Foreign psychologist in Spain: degree recognition and what you need to see patients (2026)

Psychology consultation with an armchair, an open notebook, a box of tissues and a framed diploma, next to a window overlooking a Spanish city.

If your Psychology degree is foreign, having an academic equivalence (equivalencia) in Spain does not let you start seeing patients in the health care field. To work as a General Health Psychologist (Psicólogo General Sanitario, PGS) you need the official Master's in General Health Psychology (Máster oficial en Psicología General Sanitaria), or a recognition of foreign qualifications (homologación) or professional recognition (reconocimiento profesional) that enables you as a PGS; and certain services of the National Health System (Sistema Nacional de Salud, SNS) require the title of Clinical Psychology specialist (Especialista en Psicología Clínica). So, before starting any procedure, it is worth distinguishing between academic equivalence, recognition of foreign qualifications and access to the PGS Master's. The main sources are Ley 33/2011 (General Public Health Law) and the files of the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities), consulted on 13-11-2026.

What ends up costing you money usually repeats itself: asking for the wrong route (for example, an academic equivalence when what you needed was the qualification to practise as a PGS), seeing patients without the authorisation to practise in health care (habilitación sanitaria) or the centre's authorisation, or finding out too late that your self-employed work permit requires the professional qualification. If you would rather have your case reviewed before moving anything, see how our recognition of foreign qualifications service works.

Recognising your Psychology degree does not mean you can already see patients

If you trained in Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela or another country, the question that really matters is not only "how do I get my degree recognised?", but "what do I want to do professionally in Spain?".

In Psychology there are several routes and each one has different effects. The equivalence declaration (declaración de equivalencia) recognises the academic level of a foreign degree. The recognition of foreign qualifications under Real Decreto 889/2022 (Royal Decree 889/2022), by contrast, leads to Spanish degrees that enable access to regulated professions, and within Psychology the profession included in that system is the General Health Psychologist. What does not exist is a general recognition of a foreign degree "as the Bachelor's Degree in Psychology (Grado en Psicología)".

That difference is decisive if your plan is to do therapy, assessment or psychological intervention related to health.

What the law says

Ley 33/2011 makes clear that the Bachelor's Degree in Psychology does not by itself enable you to practise Psychology in the health care sector: to act as a General Health Psychologist you need the qualifying health care training. Real Decreto 889/2022 includes, among the degrees that can be recognised, the one that enables practice as a PGS.

In addition, the Resolución de 16 de noviembre de 2023 (Resolution of 16 November 2023) allows certain foreign graduates in Psychology to go directly to a university procedure to accredit the entry requirements for the PGS Master's, without first recognising their degree as the Spanish Bachelor's Degree.

Bachelor's Degree, General Health Psychologist and Clinical Psychologist: what each one allows

Academic equivalence

The equivalence declaration recognises that your degree corresponds to the official academic level of Bachelor's or Master's. Its effects are academic and administrative: it does not enable you to practise a regulated profession.

The Psychologist file points to one more option: if you do not want to work as a PGS or as a clinical psychologist, you can request the equivalence and apply for other jobs, but you should first check with the Official Association of Psychologists (Colegio Oficial de la Psicología) whether the specific functions are reserved to the profession.

General Health Psychologist

The PGS is a qualified, regulated health profession. It carries out research, assessments and psychological interventions on behavioural aspects that influence the promotion and improvement of health, provided they do not require the specialised care of other health professionals.

If you are a foreign psychologist you have, in essence, three paths: to study the official PGS Master's after accrediting the entry requirements, to directly recognise your foreign training as the PGS degree that qualifies you to practise, if it meets the Spanish requirements or, for certain qualifications from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, to obtain professional recognition.

Clinical Psychology specialist

We are talking about a different qualification. The ordinary route in Spain goes through specialised health training (Formación Sanitaria Especializada), via the PIR (Psicólogo Interno Residente), and the 2026 call (convocatoria) keeps Clinical Psychology as a speciality accessed from degrees in the field of Psychology. According to the Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Sanidad), the speciality is obtained after around four years of studies following the basic degree. Ley 33/2011 also requires this title for the services in the SNS common portfolio and in publicly-funded private centres that correspond to these professionals.

If you are already a Clinical Psychology specialist with a degree obtained outside the EU, it is not assumed that you must repeat the PIR: there is a procedure for recognising non-EU specialist degrees, regulated by Real Decreto 459/2010 (Royal Decree 459/2010), which includes Clinical Psychology.

