MEC · CONES · National University of Asunción

Degree Recognition
in Paraguay

Validate your foreign university degree in Paraguay to practice your profession or continue your studies. We guide you between the two official routes: Homologación (Vice-Ministry of Higher Education) and Reconocimiento (CONES).

🎓 Homologación (VMES/MEC) 📑 Reconocimiento (CONES) 🏛️ Final registration with MEC 📜 Undergraduate and Graduate
2
Official routesHomologación (VMES) or Reconocimiento (CONES)
4
Minimum years for undergraduate2,700 hours — Law No. 4995/2013, Art. 63
700h
Master's degree360h Specialization · CONES Resolution 700/2016
SPI
CONES management systemProcedure code: SRTE24

Legal Framework

Validating your foreign degree in Paraguay

In Paraguay, the institutions responsible for validating foreign university degrees are the Ministry of Education and Sciences (MEC), through the Vice-Ministry of Higher Education (VMES), and the National Council of Higher Education (CONES). Both processes end with registration of the degree before the MEC to be valid within Paraguayan territory.

⚖️
Regulated professions

What is Homologación for?

It allows you to practice regulated professions in Paraguay (doctor, lawyer, engineer, accountant, architect, etc.) with a foreign degree, equating it to a Paraguayan degree, under Decree No. 6252/2016 and MEC Resolution No. 248/2021.

📑
Academic equivalence

What is Reconocimiento for?

It grants academic equivalence to the foreign degree before CONES, under CONES Resolution No. 227/2024 (requirements) and No. 91/2024 (fees), processed through the SPI System (procedure code SRTE24).

🏛️
Final step

Registration with the MEC

Both the Homologated and Recognized degree must be registered with the Ministry of Education and Sciences to have full validity within Paraguayan territory.

Two possible paths

Homologación (VMES) vs. Reconocimiento (CONES)

We help you identify which process applies to your degree and goal (regulated professional practice vs. academic equivalence).

🎓

Homologación — Vice-Ministry of Higher Education

Process before the VMES (15 de Agosto between Gral. Díaz and E. Víctor Haedo, Indalecio Cardozo Building): 1) Submission and payment of the MEC fee; 2) the General Directorate of Universities designates a ruling Higher Education Institution (IES); 3) payment of the IES fee; 4) the IES evaluates (which may include Competency Exams) and sends its ruling to the MEC; 5) the MEC issues an official Resolution. Regulated by Decree No. 6252/2016 and MEC Resolution No. 248/2021.

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Reconocimiento — CONES

Process before the National Council of Higher Education: 1) Gather the documents per CONES Resolution No. 227/2024; 2) pay the fees per CONES Resolution No. 91/2024; 3) start the procedure in the SPI System by searching for code SRTE24. The National University of Asunción does not take part in this process — inquiries go directly to CONES.

Documentation

What documents you need

For both routes, the base documentation is similar. All foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled, and translated into Spanish by a translator registered in Paraguay if not already in that language.

📜

Degree or diploma

Original university degree or diploma, apostilled or legalized depending on the issuing country.

📊

Academic transcript

Academic transcript listing courses taken and grades obtained, also legalized or apostilled.

📘

Study program

Corresponding study program, sequentially numbered and authenticated by the originating Educational Institution or a Paraguayan notary.

📐

Grading system

Document establishing the grading scale used by the originating institution.

🌐

Official translation

Translation of the degree, transcript and program by a public translator registered in Paraguay, if not in Spanish.

🪪

ID and fees

Notarized copy of ID/passport, copy of any agreement or treaty between Paraguay and the country of origin (if applicable), and duplicate receipt for the corresponding fee payment.

Duration requirements per Law No. 4995/2013

4 years
Undergraduate: minimum 2,700 hours — Bachelor, Accountant, Engineer, Doctor, Architect, Veterinarian, etc. (Art. 63)
360h
Specialization — "Specialist in..." degree (Arts. 64-68)
700h
Master's — "Magister in..." degree (CONES Resolution 700/2016)

How we work

Your Homologación or Reconocimiento in 5 steps

1

Choosing the route

We determine whether you need Homologación (regulated professional practice) or Reconocimiento (academic equivalence) based on your goal.

2

Documentation and translations

We gather your degree, transcript and study program, and arrange apostilles and translations by a registered translator.

3

Submission and fees

We submit your file before the VMES or in the SPI System (CONES), and handle payment of the corresponding fees.

4

Evaluation / ruling

In Homologación, the designated IES evaluates (possible Competency Exams) and issues its ruling to the MEC.

5

Resolution and registration

Once the MEC or CONES Resolution is obtained, we register the degree so it has full validity in Paraguay.

Important: processing homologación applications, as well as collecting submitted documents, is personal in all cases, except when authorization is granted to a third party via a notary.

Frequently Asked Questions

What you need to know

Homologación (Vice-Ministry of Higher Education, Decree 6252/2016, MEC Resolution 248/2021) enables the practice of regulated professions in Paraguay, and includes a ruling from a designated Higher Education Institution. Reconocimiento (CONES, Resolution 227/2024) grants academic equivalence to the foreign degree, processed via the SPI System (code SRTE24).
It depends on your profession. For regulated professions (medicine, law, engineering, accounting, architecture, etc.), Homologación is necessary to practice professionally. For other purposes (continuing studies, academic purposes), Reconocimiento before CONES may be sufficient.
Under Law No. 4995/2013, Art. 63, undergraduate degrees (Bachelor, Accountant, Architect, Engineer, Doctor, Veterinarian, etc.) require a minimum duration of 4 years and 2,700 hours of coursework.
Under Law No. 4995/2013 (Arts. 64-68) and CONES Resolution No. 700/2016: a Specialization requires a minimum of 360 clock hours ("Specialist in..." degree), and a Master's requires a minimum of 700 clock hours ("Magister in..." degree).
Yes, if they are not in Spanish. The translation of the degree, transcript and study program must be done by a public translator registered in the Republic of Paraguay.
Processing and document collection are personal in all cases, unless a notarized authorization is presented in favor of a third party. We can help you prepare such authorization if you cannot be present.