Contents of this guide
Which documents are asked for
The admission requirements page of Universidad Latina de Panamá (ULatina) separates two cases: a high school diploma earned in Panama and one earned abroad, for technical programs and bachelor’s degrees. For the second, the published list is the following.
| Document | What ULatina’s website asks for | Where it is handled |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Copy of the first and last pages, with the original for verification | Provided by the student |
| Photos | Two passport-size photos | Provided by the student |
| Secondary diploma | Copy and original, apostilled by the Panamanian consulate or embassy in the country of origin or by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Apostille authority in the country of origin |
| Secondary transcripts | Copy and original, also apostilled | Apostille authority in the country of origin |
| Certificate of Revalidation | Original and copy of the certificate from Panama’s Ministry of Education | MEDUCA |
| Translation | If the document is in another language, a translation by an authorized public translator in Panama, with original and copy | Authorized public translator |
| Program tests | Health Sciences only: chest X-ray, vaccines, tests and a first aid course | Depends on the program |
Data from ULatina’s website in October 2026. The list may change, so final confirmation is made with the admissions officer (phone 230-8600, according to the website).
The same page states that enrollment can be done online with scanned documents: the admissions officer holds a video call to check the originals, or the student presents them later at the university. ULatina’s campuses (Panamá, C. Salud Panamá, Penonomé, Azuero, Santiago and David) appear on the campuses page.
In what order they are processed
ULatina’s website lists the documents but does not set a calendar. A reasonable sequence, built from the official sources in this article, orders the work from the country of origin to enrollment.
- Request the complete diploma and transcripts from the school of origin. For university studies, MEDUCA’s official page mentions the complete secondary transcripts and the diploma.
- Apostille both documents in the country that issued them. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summary, the apostille is made in the issuing country if it is a party to the Hague Convention; if there is no apostille, consular legalization applies.
- Translate into Spanish, if needed. ULatina asks for a translation by an authorized public translator in Panama.
- File the revalidation request at MEDUCA. The procedure is handled at the regional directorates, according to Panamá Digital.
- Hand originals and copies to admissions, including the Certificate of Revalidation.
- Complete the program tests, if it is a health program.
The order between translation and revalidation may vary by case, which is why it is confirmed with MEDUCA and admissions before paying for translations. The sources consulted also give no official resolution time, so it is advisable to start with a time margin before the academic term begins.
What MEDUCA revalidation is
Revalidation is Panama’s recognition of secondary studies completed abroad. According to the Panamá Digital page on credit transfer and revalidation of academic credits from abroad, the Ministry of Education analyzes the credits of students coming from abroad and revalidates secondary credits and diplomas, respecting international agreements. Among the requirements are the complete secondary transcripts and the diploma for university studies.
The legal basis is Executive Decree 70 of March 14, 1998, included in MEDUCA’s Legal Framework of Education in Panama. Article 1 establishes that the Ministry will revalidate and recognize degrees, certificates and credits of the first and second levels of education issued abroad, in compliance with the ratified international agreements, and article 2 extends the power to countries with which there are no agreements, through a designated commission.
Apostille and translation
The Hague Apostille Convention replaces the chain of legalizations with a single stamp. Panama is a party to the Convention: the questionnaire the country answered for the Hague Conference names as competent authorities the Department of Authentication and Legalization of the Foreign Ministry, the Treasury Department of the Ministry of Government and the Secretariat of the Supreme Court of Justice, according to the 2021 questionnaire. Those authorities apostille Panamanian documents; a foreign student’s documents are apostilled in the student’s own country.
A foreign document arriving in Panama follows, according to the Foreign Ministry presentation, this route: legalization in the country of origin if it has no apostille, apostille in the issuing country if it is a party to the Convention, legalization at the Panamanian consulate where applicable and an official translation when it is not in Spanish. As for translators, the Foreign Ministry’s authentication and legalization page covers the registration of signatures of Authorized Public Translators.
Extra requirements for health programs
Programs in the School of Health Sciences add requirements to the general list. According to the same admission page, they include:
- Posteroanterior chest X-ray with a radiologist’s report.
- Vaccination card with a record of Hepatitis B, Measles, MMR, Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis.
- Psychological test.
- General knowledge test in Physics, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry.
- Diagnostic tests in English and ICT.
- First aid course.
For Medicine and Surgery, the website adds that the program’s selection and admission rules must be met. The Doctor of Medicine and Surgery page shows resolution CTDA-144-2024 of December 2, 2024 and mentions that, in the final year, students can do up to twelve weeks of rotations in South Florida. Anyone coming from abroad to study a health program can also read Radar’s guides on the health system and on doctors in the country.
ULatina’s admission requirements page separates the case of a high school diploma earned in Panama from one earned abroad and details each document.
Mistakes that delay admission
Delays usually come from steps left for the end. The first is apostilling only the diploma and forgetting the transcripts: ULatina’s website requires both apostilled. The second is translating before knowing which documents MEDUCA needs, with the risk of paying twice. The third is arriving in Panama without the Certificate of Revalidation, which is processed in Panama and not in the country of origin. The fourth is leaving the health program tests for enrollment week. And the fifth is not matching originals: copies and originals are presented together, as the list indicates. Anyone with prior university courses can also review the credit transfer requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What is needed to study at a Panama university with a high school diploma from abroad?
According to ULatina, a copy and original of the passport, two photos, the secondary diploma and transcripts apostilled, MEDUCA’s Certificate of Revalidation and an official translation if the documents are not in Spanish.
What is revalidation of a high school diploma in Panama?
It is the Ministry of Education’s recognition of secondary credits and diplomas earned abroad, based on Executive Decree 70 of 1998 and international agreements.
Do the documents have to be apostilled?
Yes. ULatina asks for the secondary diploma and transcripts apostilled, either by the authority in the country of origin or by the Panamanian consulate or embassy, as its website states.
Who can translate the documents?
An authorized public translator in Panama, according to ULatina’s website, which asks for the original and a copy of the translation when the document is in another language.
What else is asked to study Medicine in Panama as a foreigner?
Besides the general documents, ULatina asks for a chest X-ray, vaccines, a psychological test, knowledge tests, English and ICT tests, a first aid course and compliance with the Medicine selection and admission rules.
Related articles
- Panama Visas: What Is Needed to Enter, to Stay and to Reside
- Does Panama have enough doctors for its medical tourism?
- Digital procedures in Panama: Panamá Digital, electronic signature and what can already be done online
Sources
- Universidad Latina de Panamá, admission requirements, Doctor of Medicine and Surgery and campuses.
- Panamá Digital, MEDUCA: credit transfer and revalidation of academic credits from abroad and registration of diplomas obtained abroad.
- MEDUCA, Legal Framework of Education in Panama: Executive Decree 70 of 1998.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, legalization and apostille of documents and authentication and legalization.
- Hague Conference, Panama questionnaire on the Apostille Convention (2021).
This content is informational and does not replace professional advice or confirmation with MEDUCA and the university.
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