1) When can I consider myself to be an international student at the time of applying to university?

When you have completed secondary school in a foreign system of education, in accordance with Spain’s Organic Law on Education.

2) Are all international students admitted to Spanish Universities the same way?

No, international students’ pathways to university will depend on their origin and educational background. There is a clear distinction between students from EU member states (or countries having reciprocal agreements with Spain in education) and students from other countries. You may find more information on this link.

3) What is the first thing I should do if I am neither from the EU nor from a country that has an educational agreement with Spain?

You should first of all contact the university of your choice to receive confirmation that your UNEDasiss accreditation will be considered during their admission procedure.  In addition, you should check cut-off scores published by said university to find out what subjects may increase your chances of being enrolled.

4) What is the first thing you should do if you are not a student from one of the countries of the European Union or one that has an international agreement?

One of the mandatory steps to take is applying for the recognition (homologation) of your upper secondary studies as equivalent to Spanish Bachillerato. This is done at the MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. You may find information on this here 

In addition, you should contact the university of your choice to receive confirmation that your UNEDasiss accreditation will be considered during their admission procedure.  Furthermore, you should check cut-off scores to find out what subjects may increase your likelihood of being enrolled at the university    

5) What is a UNEDasiss Accreditation?

It is a digital certificate that enables international students to apply for undergraduate programmes at most Spanish universities. It is the outcome of the systematic and rigorous assessment of academic transcripts delivered by foreign educational institutions and may also include the scores of Specific Competency Tests (PCE) taken at UNED, as well as other features.

6) Can I use this accreditation at all Spanish universities?

No. Some universities do not consider UNEDasiss accreditations when selecting (some) prospective students. Therefore, students should first check with the university of their choice to determine whether or not they will need to provide a UNEDasiss accreditation. Information about Universities

7) I wish to study at UNED. Do I need to apply for a UNEDasiss Accreditation? 

Students from either the EU or other countries having educational agreements with Spain should apply for a UNEDasiss accreditation. Students from other countries may be admitted to different degree programmes by merely submitting the homologation of their upper secondary studies to Spanish Bachillerato. You may check UNED’s admission criteria here.

8) My documents issued by the UNED are expired, what should I do? 

The UNEDasiss accreditation is valid for two years from the date of issue. Here is how to proceed if your accreditation has expired.

1) When can I apply  an accreditation?

You may apply for an accreditation every year from February to November. Students who need to sit Specific Competency Tests should apply for an accreditation within the deadlines established for June and September exams which can be found here.

2) Where can I apply an accreditation?

You can apply online on the  UNEDasiss website.

3) What features can I request when applying for an accreditation?

The accreditation should feature as much information as requested by the university where you wish to study. Most universities require information about Admission score and Specific Competency Tests. Other universities may also require evidence of a bachillerato modality (Modalidad de Bachillerato).

4) Why was I was issued a provisional accreditation? When will it stop being provisional?

Provisional accreditations can be issued under two circumstances:

• Students from the UK and Ireland who provide predicted grades when applying. In this case, the accreditation shall stop being provisional when UNEDasiss receives the students’ final grades.
• When the students’ upper secondary certificate is in the process of being recognised by official institutions in Spain. In this case, the accreditation shall stop being provisional once UNEDasiss receives evidence of such homologation.

It is very important to check with universities regarding whether or not they allow provisional accreditations and when they expect definitive documents to be submitted.

5) Where can I see the result of my accreditation and the PCEs carried out?

To see the content of your accreditation and the results of the PCEs, you must access the UNEDasiss application software with your username and password. In the vouchers section you will find an information document with the result of your accreditation. The results of the PCE are visible both in the information document and in the application itself, in the PCE section. If you wish to make a complaint about the PCE scores, you must do so from the same application. 

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6) The document that I downloaded from the UNEDasiss platform has a strictly informative value. Can I obtain legal/official evidence of my accreditation?

Spanish universities can directly access your accreditation through our digital platform, so you do not need an official certificate in most cases. Nevertheless, an official accreditation may be required when applying to a limited number of institutions in Spain or abroad. To obtain said document, go to the "Vouchers"("Comprobantes") section of your application platform and click on the DOWNLOAD CERTIFICATE (“DESCARGAR CERTIFICADO”) button. You will have to complete payment (€35.86), before being granted access to the document through a Secure Verification Code.

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1) When is it necessary to request the minimum requirement verification feature?

When you apply to a university whose admission criteria do not include a cut-off score, thus making it possible to be enrolled with a minimum score of 5.

1)  When should you request the Admission Score for the Spanish University feature?

It would be wise to always request this feature when applying for undergraduate studies at both public and private universities that recognise UNEDasiss accreditations. If you already hold an accreditation that includes this feature, you may reapply for an accreditation only if you wish to improve your admission score

2) How is the admission score for the Spanish University determined?

UNEDasiss takes into account the student’s origin to determine an admission score for the Spanish University which ranges from 5 to 10 points :

a) Students from EU countries (or other countries having reciprocal educational agreements with Spain) who hold a certificate equivalent to Spanish Bachillerato or FP.

