Psychologist/a

Psychologists in Spain can work in various fields and at different levels.

Do you want to work as a clinical psychologist?

Clinical psychologists can perform their duties throughout the healthcare sector. For this, it is necessary:

· Degree in Psychology. In case of foreign qualifications, it is necessary to have obtained the recognition or declaration of equivalence of this.

· Overcoming the examination and postgraduate training of Resident Internal Psychologist (PIR). This procedure depends on the Ministry of Health (sanidad.gob.es).

· Linguistic competence in Spanish (level C1).

Do you want to work as a health general psychologist?

General health psychologists are dedicated to promoting health and preventing disease, but not in the public health system or in concerted centers. Nor can they exercise in cases where specialized care is required.

Please note that a general health psychologist is a regulated profession in Spain and a specific training/qualification regulated by law/regulation is required to practice it.

What do you need to validate your university degree?

Be in possession of a university degree and official master’s degree in psychology or integrated degree with at least 300 ECTS credits (3000 teaching hours), with a minimum of 5 years of full-time training.

The qualification must meet the following requirements to be approved:

• The evaluation criteria for the approval of general health psychologist (aneca.es) prepared by the National Agency for Quality Evaluation and Accreditation (ANECA). For example, 5 years of full-time training, 180 ECTS credits of specifically health content, 30 ECTS or 500 hours of external academic practices among others.
• The competencies and modules established in Order CNU/1309/2018 (boe.es) and Order ECD/1070/2013 (boe.es).
• Meet the other requirements to exercise the profession of general health psychologist in the country of issuance of the degree.
• Language competence in Spanish (level B2), if you are not a national of a state whose official languages include Spanish. Other exceptions are having completed in Spanish 75% of the time charge of the degree provided or having completed in Spanish the training prior to access to studies.

What documents should you provide?

1. Document that proves the identity and nationality of the applicant.
2. Title or the certification accrediting your expedition:
   • Official translation into Spanish.
   • Legalized and apostilled (exempt titles from EU member countries, EEA and Switzerland).
3. Academic certification:
   • The official duration in academic years of the study plan followed.
   • The subjects passed and the total hourly load of each of them expressed in hours or in ECTS (European) credits.
   • If more than 15% of the total credits of the degree have been validated, provide a certificate from the institution from which the credits originate.
   • Official translation into Spanish.
   • Legalized and apostilled (exempt titles from EU member countries, EEA and Switzerland).

4. Training in other official university studies other than the foreign degree that is to be approved and/or professional experience, providing that they complement academically the training obtained through the degree that is intended to be approved. The documents presented in this section must be properly legalized.

5. Proof of payment of the fee:
   • Telematic payment (proof not necessary).
   • Payment with model 790-107 in collaborating entities.
   • Payment by transfer.
6. Accreditation of the necessary linguistic competence (unless the exceptions mentioned above apply to them).
7. Documentary evidence that the requirements for practising the profession in the country of issue of the qualification have been met, if applicable.

How to apply for the approval?

The application procedure is processed exclusively through the electronic office of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities in application for approval of foreign degrees (universidades.sede.gob.es).

After completing the application and submitting it, you can check the status of the processing of your file.

More information on Homologation of foreign higher education degrees.

If you do not wish to practise as a clinical psychologist or as a general health psychologist in Spain, you can always request the declaration of equivalence of your university studies and apply for jobs for your own account, for an employed person or for the public administration.

Consult the Official College of Psychologists if the activities you want to carry out are attributions of the profession of psychologist or not.

More information on Declaration of equivalence of foreign degrees of higher education.