APOSTILLE FOR SPAIN · ALL ACADEMIC RECORDS
Apostille for Spain: School and University Records
Moving to Spain with children, or homologating your own degree? Spain’s Ministry of Education and its Ministry of Universities each have their own rules, and they’re strict about how records are notarized before the apostille. Here’s what each level needs, from elementary school to a university degree, and how we prepare Massachusetts records so they’re accepted the first time.
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School-certified records
Notarized the way Spain requires, then apostilled
- Elementary, middle and high school records
- College and graduate degrees
- Massachusetts apostille
- Sworn Spanish translation if needed
What Spain needs, level by level
| Level | What Spain does | What you need from Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Grades 1–9 (elementary and middle school) | Nothing. Spain’s Ministry of Education says U.S. grades 1–9 (primary through 3º ESO) need no homologation or convalidation to enroll. | Report cards and an enrollment or withdrawal letter for the new school, sometimes translated |
| Grade 10 | Homologation to the Graduado en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO) | Official grade 10 records, school-certified, apostilled and translated |
| Grade 11 | Convalidation of 1º de Bachillerato | Official records through grade 11, apostilled and translated |
| High school diploma | Homologation to the Spanish Bachiller | The diploma and transcripts for grades 10–12, school-certified, apostilled, with a sworn translation. A GED is not accepted. |
| College and graduate degrees | Homologation or equivalence through the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities | The diploma and academic transcript, apostilled, with an official translation |
Spain’s offices can update their requirements, and your school, university or advisor in Spain may have extra steps. Always follow the most recent instructions you’ve been given, and send them to us so we can match them.
The rule most families miss
Massachusetts will apostille a document notarized with any of its four notarial acts, including a certified copy you present yourself. Spain is stricter. For school records, Spain’s Ministry of Education does not accept an apostille that only confirms a notary saw the original and certified a copy. The school has to vouch for the record. Spanish education offices also stress that legalization is done on original documents, not photocopies.
If your documents were apostilled as a copy certification, they’ll likely be rejected, and you’ll have to start over. Getting the notarization right from the beginning saves weeks, and sometimes a school place.
The two notarizations Spain accepts for school records
1. School official acknowledgment
A school official, such as the principal, guidance director or registrar, signs the record (or presents it) before the notary. The notarial certificate must show the official’s full name, position, the school’s name, and the notary’s signature and stamp.
2. School official affidavit
A school official signs a separate sworn statement, usually on letterhead, with their name and position, confirming the student’s enrollment or graduation and that the attached records match the school’s files. The notary notarizes the affidavit and the attached records.
Not accepted: copy certification
A notary certifying that a copy matches the original, with no school official involved. Massachusetts will apostille it, but Spain won’t accept it for school records.
Not accepted: the wrong state
The notary and the apostille must be in the state where the school is. A Massachusetts school’s records need a Massachusetts notary and the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Moving to Spain with younger children
If your children are in grades 1 through 9, Spain’s Ministry of Education doesn’t require homologation or convalidation for them to join the Spanish system. That doesn’t mean you should arrive empty-handed. Schools in Spain, public and private, usually want the most recent report cards, a letter confirming the last grade completed, and sometimes immunization records, and some ask for translations.
Request these before the last day of school, while teachers and office staff are still there. If the school or your region asks for apostilled copies, we can prepare them in the same order as your other family documents. See our guide to school records for families moving abroad.
Homologating a U.S. college degree
University degrees are recognized by Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, through homologation (for regulated professions such as medicine, teaching or engineering) or equivalence (for academic level). Either way, your diploma and academic transcript need an apostille and an official Spanish translation.
We prepare records from every Massachusetts college and university, coordinating with the registrar so the notarization is right for Spain. See our university pages for your school’s process.
How we handle it
- 1
Send us Spain’s instructions
Forward what your school, university or advisor gave you. We confirm the documents, years and notarization format for each child or degree.
- 2
We coordinate with each school
We work with the principal, guidance office or registrar and prepare the acknowledgment or affidavit wording, so each certificate includes what Spain requires.
- 3
The school official signs before our notary
We go to the school and notarize. With a signed letter of authorization, you don’t need to be there.
- 4
Massachusetts apostille
We file in person with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, usually in 1–2 business days once the records are signed.
- 5
Translation and delivery
We add the sworn Spanish translation and ship everything to you in the U.S. or Spain with tracking.
Frequently asked questions
My child is in elementary or middle school. Do we need apostilles for Spain?
Usually not for the Spanish system itself. Spain’s Ministry of Education says students who completed U.S. grades 1 through 9 can enroll without any homologation or convalidation. The new school will still want report cards and an enrollment or withdrawal letter, and some schools ask for translations, so bring them.
Which records does a grade 10 or 11 student need?
For grade 10, Spain homologates the year to the Graduado en ESO. For grade 11, it convalidates 1º de Bachillerato. Either way you need official records for those years, apostilled and translated.
Why did Spain reject our apostilled transcripts?
Usually because the notarization was a copy certification, with no school official involved. For school records, Spain’s Ministry of Education wants the school itself to certify the record, through an acknowledgment or a school official’s affidavit.
Can a GED be homologated in Spain?
No. Spain does not homologate GED equivalency diplomas to the Spanish Bachillerato.
How do I homologate a U.S. college degree in Spain?
University degrees go to Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for homologation or equivalence. You’ll need your diploma and academic transcript, apostilled, with an official Spanish translation. We prepare Massachusetts college records the way Spain expects.
Does the notary have to be in the same state as the school?
Yes. The notarization and the apostille have to happen in the state where the school is. For a Massachusetts school, that means a Massachusetts notary and the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Do we need a sworn translation?
Spain asks for an official Spanish translation of the documents and their apostilles, usually by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) authorized by Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We can arrange it in the same order.
We have several children. Can you do everything together?
Yes. Families often need records from two or three schools at once. We coordinate with each school and handle every apostille and translation in one order.
Moving to Spain or homologating a degree?
Tell us the schools, the grades or degrees, and your deadline. We’ll confirm what Spain needs for each one.