Hi everyone!

This is my first message in this web-forum, hope the first of many, the forum looks very good.

But well, I am from Spain. I am married to a US citizen. She is a Physical Therapist.
We are planning on moving to Spain in the next couple of years, and we want to start with all the standarization process of her studies to be able to work there.

I would like to know if there is somebody who is, or has gone, throuht the same “standarization” experience or if there is a PT who has experince with moving to another country.

Thanks a lot for your help, is very appriciated

Elias Garzon Lopez

spongebob,
does she have college/university degree?

aritz - 01 May 2010 01:59 AM

spongebob,
does she have college/university degree?

Yes, sorry about that.

She as a bachelor in Cience of Exercise and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
So she did 4 years and the 3.

Thanks for the reply.

spongebob,
read the info on official recognition of degrees in the ff link

http://www.educacion.es/educacion/universidades/educacion-superior-universitaria/titulos/homologacion-titulos/homologacion-titulos-universitarios.html

you can getl info on how to get her degrees recognized from undergraduate to doctorate.

aritz - 01 May 2010 03:22 PM

spongebob,
read the info on official recognition of degrees in the ff link

http://www.educacion.es/educacion/universidades/educacion-superior-universitaria/titulos/homologacion-titulos/homologacion-titulos-universitarios.html

you can getl info on how to get her degrees recognized from undergraduate to doctorate.

Thanks for the link,

the only thing is that there are so many questions that I am coming accross, many doubts, as if americans
degrees aren’t enough and most times Spain makes you take some courses before they standarize your degree,
as happen with most of Southamerican countries.
I am just trying to find someone who has gone through the same process.

Thanks a lot again and hopefuly somebody with experience will be able to help us.

Elias Garzon Lopez.

Hi Elias
I’m a British Physiotherapist & am in the process of registering myself to work in Spain. Please see the web-site of ER-WCPT, the European Region of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. Yes it’s a lengthy procedure - supposed to take 3 months…...
Let me know how you get on & if you come to work anywhere near Valencia please let me know.
Regards Karen

karenreay - 01 May 2010 08:40 PM

Hi Elias
I’m a British Physiotherapist & am in the process of registering myself to work in Spain. Please see the web-site of ER-WCPT, the European Region of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. Yes it’s a lengthy procedure - supposed to take 3 months…...
Let me know how you get on & if you come to work anywhere near Valencia please let me know.
Regards Karen

Thanks a lot for the link Karen. I am going to try to do some research about it.
About my wife’s case, what really concern us is that she first did 4 years a Cience of Exercice (in Spain is 5)
and then 3 years for the Doctorate in Phisical Therapy (in spain is 3 to get a bachelor…although we do not care that
much about that) the thing is that apperently we have to standarize first her “basic” degree, the 4 years one, and since
Cience of exercice in Spain is 5 years, we are worried cause we do not know if the will make her take some courses or something.

We would like to “standarize” everything at once, since what she wants is to work as a Phisical Therapist.

I am guessing your studies back in the UK were closer to the system in Spain, right? I will let you know as soon as we start the process
and also about when we move there. Good luck with yours, hope it is not going to take long!

Regards, Elias Garzon Lopez.

Spongebob - 01 May 2010 04:06 PM

Thanks for the link,

the only thing is that there are so many questions that I am coming accross, many doubts, as if americans
degrees aren’t enough and most times Spain makes you take some courses before they standarize your degree,
as happen with most of Southamerican countries.
I am just trying to find someone who has gone through the same process.

Thanks a lot again and hopefuly somebody with experience will be able to help us.

Elias Garzon Lopez.

Buenas, Elias!

I’ve just started the process myself. I studied in Canada, and have a double major in Political Science and Hispanic Studies. I want to legalize my degree so that I can participate in the oposiciones to be a teacher at the ESO level. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, there’s great differences between the Spanish and North American systems. Even though your wife and I have studied in North American universities (usually thought to be credible) Spain can send us back to Uni to get more credits before they grant us the privilege of having a Spanish style degree. You need to look and see if there’s a program (RECOGNIZED by the Min. Ed) at a Spanish university that is similar to hers. That can give you a starting point.

