UK Degree Verification and Apostille for Universitat Politècnica de València

Are you applying to Universitat Politècnica de València, also known as UPV, with a UK degree?

UPV normally requires UK applicants to legalise both their degree certificate and academic transcript. For UK documents, this usually means obtaining a UK FCDO Apostille.

Ginkgo Advisory provides a complete UK degree Apostille service for Universitat Politècnica de València.

Our service can include:

• UK degree and transcript verification
• HEDD degree checks
• Verification through secure university platforms
• Direct checks with the awarding university
• Enhanced solicitor certification confirming authenticity
• UK FCDO Apostille
• A two-working-day express Apostille option
• Paper and electronic Apostilles
• International delivery to Spain
• Embassy legalisation for non-Hague countries

Does a UK Degree Need an Apostille for UPV?

Yes, in most cases.

UPV exempts original academic documents issued in the EU, the European Economic Area and Switzerland from legalisation. The United Kingdom no longer belongs to the EU or EEA. Therefore, UK-issued academic documents normally require a Hague Apostille.

However, the United Kingdom remains a member of the European Higher Education Area. This creates an important distinction:

• A UK qualification normally follows UPV’s EHEA academic-access route.
• Nevertheless, UK documents still fall outside UPV’s EU, EEA and Switzerland legalisation exemption.
• Therefore, a UK applicant may avoid the non-EHEA equivalence-study fee but still need an Apostille.

Which UK Academic Documents Need an Apostille?

UPV’s 2026/2027 master’s guidance asks foreign applicants to provide:

• The official degree used for admission
• The official academic transcript
• A certificate confirming that the qualification gives access to official postgraduate study in the country of issue
• A declaration converting the average grade to the Spanish ten-point scale, where needed
• Any programme-specific documents

UPV states that the degree and academic transcript require legalisation where applicable. Consequently, a UK applicant should normally prepare both documents for an FCDO Apostille.

Do the Degree and Transcript Need Separate Apostilles?

UPV treats the degree certificate and transcript as separate admission documents.

Therefore, the safer option normally involves:

• One Apostille for the degree certificate
• One Apostille for the academic transcript

The FCDO may accept a properly prepared document bundle. However, that does not guarantee that UPV will accept one Apostille for two academic records.

For that reason, applicants should ask UPV for written approval before combining the documents. Separate Apostilles also make it easier to reuse each document for another university or authority.

Does UPV Require Proof of Access to Postgraduate Study?

Yes.

UPV asks applicants to provide a certificate from the awarding university or another competent institution. The certificate should confirm that the qualification allows the graduate to enter official postgraduate or master’s studies in the country where the university awarded it.

A degree certificate or HEDD report may not contain that exact statement.

Therefore, a UK graduate may need to request a separate letter from the awarding university confirming that:

• The university awarded the stated qualification
• The qualification has the relevant academic level
• The holder may use it to apply for postgraduate or master’s study in the UK

UPV treats this document as essential. A missing access-to-postgraduate-study certificate can affect the pre-registration application.

Does a UK Applicant Need UPV’s Equivalence-Study Fee?

Usually not when the qualification comes from the UK higher education system.

UPV states that applicants with a qualification from an EHEA education system can access master’s study where the qualification has the appropriate level and gives access to master’s programmes in its country of issue. UPV does not charge its educational-level equivalence fee for this route.

The United Kingdom remains an EHEA member.

However, an applicant seeking entry to a qualifying master’s degree linked to a regulated Spanish profession may need formal recognition from the competent Spanish ministry. UPV’s internal assessment does not replace that recognition.

Does UPV Require a Spanish Translation?

Not for documents issued in English under UPV’s current general master’s guidance.

UPV states that foreign academic documents not issued in Spanish or English require an official translation into Spanish. Therefore, a standard UK degree certificate, transcript and postgraduate-access letter written in English should not normally require translation.

Documents in another language require an official Spanish translation. An accepted translation may come from:

• A Spanish diplomatic or consular office
• The relevant foreign diplomatic or consular office in Spain
• A sworn translator authorised in Spain

Applicants should also check whether their specific master’s programme imposes an additional language requirement.

What Grade Information Does UPV Require?

The academic transcript should show:

• The official duration of the studies
• The subjects or course units completed
• The grades obtained
• The workload or credits for each subject
• The overall average mark

UPV asks applicants to provide an average mark on the Spanish ten-point scale. Where the original university uses another scale, the applicant should attach a declaration of equivalent average marks. UPV states that it may assign an access mark of 5 when the applicant does not supply the required ten-point conversion.

Therefore, a UK transcript may need support from:

• A Spanish average-grade equivalence declaration
• A university grading-scale statement
• A Diploma Supplement
• An official explanation of the UK classification system

Can UPV Accept Electronic Academic Documents?

UPV conducts master’s pre-registration online. Applicants upload each document as a separate PDF, including the relevant legalisation and translation pages where applicable. UPV may later ask the applicant to present the original paper documents for verification.

