Students with foreign degrees

This section is aimed at students with foreign degrees who would like to take official postgraduate studies (Master's or Doctorate) at the UIB. Such students are not required to have their foreign degrees officially recognised by the Spanish education authorities. This admission shall not, in any case, involve the recognition of the prior degree possessed by the interested party or its recognition for any other purposes than access to Doctorate studies. Students with foreign degrees recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Education will follow the pre-registration process undertaken by students with Spanish degrees.

If you are interested in having your foreign degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s) officially recognised by the Spanish education authorities, please contact the Spanish Ministry of Education.

If you are interested in having your foreign PhD officially recognised in Spain, please visit the website of Doctoral School of the UIB - section "Declaración de equivalencia".

Requirements regarding the translation of documents for the purpose of admission to postgraduate studies at the University of the Balearic Islands.

According to the agreement reached in the UIB Governing Board on 26 January 2010, the translation of the degree or academic diploma and official academic transcript shall be carried out as specified below.

  • Documents referred to in the section on Original documents drawn up in Spanish, Catalan, English, French, Italian or Portuguese:
    • No translation is necessary
  • A degree or academic diploma drawn up in any other language different from the ones listed in the above section requires translation into Catalan or Spanish. The translation of the degree or academic diploma must be done by:
  • Official academic transcript drawn up in any language other than the ones listed in section 1:
    • Translation is required by an authorised translator. The translation may be into Catalan, Spanish, English, French, Italian or Portuguese. It is not mandatory for the translation to be done by a certified translator or through consular channels.

Translation by:

Through diplomatic channels

Translation through diplomatic channels

(Requirements concerning translation of documents)

Conditions

Spanish diplomatic representations in the country of origin of the documents may translate or validate translations.

Diplomatic representations in Spain may translate or validate translations of documents issued in their country.

There are two possibilities for translating documents issued abroad:

  • Translation, or validation of translation, carried out by the Spanish diplomatic representation in the country where the document was issued:

The most frequent case is for embassies and consulates not to offer a translation service. Nevertheless, they do sometimes certify the correctness of translations carried out by other means, through a stamp that accredits the accuracy of the translation.

  • Translation, or validation of translation, carried out by the diplomatic representation of the country where the document was issued in Spain:

This case is the same as the above: the translation will be valid if the translation is accredited by the embassy or consulate in Spain.
Effects

This translation is valid for any other formality carried out in the public administration in Spain (for instance, recognition of the degree), and for this reason you are recommended to submit a certified copy to the UIB and to keep the original translations, which may be useful in the future.
Procedure
  1. Go to the embassy or consulate and make an inquiry as regards obtaining certified translations.
  2. Carry out the formalities indicated by the embassy or consulate.
  3. Submit the documents, accompanied by the corresponding application, to the administrative services of the UIB where the formality must be carried out.
Observations

The most common procedure is for the translation to be made by a translator from outside the embassy (or consulate) and subsequently validated by them.

At any rate, the diplomatic representation that makes or certifies the translation must certify the correctness or accuracy of the translation.

  • No translations that simply contain the diplomatic legalisation of the translator’s signature are valid.
  • No translations in which a photocopy of the translation is certified are valid.

Through a certified translator

Translation through a certified translator

(Requirements regarding the translation of documents)

Conditions The translator must be part of the updated list of certified translators, which is published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAE)
Effects

This translation is valid for any other formality that is carried out in the public administration in Spain (for instance, recognition), and for this reason you are recommended to submit certified copies and to keep the original translations, which may be useful in the future.
Procedure
  1. Contact one of the interpreters on the list to commission the translation of the documents.
  2. Submit the documents, together with the pre-registration application, to the corresponding administrative services.
Observations
  • Translations made by certified translators that are no included in the MAE list are not valid
  • Translations made by certified translators who are legally registered or enrolled in other countries that if they are not on the MAE list are not valid. These translations shall not be valid even if the signature of the foreign translator is legalised, independently of the means of legalisation.