Degree recognition · Spain and the EU
Professional degree recognition in Spain and the EU
If you are a Chilean professional planning to practice in Spain or elsewhere in Europe, your degree needs official recognition first. That is what homologacion means: the process by which the destination country's authority validates your Chilean degree so it has legal effect there.
There is no single route: depending on your profession and country, the path may be academic validation, professional recognition or the EU general system. We assess which one applies to your case, manage the documents for you and follow up on the file until it is resolved. We always start with a free consultation.
Who qualifies?
We work with Chilean professionals who want to practice in Europe. These are the most frequent profiles:
- Lawyers who want to practice in Spain: the route has three stages: partial validation of your degree to the Spanish Grado, the Master's in Access to the Legal Profession (1 to 1.5 years) and the State Exam. It is not just validation plus an exam: the master's degree is mandatory.
- Architects and engineers: professional recognition under Royal Decree 889/2022 and the bilateral agreements in force between Chile and Spain.
- Healthcare professionals, such as medicine and nursing: recognition with specific requirements depending on the country where you want to practice.
- Other regulated professions: the EU general recognition system, which may include an aptitude test or an adaptation period.
Not sure which route applies to you? That is the first thing we define in the free consultation. And if your profession does not require recognition to work in your destination country, we will tell you just as transparently.
How we manage it
Step 01
We assess your route
We review your profession, your degree and the country where you want to practice, and tell you which route applies: academic validation, professional recognition or the general system. We also tell you if your case does not require recognition at all.
Step 02
We prepare the file
We gather your degree, academic transcript and course syllabi, and manage apostilles (the international seal that validates your documents) and sworn translations where the country requires them.
Step 03
We file and follow up
We submit the application to the competent authority, respond to any additional requests and keep you informed of every step until the final resolution.
Timelines and key facts
- Realistic timelines
- Ministries take time. In Spain, degree recognition usually takes from 6 months to over a year, depending on the profession and the authority's workload. We give you a realistic estimate for your case from the start.
- Lawyers in Spain
- Partial validation of your degree to the Spanish Grado, then the Master's in Access to the Legal Profession (1 to 1.5 years), and finally the State Exam. Three mandatory stages, not two.
- Architects and engineers
- Professional recognition under Royal Decree 889/2022 and the bilateral agreements in force between Chile and Spain.
- Where it is processed
- The application is filed online with the destination country's authority: you can start the entire process from Chile, without traveling.
Frequently asked questions
What does recognizing a degree mean?
It is the official recognition of your Chilean degree by another country's authority, so it carries the same legal value there. Depending on the profession and country, the process is called validation, homologation or professional recognition, and the requirements change. That is why the first step is defining the right route for your case.
Do I need recognition to work in Europe?
Only if your profession is regulated, such as medicine, law, architecture, engineering or nursing. For non-regulated professions, it is generally up to the employer to assess your degree, although having it recognized can help you compete. In the free consultation we tell you which group you are in.
How long does the process take?
It depends on the profession and the country, and we say it honestly: ministries take time. For lawyers in Spain, between the degree validation, the Master's in Access to the Legal Profession and the State Exam, the full route generally takes over a year. Other recognitions have different timelines. Our job is to make sure the file is complete from day one, so no avoidable request extends the wait.
Do I have to travel to Spain?
Not to start the process: the application is filed online and we manage the file for you. Some later stages, such as a qualification exam or professional registration, may require your presence. If that applies to your route, we tell you upfront.
What documents do I need?
As a baseline, your professional degree, academic transcript and course syllabi, apostilled and with sworn translations where the country requires them. After the assessment we give you a personalized checklist and obtain any missing documents in Chile for you.
Does it help me in other EU countries?
Recognition is requested country by country, but Spain is usually the natural starting point for Chilean professionals, given the language and the agreements in force. A degree already recognized in one EU country can make later recognition in another easier, with additional requirements we review with you.
How much does it cost?
Every case is unique: the fee depends on the route, the profession and the missing documents. After the free consultation we send you a clear, all-inclusive proposal with no surprises. The destination country's official fees are paid separately and are itemized in the same proposal.
Define your route to practice in Europe
Tell us your profession and the country where you want to practice. In a free consultation we tell you which route applies to your case, which documents you need and a realistic timeline.
Book your free consultation