Official Titles
1. ABOUT OFFICIAL DEGREES
1.4 Validity of academic documents
1.6 Legalization of academic documents
2. ON THE ISSUANCE OF DUPLICATES
3. APPLICABLE LEGISLATION
1. ABOUT OFFICIAL DEGREES
What are they?
Official university degrees are those valid throughout the national territory that, with full academic effects, entitle their holders to enjoy the rights granted in each case by the provisions in force.
From what date does UCM issue its official degrees?
- For Diploma, Technical Engineer, Bachelor and Engineer degrees completed after the February 1988 call for applications.
- For Doctorate degrees with thesis reading after August 7, 1989.
Studies completed before these dates are issued by the Ministry of Universities and are requested through the Secretary's Office of Students. More information here.
How to apply?
The application is made through the Student Secretary's Office of your Faculty.
- Download the application from the following link.
- Find the email (or other forms of electronic contact) of the Student Secretary's Office here.
- Attach DNI/Passport/NIE* to your application.
- The Secretary's Office will tell you how to pay.
- If you are entitled to partial or total exemptions from public fees, you must provide supporting documentation.
* Important information about the documentation to be attached:
By indication of the Ministry of Universities, it is recommended that you make the application with DNI or NIE, in order to be able to later consult and verify your degree in the National Registry of Official University Degrees. The consultation of official university degrees is a service of the Ministry of Universities through which you can consult your official Spanish degrees, as well as generate authorizations for third parties to do so. This service is currently in great demand by national and foreign organizations, companies and universities for the verification of studies.
**Important information for the applicant:
About the public prices: the amount of official title will be the one that at each moment comes established by Decree of the Governing Council of the Community of Madrid by which the public prices for university studies leading to official degrees and services of academic nature in public universities of the Community of Madrid are established. You can consult the fees and exemptions here.
About the personal data included in the application: the official degree is a public document with legal effects in which the exact personal data must appear, including accents if applicable. The applicant must indicate in the application the corresponding accents. Otherwise, the spelling rules of the RAE will be followed.
Regarding the place of birth: according to current legislation, the locality of birth of the holder of the diploma must be stated on the diploma. In the case of students born abroad, sometimes this information is not included in the Passport/NIE attached to the application, so it will be necessary to provide an official document with this information. The document must be translated into Spanish, English or French.
Regarding official degrees in the case of double degrees: an application must be made for each degree and public fees must be paid for each of them.
Regarding the issuance of official degrees in English: current legislation does not contemplate the issuance of official degrees in English. In the event of needing to translate the official degree into another language, the translation must be done by a sworn translator. The UCM through the CSIM (Complutense Languages) has a service of sworn translators.
How can I find out the processing status of my official degree?
Contact the Student Secretary's Office where you submitted your application.
1.4 Validity of academic documents
What are the effects of the official diploma issuance fees payment slip/stub before Spanish or foreign organizations?
This document is not valid abroad or before certain national organizations.
How can I prove that I have obtained the official diploma until I receive the original diploma?
By means of a Certification Substitute to the Title. More information here.
Where and how do I pick up my official degree?
At the Student Secretary's Office of the Faculty where you submitted your application. There are the following possibilities of delivery of the official degree:
- Directly to the interested party, upon presentation of the DNI/NIE/Passport.
- To an authorized person, by means of power of attorney *.
- You may also request that it be sent to the Government Delegations or Subdelegations or Consular Offices closest to your place of residence. In this case you will have to go to the Secretary of students of your center to request this shipmen
*Observations to the power of attorney issued abroad:
- You can go to the nearest Spanish Consul, who exercises notarial functions when it is a matter of authorization of acts and contracts between Spaniards or the act produces effects in Spain. This power of attorney will not require any additional formalities.
- You can obtain a power of attorney made by a foreign notary, but for it to be effective in Spain it must meet the following conditions:The document must be legalized/apostilled by two possible procedures:
- Hague Convention member countries: the power of attorney must go with the Hague apostille.
- Other countries: the power of attorney must be legalized via Spanish consular representation.
- More information on these two procedures here.
- The document must be in Spanish or translated by sworn translation:
- By sworn translator recognized in Spain by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- By sworn translator from the country of origin and with subsequent legalization: Hague Convention or consular legalization (same as the original power of attorney).
1.6 Legalization of academic documents
What procedures should I follow if I need my official degree (or certification in lieu of an official degree) to take effect abroad?
It is advisable to consult in the country of destination about the need for legalization.
- The first step is to proceed to the recognition of signatures by the Ministry of Universities (Servicio de Títulos/Unidad de Legalizaciones, Paseo de la Castellana, 162. 28046 - Madrid).
- Next, depending on whether or not the destination country is a signatory to the Hague Convention, the following steps must be taken
Legalization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for non-signatories.
Apostille at the Ministry of Justice, for signatories.
More information about Legalization and Apostille here.
2. ON THE ISSUANCE OF DUPLICATES
In what cases can a Duplicate of an Official Degree be requested?
Duplicates may be requested, at the request of the interested party and upon payment of the corresponding fees, in the following cases:
- Loss, theft, damage
- Change of name and/or surname
- Change of nationality
- Inclusion of an extraordinary award (only for Pre-Bologna degrees) obtained later.
- Inclusion of Mention/Specialty obtained later.
The issuance of a duplicate will result in the cancellation of the original official degree, so the original official degree will be required, except in cases of loss or destruction.
How do I request a Duplicate?
It is requested at the Student Secretary's Office of your Faculty. Follow the steps indicated in point 1.3.
What procedures are necessary in case of loss?
It will be necessary to publish a notice of loss of the degree in the Official State Gazette. To do so, contact the Secretary's Office of Students of your Faculty. Once the regulatory period of thirty working days has elapsed since the publication of the announcement without any claims having been made, the Secretary's Office may be asked to issue a duplicate of the official diploma.
How much does the issuance of a duplicate of an official degree cost?
The cost of a duplicate will be the amount established by the 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 check the fees and exemptions here.
If I am waiting for the Duplicate to be issued, how can I prove that I am in possession of the official degree?
By means of a Certification Substitute to the Title. More information here.
Where and how do I pick up my duplicate?
For the collection of duplicates, please refer to point 1.6 on the withdrawal of official certificates.
3. APPLICABLE LEGISLATION
- Royal Decree 1002/2010, of August 5, 2010, on the issuance of official university degrees (BOE of August 6).
- Order ECI/2514/2007, of August 13, 2007, on the issuance of official Master's and Doctoral degrees (BOE of August 21).
- Royal Decree 822/2021, of September 28, establishing the organization of university education and the procedure for quality assurance.
- Royal Decree 778/1998, of April 30, 1998, regulating the third cycle of university studies, the obtaining and issuance of the degree of Doctor and other postgraduate studies (BOE of May 1).
- Order of July 8, 1988, for the application of Royal Decrees 185/1985, of January 23, 1985, and 1496/1987, of November 6, 1987, regarding the issuance of official university degrees (BOE of July 13, 1988).
- Royal Decree 1496/1987, of November 6, 1987, on obtaining, issuing and homologation of university degrees (BOE of December 14, 1987).
- Royal Decree 185/1985, of January 23, 1985, regulating the third cycle of university studies, the obtaining and issuance of the degree of Doctor (BOE of February 16).
Do you have any questions? Check our frequently asked questions.