Recognition as a PGS: general criteria and documentation

The application is submitted electronically to the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. The criteria published by the Ministry ask for a Bachelor's Degree and an official university Master's in Psychology, or an equivalent integrated degree, with at least 300 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) or 3,000 teaching hours and a minimum of five years of full-time training. They also list 180 ECTS of specifically health care content and 30 ECTS or 500 hours of external academic placements, in addition to the competences required by Spanish regulations.

That is why a five-year undergraduate degree or a Master's named "Clinical Psychology", "Psychotherapy" or "Health Psychology" does not guarantee recognition: what is compared is the training, the competences and the accredited placements.

The documentation requires proof of identity, the degree, the academic certificate with subjects and teaching hours, proof of payment of the fee (tasa) and, where applicable, the language accreditation. Foreign documents must comply with the rules on legalisation or apostille and on official translation. Which certificate to request and how to accredit the placements depends on your university and your country; we review it first.

The fee published by the Ministry for recognition and equivalence is 166.50 euros (Valida-TE portal (portal Valida-TE)).

Real Decreto 889/2022 sets a maximum legal period of six months to resolve and notify, and if it expires without a decision the administrative silence (silencio administrativo) is negative (silencio desestimatorio). That is the period set by the regulation, not what each file takes in practice. If gaps appear, the recognition can be made conditional on placements, an aptitude test, a paper or certain courses, with a maximum of four years to complete them from notification.

The common procedure for recognition of foreign qualifications, academic equivalence and recognition of partial studies (convalidación) is in our central guide to recognising a foreign degree in Spain (in Spanish).

Access to the PGS Master's with a foreign degree

When your foreign training does not reach the requirements for a direct recognition as a PGS, this is the other route that matters. The Resolución de 16 de noviembre de 2023, published in the Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE) on 14 December 2023, allows access with an official foreign university degree in Psychology if you accredit that it meets the requirements of the Spanish Bachelor's Degree and, in particular, that it includes at least 90 ECTS (or 900 teaching hours) of health care subjects.

The procedure starts at a Spanish university that teaches the PGS Master's, with proof of identity, the degree and the academic certificate (duration, subjects and teaching hours), and with the documents legalised and translated where required. The Accreditation Commission for Psychology Studies (Comisión de Acreditación de los Estudios de Psicología) has a maximum of two months to formulate its proposed decision. That period refers to the proposal, not to the final admission or the start of the Master's. A favourable report allows you to enter the universities' admission processes.

The PGS Master's has 90 ECTS, with at least 30 ECTS of in-person placements in authorised centres (Orden ECD/1070/2013, Ministerial Order ECD/1070/2013).

When it is worth having your case reviewed

This guide shows you the general map. There are decisions that depend on your complete file and getting them wrong costs months:

• Which route fits your case: direct recognition as a PGS, access to the PGS Master's, European recognition or recognition of a speciality.
• Master's versus recognition: which is worth it for you depending on your health care subjects, your placements and your professional goal.
• Training supplements: how to respond if the decision makes you conditional on placements, an aptitude test or courses.
• How to link it with the work permit: in which order it is best for you to plan the recognition of your degree and the authorisation to reside and work.

If you are at any of those points, you can see how our recognition of foreign qualifications service works.

Once you are qualified to practise (habilitación): professional association registration (colegiación), insurance and an authorised centre

Being qualified to practise in health care is not the last step. The Ministry of Health includes among the requirements for practising a health profession having the Spanish degree or its recognition, being registered with the professional association, not being suspended or disqualified and having professional civil liability cover, in addition to practising in a centre authorised by the autonomous community (comunidad autónoma) (Ministry of Health).

The General Statutes of the professional association organisation (Estatutos Generales de la organización colegial) make professional association registration compulsory to practise as a psychologist, with an exception for civil servants acting in the service of the public Administrations. For private health care, Ley 44/2003 (Law 44/2003) requires in its article 46 liability insurance, a guarantee or another financial guarantee. And if your plan is to open your own health care practice, the operating authorisation is granted by the health authorities of your autonomous community (Real Decreto 1277/2003, article 3, Royal Decree 1277/2003).

If you are not clear about what you are missing before seeing patients, we review it according to your case.

European recognition in Psychology: it is not automatic

For certain qualifications obtained in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland there is professional recognition, which for the health professions is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. According to the Ministry of Health's 2026 FAQ, the route generally requires a health care qualification obtained in a Member State and European citizenship or the equal-treatment conditions provided for in the regulations.

In the case of the PGS, recognition is not automatic: it goes through a review by the panel of experts. And if your original degree is from a third country but was already recognised beforehand by a Member State, the Ministry of Health generally requires having practised the profession for three years in that State.

