International Verification
How to Verify Colombian University Degrees: CNA Guide
Guide to verifying education credentials from Colombia. Covers CNA accreditation, SNIES registry, and verification for degrees from Colombia.
5 min read
Colombia's higher education system
Colombia's higher education quality is assured by the National Accreditation Council (CNA), under the Ministry of Education. Colombia has over 300 higher education institutions, including Universidad de los Andes, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. The SNIES (Sistema Nacional de Información de la Educación Superior) is the national registry of higher education institutions and programs.
Verification steps
- Check SNIES registry — Verify the institution and program are registered in SNIES. VerifyED includes registered Colombian institutions.
- CNA accreditation — Check if the institution has voluntary CNA high-quality accreditation.
- Contact the institution — Colombian universities maintain registrar offices for verification.
- Apostille — Colombia is a Hague Convention member. Documents can be apostilled.
Key considerations
- SNIES vs CNA — SNIES registration is mandatory; CNA accreditation is voluntary and indicates higher quality.
- Large system — Colombia has one of the largest higher education systems in Latin America.
- Spanish-language credentials — All credentials are issued in Spanish.