For example:
I really wanted to legalize my Canadian degree in Hispanic Studies, saying it was a degree in Filologia Hispanica. The problem is that, very logically, Filologia Hispanica is extremely different in a country where Spanish is the native language. The gentleman in the education office suggested that I don’t even try to legalize the degree because there was no way they were going to grant it to me. Thankfully, I had Political Science to fall back on. However, here in Spain the PoliSci major includes Administration. After looking at the degree and deciding I was in a hurry, I’m trying to just “Homologar a grado,” which is the official recognition that I have a licenciatura - without any sort of specialization.

It’s a very disheartening process - it hurts to know that after four years of hard work in a school considered to be the number one small university in Canada that my degree isn’t recognized here. If my dear husband just spoke English, we could go to a place where it is recognized 😉

I wish you and your wife the best of luck with this process. Where are you currently located? If you’re in Spain, get in touch with the local Alta Inspeccion de Educacion, they can help you a lot better than I can. If you’re in the states, try calling your local consulate.

halydia - 11 May 2010 12:27 AM

Spongebob - 01 May 2010 04:06 PM

Thanks for the link,

the only thing is that there are so many questions that I am coming accross, many doubts, as if americans
degrees aren’t enough and most times Spain makes you take some courses before they standarize your degree,
as happen with most of Southamerican countries.
I am just trying to find someone who has gone through the same process.

Thanks a lot again and hopefuly somebody with experience will be able to help us.

Elias Garzon Lopez.

Buenas, Elias!

I’ve just started the process myself. I studied in Canada, and have a double major in Political Science and Hispanic Studies. I want to legalize my degree so that I can participate in the oposiciones to be a teacher at the ESO level. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, there’s great differences between the Spanish and North American systems. Even though your wife and I have studied in North American universities (usually thought to be credible) Spain can send us back to Uni to get more credits before they grant us the privilege of having a Spanish style degree. You need to look and see if there’s a program (RECOGNIZED by the Min. Ed) at a Spanish university that is similar to hers. That can give you a starting point.

For example:
I really wanted to legalize my Canadian degree in Hispanic Studies, saying it was a degree in Filologia Hispanica. The problem is that, very logically, Filologia Hispanica is extremely different in a country where Spanish is the native language. The gentleman in the education office suggested that I don’t even try to legalize the degree because there was no way they were going to grant it to me. Thankfully, I had Political Science to fall back on. However, here in Spain the PoliSci major includes Administration. After looking at the degree and deciding I was in a hurry, I’m trying to just “Homologar a grado,” which is the official recognition that I have a licenciatura - without any sort of specialization.

It’s a very disheartening process - it hurts to know that after four years of hard work in a school considered to be the number one small university in Canada that my degree isn’t recognized here. If my dear husband just spoke English, we could go to a place where it is recognized 😉

I wish you and your wife the best of luck with this process. Where are you currently located? If you’re in Spain, get in touch with the local Alta Inspeccion de Educacion, they can help you a lot better than I can. If you’re in the states, try calling your local consulate.

We are in the US, Germantown (MD)

Thanks a lot for your masage. Your situation sounds prety familiar to me. I already have contacted the embassy and I am pretty sure about how to follow the steps, the only thing is that we are scared that what she did here will not be enough and that she will have to study more there, what really would s…

But anyways, so how does it really work the option you are taking? “Homologar a Grado”.... so you would get a “Grado” in…..?
what is the difference with the, let’s call it regular option?

hope we can help each other out through here!!! So your husband is from Spain?? Are you guys there yet?

Thanks,

Elias Garzon Lopez.

Spongebob - 11 May 2010 07:27 PM

We are in the US, Germantown (MD)

Thanks a lot for your masage. Your situation sounds prety familiar to me. I already have contacted the embassy and I am pretty sure about how to follow the steps, the only thing is that we are scared that what she did here will not be enough and that she will have to study more there, what really would s…

But anyways, so how does it really work the option you are taking? “Homologar a Grado”.... so you would get a “Grado” in…..?
what is the difference with the, let’s call it regular option?

hope we can help each other out through here!!! So your husband is from Spain?? Are you guys there yet?

Thanks,

Elias Garzon Lopez.

Hi there Elias,

Prepare yourselves for the possibility having to take a few more courses - HOWEVER, since she’s already got higher degrees, you might be ok 😊

My homologacion a grado would be to “licenciado.” I’d be considered “licenciada,” but not in anything specific. Just that I’ve been to university. It’s the quicker option, but it opens fewer doors. We’ll see how it works out for me!