What routes exist and what each one decides

Without going into your specific case, these are the usual routes and what each one decides:

• Academic equivalence: accredits the Bachelor's or Master's level, is useful for other jobs and studies and does not enable you to see patients.
• Recognition as a PGS: can qualify you to practise in health care without going through the Spanish Master's, but only if the accredited training reaches the Ministry's criteria.
• Access to the PGS Master's: qualifies you to practise once you complete it, and access depends on accrediting the required health care content.
• European recognition: only for certain qualifications from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, and it is not automatic.
• Recognition of a foreign speciality: intended for those who are already Clinical Psychology specialists outside the EU.

For non-health jobs, the General Council of Psychology (Consejo General de la Psicología) recognises areas such as educational, social intervention and work and organisational psychology. That does not remove the need to review the exact functions of each post and its requirements. While you do not have the authorisation to practise in health care you can look for jobs that do not involve reserved health activity and for which you meet the post's requirements. A pending recognition application does not work as a provisional authorisation to see patients.

Residence and work permit

If you do not have citizenship of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland or another situation that already authorises you to work, you also need an immigration situation compatible with your activity. The stay authorisation for higher education studies (autorización de estancia por estudios superiores) allows you to work if the activity is compatible with the studies, with a general limit of 30 hours per week (Real Decreto 1155/2024, Royal Decree 1155/2024). To establish yourself as self-employed, the legally required professional qualification and professional association registration (when compulsory) are required, so the immigration authorisation does not replace the authorisation to practise in health care. In which order to plan the degree and the permit is something we review with each case.

Official deadlines that can be cited

Frequent mistakes

Asking for "recognition as the Bachelor's Degree in Psychology". It is worth distinguishing between equivalence at Bachelor's level and recognition as the PGS degree that qualifies you to practise.

Thinking that five years of university are enough. For direct recognition as a PGS, content, competences and placements are also analysed.

Taking a foreign Master's for granted. The name of the degree does not determine its professional effects in Spain.

Believing that professional association registration turns your degree into a health care one. Professional association registration and the authorisation to practise in health care are different requirements.

Confusing PGS and Clinical Psychology. They are different qualifications, and for certain SNS activities the law requires the speciality.

Opening a practice before checking the health authorisation. Your personal qualification does not replace the authorisation of the centre or practice.

Resolving the professional part and forgetting immigration. Recognition of the degree does not by itself grant the residence or work authorisation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I practise as a psychologist in Spain with a foreign degree?

It depends on the activity. To practise as a General Health Psychologist you need the authorisation to practise in health care, whether through the PGS Master's, a valid recognition or, where applicable, European recognition. For other areas, the Ministry provides for equivalence, but you also have to check the requirements of the post and of professional association registration.

How does the recognition of Psychology degrees work in Spain?

The recognition that matters for health care practice is that of the General Health Psychologist degree that qualifies you to practise, which should not be confused with academic equivalence at Bachelor's level.

I am a foreign psychologist: can I work in Spain while my recognition is being processed?

You can work in activities for which you already meet the professional and immigration requirements, but a pending application does not enable you provisionally as a PGS. With a stay authorisation for higher education studies you can also have a work permit compatible with the studies within the general limit of 30 hours per week.

Do I need to do the Master's in General Health Psychology if I am foreign?

Not necessarily. If your training meets the requirements to recognise directly as the PGS degree, you can follow that route. If not, access to the PGS Master's from your foreign degree may be the alternative.

Does a foreign Master's in Clinical Psychology allow me to practise?

Not automatically. Its name is not enough: you have to see whether your complete training allows a recognition or professional recognition in accordance with Spanish regulations.

Can an Argentine, Colombian, Mexican or Venezuelan psychologist be recognised directly as a PGS?

They can request it if their training meets the conditions. The Ministry assesses the duration, the health care training, the competences and the placements; the country of origin does not by itself determine the result.

I am already a Clinical Psychology specialist in my country. Do I have to do the PIR?

Not necessarily. Specialist degrees obtained outside the EU can request recognition of professional effects under Real Decreto 459/2010. The result depends on the assessment of that procedure.

Do I need to register with the professional association to see patients?

Yes, for professional health care practice you have to comply with the professional association registration obligations that apply to you: the Ministry of Health includes it among the requirements for practising a health profession in Spain.

Conclusion: decide first which qualification to practise you need

If your goal is to see patients in Spain, do not frame the process as "get my Psychology degree recognised" and leave it there. First you have to know whether your goal requires General Health Psychology or Clinical Psychology; then, whether your route is a direct recognition, access to the PGS Master's, European recognition or recognition of a foreign speciality.