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Senegal: recognition of ESO and Bachillerato

Which studies to submit, how to obtain and apostille Senegalese documents, and which costs to expect when applying for recognition in Spain from the Region of Murcia.

Which qualification you can apply for

Annex I to the Order of 30 April 1996 includes Senegal. Applications require officially recognised studies, complete academic years passed and a Spanish decision; the table does not itself grant recognition.

  • The BOE numbering counts successive secondary school years: “fifth” does not mean the French class Cinquième. Identifying it with Seconde refers to the ordinary general pathway, following the structure described by CNOSP.

ESO qualification

The fifth year of general secondary education passed: Seconde in the ordinary pathway. The BFEM obtained at the end of Troisième alone does not reach the year required by this table for the ESO qualification.

Bachiller qualification

The seventh year of general secondary education and Baccalauréat: Terminale passed and the Bac diploma in the ordinary pathway. Attending Terminale without passing the final qualification does not meet that combination.

Sources and verification

Prepare the documents for your qualification

Request official documents showing years, subjects, grades and academic dates. An examination results sheet alone does not replace the required annual academic records.

  • ESO: academic records for the last four years ending with the level you are submitting; in the ordinary pathway, Cinquième, Quatrième, Troisième and Seconde. Add your BFEM if you have it.
  • Bachiller: academic records for Seconde, Première and Terminale, the Baccalauréat diploma and official evidence of final results. If the diploma is missing, ask which official certificate of full completion may be accepted.
  • For both: a signed application and valid identity document, including a passport; a NIE is not essential. Provide proof of representation if someone acts for you and add the fee receipt for Bachiller.
  • Keep originals and complete copies, apostilles and translations. If you previously studied in Spain, also include your Spanish academic record. The authorities may request further documents.

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Obtain the documents and apostille in Senegal

The Apostille Convention has applied between Senegal and Spain since 23 March 2023. A Senegalese apostille replaces the diplomatic legalisation chain for documents covered by the Convention; objections by other countries do not apply to Spain.

  • Request annual academic records from your school. For a Bac diploma, duplicates or corrections, use the Office du Baccalauréat services and document portal. If the portal does not respond, consult the Office's official instructions.
  • Confirm prior authentication of signatures with the issuer and Foreign Affairs. Their legalisation catalogue requires an attestation d’authentification for diplomas and grades; check the specific process for your document before travelling.
  • Request the apostille from the competent authority within Senegal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and check that it covers the academic document you will submit. An apostille authenticates a signature and seal, not academic equivalence.
  • From Spain, the Office du Bac FAQ allows a trusted person to arrange delivery of your diploma to the Senegalese representation in your country of residence, with postage at your expense. Confirm separately how to apostille the documents.

Sources and verification

Official translation into Spanish

Documents written in French, Arabic or a language other than Spanish require official translation for the Spanish application.

  • One option is a sworn translator or interpreter authorised in Spain. Provide the complete document, including stamps and apostille; the translation must correspond to the version you will submit.
  • The Ministry also accepts other official routes. If using an official translator abroad, check the legalisation of their signature. The diploma's apostille does not automatically authenticate its translation.

Sources and verification

Separate the different costs

Spanish recognition as ESO has no application fee. For Bachiller, the Ministry's published amount is €49.76, using form 790, code 079. Confirm the amount on the current form before paying.

  • Office du Bac: its list published in 2024 gives the first diploma issue as free, a duplicate transcript as 1,000 FCFA and a duplicate diploma as 25,000 FCFA. Confirm the service and current charge before payment.
  • Senegalese apostille: the 2023 announcement stated that it was temporarily free. No current official tariff has been established in this review that would confirm it is still free; consult the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • Translations, postage, copies and bank charges may add costs. There is no single total price and using a private agency is not compulsory.

Sources and verification

Submit your application from Murcia

Follow the submission section of the main guide to choose a valid registry and prepare verified copies. Recognition is decided by the Spanish education authorities.

  • Complete the application for official procedure 051270, select ESO or Bachiller and gather all attachments. For Bachiller, include proof of the fee payment.
  • Actually register the application through an available authorised channel and keep the receipt. Filling in the online service, downloading a form or paying does not register the application.
  • If you need to continue studying, check the conditional enrolment slip in the main guide and the school's conditions. Read notifications and respond to requests for additional documents.

Sources and verification

Avoid common mistakes

This guide covers ESO and Bachillerato. For pathways other than the general route described, request an assessment of your documents before assuming equivalence.

  • Do not confuse BFEM with Baccalauréat or Seconde with Cinquième. For technical, adult or Arabic-language education, or changes of education system, confirm the exact qualification and the school's official recognition.
  • The Office du Bac explains that it has issued the diploma without a provisional certificate since 2020. Do not demand a provisional document that is not issued for your graduating year; use the relevant official documents.
  • Do not use guidance from before 2023 as proof that Senegal still requires Spanish consular legalisation. Do not interpret a local issue or authentication condition as a general expiry date for the qualification in Spain.

Sources and verification

My preparation checklist

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