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Frequently Asked Questions

ABOUT OFFICIAL QUALIFICATIONS

  1. What is an official degree?
  2. From what date does UCM issue official degrees?
  3. How much is an official degree worth?
  4. How do I apply for an official degree?
  5. What documentation do I have to provide?
  6. Is it necessary to include in the application form the personal details as they appear on the official identification document?
  7. Is it necessary to state the place of birth?
  8. How do I pay the fees for the issuance of the diploma?
  9. What are the effects of the payment of the fees for the issuance of the diploma before Spanish or foreign bodies?
  10. While the official qualification is being issued, how can I prove that I have a degree?
  11. I do not yet have my official qualification, but I need to legalise it for it to take effect abroad, what can I do?
  12. What procedures do I have to follow if I need my official qualification (or certification in lieu of the official qualification) to take effect abroad?
  13. Where and how do I collect my official qualification?
  14. If I have taken a double degree, how do I apply for my official qualifications?
  15. Can the official degree be issued in English?
  16. How can I consult my official university degree registered in the National Register of Official University Degrees (RNTUO) or authorise a third party?
  17. How can I find out the status of my degree?
  18. How can I request an authentic electronic copy of my degree?
  19. How can I obtain a certificate of correspondence between Official University Degrees ("pre-Bologna") and MECES level?

ABOUT DUPLICATES OF OFFICIAL DIPLOMAS

  1. In which cases can a duplicate of an official diploma be requested?
  2. How do I apply for a duplicate?
  3. What procedures are necessary in case of loss?
  4. How much does a duplicate cost?
  5. If I am waiting for the duplicate to be issued, how do I prove that I am in possession of the official diploma?
  6. What if the cause of the duplicate is attributable to the UCM?
  7. Will the duplicate be identical to my original degree?
  8. Where and how do I pick up my duplicate?

ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE OF EQUIVALENCE TO THE DIPLOMA (CST)

  1. What is the CST?
  2. How do I apply for my CST?
  3. Where and how do I get my CST?
  4. How long does the CST take?
  5. Can the CST be issued in English?
  6. How much does the CST cost?
  7. When can I apply for CST?

ABOUT THE EUROPEAN DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT (ETS)

  1. What is EETS?
  2. In which language is EETS issued?
  3. From what date can I apply for EETS?
  4. How and where can I apply?
  5. How much does the EETS cost?
  6. Where and how do I collect it?
  7. Can the EETS be issued for the University's own degrees and diplomas?

ABOUT OFFICIAL QUALIFICATIONS

  1. What is an official degree?
    Official university degrees are those that are valid throughout the national territory and which, with full academic effects, entitle their holders to enjoy the rights granted in each case by the provisions in force.
  2. From what date does UCM issue official degrees?
     For Diploma, Technical Engineer, Graduate and Engineer studies completed after the February 1988 call for applications.
     For Doctorate degrees with thesis reading after 7 August 1989.
    Studies completed before these dates are issued by the Ministry of Universities. They are requested through the Student Secretary's Office. More information here.
  3. How much does an official degree cost?
    The amount will be the amount established at any given time by Decree of the Governing Council of the Community of Madrid, which establishes the public prices for university studies leading to official degrees and services of an academic nature in the public universities of the Community of Madrid. You can consult the fees and reductions or exemptions here.
  4. How do I apply for an official degree?
    The application is made through the Student Secretary's Office of your Faculty.
    a) Download the application form from the following link.
    b) Find the email address (or other forms of electronic contact) of your Student Secretary's Office here.
    c) The Secretary's Office will tell you how to pay.
  5. What documentation do I have to provide?
    a) Identity document (DNI/NIE/Passport).
    ** As indicated by the Ministry of Universities, it is recommended that you apply with your DNI or NIE, so that you can later consult and verify your degree in the National Register of Official University Degrees. The consultation of official university degrees is a service provided by the Ministry of Universities through which you can consult your official Spanish degrees, as well as generate authorisations so that third parties can also do so. It is a service that is currently in great demand by national and foreign organisations, companies and universities for the verification of studies.
    b) If you are a beneficiary of partial or total exemption from fees, the document accrediting this exemption.
  6. Is it necessary to state in the application the personal details as they appear on the official identification document?
    Yes, the official document is a public document with legal effect and must contain the exact personal details, including accents where appropriate. The applicant must indicate the corresponding accents in the application. Otherwise, the spelling rules of the RAE will be followed.
  7. Is it necessary to state the place of birth?
    Yes, according to current legislation, the place of birth of the holder must be stated on the certificate. In the case of students born abroad, sometimes this information is not included in the Passport/NIE attached to the application, so the submission of an official document containing this information will be required. The document must be translated into Spanish, English, or French.
  8. How do I pay the issuance fees for the diploma?
    After requesting the diploma at the Student Services Office, they will contact you to provide payment instructions. The official diploma can be paid for using a credit card, bank transfer, or Flywire.

