According to Royal Decree 99/2011, in order to be admitted to a PhD programme, candidates must provide accreditation that they have obtained an official bachelor's degree (or have a long degree, an engineering degree or an architecture degree, a three-year degree, an engineering diploma or a technical architecture diploma or, for foreign qualifications, the equivalent degree awarded by an accredited higher education institution).
Candidates must also provide evidence that they have passed at least 300 ECTS credits, 60 of which must be on an official university master's degree course. For foreign qualifications, candidates must provide evidence that they have obtained 60 ECTS credits (or the equivalent) on a master's degree equivalent to a Spanish university master's degree taught at an accredited higher education institution.
Candidates holding a Spanish DEA (Diploma de Estudios Avanzados) regulated by Royal Decree 778/1998, of 30 April, or the Research Proficiency regulated by Royal Decree 185/1985, or holding a bachelor's degree of 300 ECTS credits according to the regulations of EU law, are also eligible for admission to the PhD programme without having to have completed a master's degree.