Secure electronic records may help establish authenticity. These can include documents shared through:

• Parchment
• Digitary CORE
• Gradintelligence
• A university graduate portal
• A secure verification code
• A QR code
• A valid digital signature

However, electronic verification does not automatically remove UPV’s Apostille requirement.

What Is UK Degree Verification?

Degree verification confirms that a recognised UK university genuinely awarded the qualification.

A scan or photocopy only shows the document’s contents. It does not independently prove that the university issued it.

We may verify a degree or transcript through:

• HEDD
• A secure academic-document platform
• An official university verification portal
• A QR or authentication code
• A valid electronic signature
• Direct confirmation from the university
• An official university email

The verification may confirm:

• The graduate’s name
• The awarding university
• The qualification
• The subject
• The classification
• The award date
• The attendance dates
• The transcript details
• The validity of the electronic record

What Is Enhanced Solicitor Certification?

Basic solicitor certification usually confirms that a copy matches the document shown to the solicitor.

Enhanced certification goes further.

After completing an official verification check, our solicitor may confirm:

• How we received the document
• Which verification route we used
• Whether HEDD confirmed the award
• Whether the university confirmed the qualification
• Whether we checked a verification code
• Whether we validated a digital signature
• Whether the certified copy matches the verified academic record
• Whether the evidence supports an authenticity confirmation

This process creates a clearer link between the university record and the document submitted for legalisation.

However, enhanced certification does not replace UPV’s requirement for the separate postgraduate-access certificate.

Verification, Certification and Apostille Explained

These stages perform different functions.

Degree verification checks the academic award against an official university source.

Solicitor certification records the solicitor’s statement about the document and the completed checks.

The FCDO Apostille authenticates the UK public official’s signature, stamp or seal.

The Apostille does not assess the student’s grades or decide whether UPV will offer admission.

Paper Apostille or e-Apostille for UPV?

A paper Apostille may provide the safer option because UPV can ask applicants to present their original documents for verification.

A paper Apostille may suit you where:

• UPV may inspect the physical document
• The document carries wet-ink certification
• The applicant must retain a physical legalised set
• UPV has not confirmed acceptance of an e-Apostille

An e-Apostille may work where:

• The UK university issued the document electronically
• The document contains a valid electronic signature
• Our solicitor signs the document electronically
• UPV confirms that it accepts the complete electronic file

Applicants should obtain written confirmation before relying only on an e-Apostille.

Our UPV Document Process

Step 1: Send us the UPV requirements

Please provide:

• The master’s programme name
• Your admission or pre-registration instructions
• The document checklist
• Any email from the programme administrator
• Your final deadline

Step 2: Send copies of your documents

Send clear copies of:

• Your degree certificate
• Your academic transcript
• Any Diploma Supplement
• Any grading-scale statement
• Any postgraduate-access letter

Step 3: Complete degree verification

We identify the best route, such as HEDD, Parchment, Digitary CORE or direct university confirmation.

Step 4: Prepare enhanced solicitor certification

Where suitable, our solicitor prepares certification wording that reflects the authenticity checks completed.

Step 5: Obtain the FCDO Apostilles

We submit the correctly prepared degree certificate and transcript to the FCDO.

A two-working-day express option is available for suitable documents.

Step 6: Arrange delivery

We can send the completed documents to the United Kingdom, Spain or another international destination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a UK degree need an Apostille for UPV?

Yes, in most cases. UPV’s legalisation exemption covers the EU, EEA and Switzerland, but not the United Kingdom.

Is the UK still in the EHEA?

Yes. Therefore, a UK applicant normally follows UPV’s EHEA academic-access route, even though the documents still need legalisation.

Do I need to apostille both my degree and transcript?

Usually, yes. UPV requires both documents and states that they need legalisation where applicable.

Do I need a separate postgraduate-access letter?

Yes. UPV asks for confirmation that the qualification allows access to official postgraduate study in the country of issue.

Do I need to pay UPV’s equivalence-study fee?

Normally not for a UK qualification because the UK remains within the EHEA. However, qualifying master’s degrees may require formal Spanish recognition.

Do English academic documents need translation?

Normally not. UPV’s current guidance accepts foreign academic documents issued in English without an official Spanish translation.

Can one Apostille cover my degree and transcript?

Possibly, but separate Apostilles usually provide the clearer and safer route unless UPV confirms otherwise.

Does UPV accept electronic documents?

Applicants upload documents electronically during pre-registration. However, UPV may later request the originals.

Can a UK solicitor verify and certify my degree?

Yes. Our solicitor can verify suitable academic documents and provide enhanced certification where appropriate.

Does the Apostille verify my degree?

No. Verification confirms the academic award. The Apostille authenticates the UK public official’s signature.

How quickly can the Apostille be completed?

We offer a two-working-day express FCDO option for suitable documents after verification and preparation.

Contact Ginkgo Advisory

To request a quotation, please send:

• Your degree certificate
• Your academic transcript
• The full UPV programme name
• The pre-registration checklist
• Any legalisation instructions
• Your final deadline
• Your return-delivery city and postcode

We will confirm the appropriate verification, certification and Apostille route.