And yes, I’m already here in Spain, up on the northern coast.

Take care!

halydia - 11 May 2010 08:42 PM

Spongebob - 11 May 2010 07:27 PM

We are in the US, Germantown (MD)

Thanks a lot for your masage. Your situation sounds prety familiar to me. I already have contacted the embassy and I am pretty sure about how to follow the steps, the only thing is that we are scared that what she did here will not be enough and that she will have to study more there, what really would s…

But anyways, so how does it really work the option you are taking? “Homologar a Grado”.... so you would get a “Grado” in…..?
what is the difference with the, let’s call it regular option?

hope we can help each other out through here!!! So your husband is from Spain?? Are you guys there yet?

Thanks,

Elias Garzon Lopez.

Hi there Elias,

Prepare yourselves for the possibility having to take a few more courses - HOWEVER, since she’s already got higher degrees, you might be ok 😊

My homologacion a grado would be to “licenciado.” I’d be considered “licenciada,” but not in anything specific. Just that I’ve been to university. It’s the quicker option, but it opens fewer doors. We’ll see how it works out for me!

And yes, I’m already here in Spain, up on the northern coast.

Take care!

Hi again,

So you are a Licenciado but…. in what?? That’s what I do not understand. If you want to apply for jobs or even to Oposiciones,
you would need to tell your studies, your background…. how does it works? Sorry for all the questions, it is just that I am not understanding.

Spongebob - 11 May 2010 09:51 PM

Hi again,

So you are a Licenciado but…. in what?? That’s what I do not understand. If you want to apply for jobs or even to Oposiciones,
you would need to tell your studies, your background…. how does it works? Sorry for all the questions, it is just that I am not understanding.

That’s exactly the thing. I’m legalizing my degree as just licenciado because of my fear of having to take more courses in Ciencias Politicas y Administracion were I to legalize my degree to be Licenciado en Ciencias Politicas y Administracion.

So, yup, in the eyes of Spain, I’m just licenciado.

(But in the eyes of Canada, I have a Bachelor of Arts in Hispanic Studies AND Political Science. At least there’s one country that likes me!)

halydia - 11 May 2010 11:26 PM

Spongebob - 11 May 2010 09:51 PM

Hi again,

So you are a Licenciado but…. in what?? That’s what I do not understand. If you want to apply for jobs or even to Oposiciones,
you would need to tell your studies, your background…. how does it works? Sorry for all the questions, it is just that I am not understanding.

That’s exactly the thing. I’m legalizing my degree as just licenciado because of my fear of having to take more courses in Ciencias Politicas y Administracion were I to legalize my degree to be Licenciado en Ciencias Politicas y Administracion.

So, yup, in the eyes of Spain, I’m just licenciado.

(But in the eyes of Canada, I have a Bachelor of Arts in Hispanic Studies AND Political Science. At least there’s one country that likes me!)

jajajaj it is good at eat somebody likes you!!
Wow, I guess I am going to try to do some research and let you know something if I find out, but it just sounds weird….it’s like
if I say here in the US that I have a Bachelor. In what…?  Just a bachelor…

Spongebob - 12 May 2010 12:11 AM

jajajaj it is good at eat somebody likes you!!
Wow, I guess I am going to try to do some research and let you know something if I find out, but it just sounds weird….it’s like
if I say here in the US that I have a Bachelor. In what…?  Just a bachelor…

I know. Depressing, isn’t it? But… Burro-cracia. Que le vamos a hacer?

Unfortunately, I’m in a hurry as I need to be recognized as “licenciada” by April 2011, so I chose to homologar a grado. I did have the option to homologar to be Licenciada en Ciencias Politicas y Administracion, but I chose not to do this because I’m in a hurry.

From the Ministerio de Educacion:
En este Ministerio, se pueden solicitar dos tipos de homologaciones:

A un t?tulo universitario oficial espa?ol concreto incluido en el Cat?logo de t?tulos universitarios oficiales, que est? vigente e implantado en su totalidad en al menos una Universidad Espa?ola.
Al grado de Diplomado o Licenciado.

(If you don’t have the catalog of Spanish degrees, you can find it here: http://www.educacion.es/educacion/universidades/educacion-superior-universitaria/titulos/homologacion-titulos/titulos-universitarios.html)