New legislation makes it easier for foreign students worldwide to study in Spanish universities

Foreign students of all nationalities will no longer need to do the Spanish state’s university entrance exam to study an official bachelor degree in Spain

As from the start of the 2014-2015 academic year foreign students worldwide who wish to study a bachelor degree at an official Spanish university will no longer be required by law to sit the Spanish state’s university entrance exam (Selectividad). This change in Spanish legislation was set out in the Royal Decree 412/2014 of June 6 published in Spain’s official state gazette on June 7, 2014, thereby enacting these new provisions for admissions procedures for undergraduate degrees at official Spanish universities.

The change in legislation means that any student who wishes to enroll in a degree program run by an official Spanish university can now simply apply to have their high school qualifications recognized as being equivalent to the Spanish Baccalaureate. Pertinent documents submitted for official recognition are examined to confirm that the studies undertaken by the high school student in a determinate country are equivalent to the studies that comprise the Spanish Baccalaureate.  The inspection of the documents, and subsequent certification if found to be equivalent, will be carried out by Spain’s Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport.

As soon as a student’s studies are officially recognized, he or she will have the same right of access as a Spanish student to degree programs in official Spanish universities. This change in legislation also means that official universities in Spain can award conditional admission to foreign students who have applied to have their studies recognized by the Spanish state while they are waiting for the procedure to be completed.

This new, more flexible legislation makes Spain more open to international students and places it in a better position to compete with other similar countries. According to the latest UN report, 4.3 million students in the world study outside their respective countries of origin, and it is forecast that this figure is set to double by 2025.

“This new law is a big step forward for the Spanish system and is excellent news for our university, given its marked international focus. Sixty percent of our students are from outside Spain, and we have 87 nationalities on campus,” said Antonio de Castro, Dean of Undergraduate Studies at IE University.