The admission score is determined by taking into account the minimum and maximum passing marks in the students’ home education systems, and in accordance with country-specific guidelines which can be found here

b) Students who can obtain the homologation of their upper secondary studies to Spanish Bachillerato

The admission score is obtained by considering weighted percentages assigned to both their upper secondary average score (NMB) (60%) and UNED’s Specific Competency Test scores (40%). The formula to be applied is as follows:

Admission score = (0,2 x NMB + 4) + 0,1 x M1 + 0,1 x M2 + 0,1 x M3 + 0,1 x M4

NMB = stands for Nota Media de Bachillerato i.e. Upper secondary average score.

M1-4 = higuest score obtained in up to four Specific Competency Tests (PCE)

taken the same calendar year as the application period, as long as distinct subjects were taken and the student obtained at least a 5 in each of them.  Neither the scores obtained in previous years nor those of more than 4 PCE subjects shall be taken into account. 

3) The cut-off score is higher than 10 points. How can I raise my score?

UNEDasiss can award a maximum of 10 points. Some universities may add up to 4 points depending on their admission criteria. You should check with the university of your choice to receive information on how to be awarded these additional points and adjust your application for an accreditation to that information .  Information about Universities

1)  When should my bachillerato modality feature in the accreditation?

Only  if required by the destination university in its admission criteria.

2) What should I take into account when seeking the recognition of a bachillerato modality?

If your finished the upper secondary studies equivalent as Bachillerato in EU countries (or other countries having reciprocal educational agreements with Spain) modality shall be contingent on the subjects found on your academic transcript. In other cases, a bachillerato modality shall only be granted if a number of PCE subjects have been passed. You may find more on this here

1) What are the Specific Competency Tests (PCE)?

They are exams conducted by UNEDasiss in order to assess students’ competency in specific subjects. Students who wish to improve their university admission score are strongly advised to take PCE’s. You may find more information on these tests here.   

2) How many PCE subjects should I take?

UNEDasiss offers the possibility of taking a maximum of 6 subjects:

a)  Unless the admission score required of them is 5, Students from either the EU or other countries having reciprocal educational agreements with Spain (Annex I of the Regulation), are advised to take at least two PCE subjects the first time they apply to university.

b)Students from other countries should take at least four subjects the first time they apply to university. Students should take at least six PCE subjects when required by the university they wish to attend, or when said university stipulates that PCE subjects should mirror EBAU (Spanish exam) subjects. 

3) I have passed Specific Competency Tests (PCE) last year. Should I retake the tests?

The answer to this question depends on the purposes for which the test results will be used. 

1.   For UNED to come up with an admission score (the highest one being 10), only Specific Competency Tests (PCE) taken the same calendar year as the application period, along with the average score found on the student’s academic transcript, shall be used. PCE scores obtained in previous years shall in no circumstances be used. The accreditation thus obtained shall be valid for two years when it comes to applying to university. Students who wish to improve their initial admission score should once again take a PCE and apply for a new accreditation. It is worth noting that Specific Competency Test Scores are not always taken into account when determining admission scores, as found under question D.2) .
2. Specific Competency Tests are valid for two academic years for the purpose of university enrolment. Here, prospective students may earn up to 4 additional points which universities determine in accordance with their specific admission criteria. In such cases, students should only re-take a PCE if they wish to improve their achievement in some subjects and increase their chances of being
3. In order to recognise a bachillerato modality with three PCE passed, UNEDasiss will take into consideration Specific Competency Tests taken at UNED the same year and in the previous year. In this case, it is not necessary to re-take anypreviously passed PCE subjects. In order to recognise a bachillerato modality whit an average grade of 5 points on 4 PCE subjects, is necessary to re-take the PCE again.

1) When should I seek the recognition of subjects?

The recognition of subjects only applies to EU students who hold a certificate equivalent to Spanish Bachillerato. If your future university recognises this procedure, then you won’t need to take Specific Competency Tests for the subjects you have passed in your home education system. More information on this can be found  here  

1) I completed secondary school at a foreign educational institution. Can I take the EBAU exam through UNEDasiss?

No. Only students at Spanish educational institutions located abroad (as well as within Spain, under special circumstances) may take the EBAU exam at UNED. Students from foreign educational systems who apply to universities that require the EBAU exam must instead sit Specific Competency Tests (PCE) for the following subjects:

• All general core subjects: Historia de España (History of Spain), Lengua y Literatura Española (Spanish Language and Literature) and Lengua Extranjera (Foreign Language) (either English, French, German or Italian).
• A core subject, which depending on the chosen bachillerato modality may be Matemáticas (Mathematics), Matemáticas Aplicadas a las Ciencias Sociales (Mathematics Applied to Social Sciences), Latin or Fundamentos del Arte (Fundamentals of Art).
• If need be, a maximum of two other core subjects related to the student’s selected bachillerato modality.