  9. What effects does the payment receipt for the diploma issuance fees have on Spanish or foreign organizations?
    This document does not have any effects abroad or before certain national entities.

  10. While the official diploma is being issued, how can I prove that I am a graduate?
    Through a substitute certification for the diploma. More information can be found here

  11. I don't have my official diploma yet, but I need to legalize it for it to be valid abroad. What can I do?
    You can legalize the substitute certification for the diploma. The process described below, in point 12, is valid for the legalization or apostille of both documents.

  12. What procedures should I follow if I need my official diploma (or substitute certification for the official diploma) to be valid abroad?

    It is advisable to inquire in advance in the destination country about the need for legalization.
    1. The first step is to proceed with the recognition of signatures by the Ministry of Universities (Title Services/Legalizations Unit, Paseo de la Castellana, 162, 28046 - Madrid).
    2. Next, depending on whether the destination country is a signatory of the Hague Convention, you will need to proceed to:

 Legalization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required for countries that are not signatories to the Hague Convention.

 Apostille at the Ministry of Justice is required for countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention.

More information about legalization and apostille can be found here.

13. Where and how do I collect my official diploma?

At the Student Services Office of the Faculty where you submitted the application. There are the following possibilities for the delivery of the official diploma:

a) Directly to the interested party, upon presentation of ID/NIE/Passport.

b) To an authorized person, through a notarized power of attorney*.

c) You can request delivery to the Government Delegations or Sub-delegations or Consular Offices closest to your place of residence. In this case, you must go to the Student Services Office of your center to request this delivery.

* Observations regarding notarized power of attorney issued abroad:

⇒ You can go to the nearest Consul of Spain, who acts as a notary when it comes to authorizing acts and contracts between Spaniards or when the act has effects in Spain. This notarized power of attorney will not require any additional procedures.

⇒ You can obtain a notarized power of attorney issued by a foreign notary, but for it to be effective in Spain, it must meet the following conditions:

 The document must be legalized/apostilled through two possible procedures.

1.- For countries that are members of the Hague Convention, the power of attorney must have the Hague Apostille.

2..- For other countries, the power of attorney must be legalized through the Spanish consular representation.

More information about these two procedures can be found here.

 The document must be in Spanish or translated through a sworn translation:

1.- Through a sworn translator recognized in Spain by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2.- Through a sworn translator from the country of origin and with subsequent legalization: either through the Hague Convention or consular legalization (similar to the original notarized power of attorney).

14.- In the case of having completed a double degree, how do I request my official diplomas?

In this scenario, you need to submit a separate request for each degree and pay the corresponding public fees for each.

15.- Can the official diploma be issued in English?

Current legislation does not allow for the issuance of official diplomas in English. If you need to translate the official diploma into another language, the translation must be done by a certified translator. The UCM, through CSIM (Complutense Languages), provides a service of certified translators.

16.- How can I check my official university diploma registered in the National Register of Official University Degrees (RNTUO) or authorize a third party?

The consultation of official university degrees is a service provided by the Ministry of Universities through which you can check the Spanish degrees you hold. Additionally, if desired, you can generate authorization codes for third parties to access this information.

17.- How can I find out the status of the processing of my diploma?

Contact the Student Services Office where you submitted the application.

18.- How do I request the authentic electronic copy of my diploma?

Once you have collected the original official paper diploma from the Student Services Office, you can initiate the procedure on the UCM electronic headquarters.

19.- How can I obtain a certificate of correspondence between Official University Degrees ("pre-Bologna") and the MECES level?

The certificate is requested and issued electronically through the Electronic Headquarters of the Ministry of Universities. Through this service, a certificate of correspondence can be obtained for a degree in Architecture, Engineering, Bachelor, Technical Architecture, Technical Engineering, or Diploma to the levels of the Spanish Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (MECES).