be considered in the calculation of the admission mark, as long as these subjects can be weighted in Catalonia.
- Take exams in subjects in the specific/voluntary phase of the EBAU/PAU at any Spanish university. If you take the exams at a Catalan university, you can find full details at this link.
The admission mark can be as high as 14 and is the score taken into account for university pre-enrolment. For this score, the subjects in the specific phase are considered. It is based on the two subjects that, when weighted, give you the best marks.
Information on which subject areas can be weighted to improve the entrance mark for Catalan public universities and the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia can be found in the weighting table.
- UNEDasiss accreditations issued in academic year 2017. Specific competency tests (PCE)
In this case, the university entrance mark is that recorded in the UNEDasiss accreditation for the 2017 sitting. This entrance mark is up to 10 points and, in order to gain access to Catalan universities, you must have passed (with 5 points or more) at least two of the four subjects in which you were examined.
There are two ways in which you can, if you wish, improve the entrance mark and calculate the admission mark:
- Take the specific competency tests. The calculation of the admission mark is based on the two marks for the subjects passed that give the highest score after weighting, as long as they are subjects that can be weighted in Catalonia.
- Take the EBAU/PAU specific/voluntary phase exams at any Spanish university. The calculation of the admission mark is based on the two marks for the subjects passed that give the highest score after weighting. If you take the exams at a Catalan university, you can find full details at this link.
Information on which subject areas can be weighted to improve the entrance mark for Catalan public universities and the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia can be found in the weighting table.
- Without an entrance exam for students from education systems outside the EU
The university entrance mark is that recorded on the official recognition of the upper secondary school qualification. If you are in this situation, you will be among the last in the order of allocation of places in the September university pre-enrolment session. You cannot pre-enrol for university in the June pre-enrolment period.
Qualifications comparable to that of an advanced vocational training specialist
To apply for admission to the Catalan public universities or the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia, you should pre-enrol before the deadline on the university admissions portal.
You must provide proof of previous studies to pre-enrol:
- You can apply for recognition of qualifications to the Catalan Ministry of Education or the . These studies will give your university entrance mark which must be between 5 and 10 points.
- You can improve your university entrance mark, by up to 4 points, in one of two ways:
- Take specific phase subjects in the university entrance exams (PAU) at any university in Spain. For Catalonia, see the calendar for enrolment for these subjects.
- Take UNED's PCE (specific competency tests).
You can find information on the subjects that can be weighted to improve university admission marks for Catalan public universities and the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia in the weighting table.
Partial validation of unfinished university studies
If you have started university studies abroad but have not completed them and you want to continue them at a Catalan university, you need to go to a faculty or university school where the same or similar courses are taught, and apply for the partial validation of credits.
If you have 30 or more university credits (ECTS, the European Credit Transfer System) validated, you should apply for enrolment directly at the university centre, once you have been expressly accepted. You do not, therefore, need to pre-enrol.
If you have fewer than 30 university credits validated (from 1 to 29), you must pre-enrol, although you can only apply for the centre that has validated your credits and you will be awarded an entrance mark of 5 points.
Pre-enrolment must be formalised via the university admissions portal on the dates established in the calendar.
Recognition of completed university studies
If you have completed university studies abroad, you should contact the Spanish Ministry of Education and Vocational Training or the Government Delegation in Catalonia to request recognition of these studies.
- Government Delegation in Catalonia
Education Inspectorate
Carrer de Bergara, 12, 1a
08002 Barcelona
Tel. (+34) 935 209 603
For further information check this web.
Make an appointment
Contact mailbox
The University Qualification Recognition Support Service (SARU) can advise you on the procedures for recognition of your qualifications.
- University Qualification Recognition Support Service (SARU)
Carrer de Calàbria, 147
08015 Barcelona
Telèfon: 936 347 549
Contact mailbox
Make an appointment
When your qualifications have been recognised, you will be able to enter university via the pathway for university graduates and you will be awarded 5 points. If you want to check the equivalence of your average mark on the Spanish scale, you should go to the Spanish Ministry of Education and Vocational Training website.
You will have to formalise your pre-enrolment via the university admissions portal, on the dates established in the calendar.