The guidance tool provides you with a personalized overview of the documents you need. Here you can find the explanation per document.
- Identity document
- Refugee
- Relevant work experience
- Work in Flanders or Brussels
- Additional relevant documents
- Diploma or degree certificate
- Transcript
- Learning results
- Study programme
- Thesis
- Publication list
- Certificate of internship
- Declaration of different name on diploma
- Proof of additional training
- Portfolio
- Medicine motivation letter (compulsory for doctors)
- Referral from institution
- Consent form
- Proof of citizenship
- Certificate of refugee status
- Proof of subsidiary protection
- Certificate of OCMW support
- Certificate of increased compensation
Identity document
An official document with your name, date of birth, passport photo, etc. It proves who you are. The document must be valid when you apply for your recognition. For example: a Belgian identity card, a passport, an identity card for foreign nationals. Please note: an immatriculation certificate (orange card) is not a valid proof of identity.
Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German? Submit the original and a sworn (official) translation into Dutch, French, English or German.
Refugee
Would you like to request recognition free of charge? Or do you not have all the necessary documents? Then you need this document: annex 25 or 26 from Federal Public Service Home Affairs (FPS Interior) for asylum seekers and a valid immatriculation certificate (orange card).
Relevant work experience
Official document that proves you have relevant working experience. The document contains the name and the location of the employer, the period you worked there and your tasks. The employer needs to draw up and sign the document. Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German? Submit a (self-made) translation in Dutch, French, English or German of your professional experience. Submit the original and the translation. Do you not have this document? We cannot take your working experience into account.
In addition to the documents you provide us to demonstrate your work experience, we will also ask you to complete this form listing your internships and work experience (87.5 KB) "pdf".
Work in Flanders or Brussels
A supporting document that proves you can start working in Flanders or Brussels. Proof this with one of the following documents:
- A dated attestation by your current employer showing that you are currently working in Flanders or Brussels, stating the following information:
- The reason why your qualification or diploma needs to be recognized in order to continue your employment;
- Employer information: name, address of registered office, company registration number, description of economic activities, telephone number or e-mail address;
- Your current position in this company.
- Please attach a copy of your current employment contract to this attestation.
- A dated attestation by your future employer in Flanders or Brussels in which he or she declares on his or her honour that you can be employed there as soon as your diploma or qualification is recognised in Flanders and you meet the selection criteria. This attestation should mention the following information:
- The reason why your qualifications need to be recognized in order to exercise the intended function;
- Future employer information: name, address of registered office, company registration number, description of economic activities, telephone number or e-mail address;
- Your future position in this company.
- Date of possible commencement of the employment contract, taking into account the lead time of the procedure with NARIC-Vlaanderen;
- Duration of the future employment contract.
- A recent proof of registration by VDAB or Actiris, not more than 2 months old.
Additional relevant documents
Other official documents that can be important for the recognition of your qualification.
Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German?
Translate it into Dutch, French, English or German. Submit the original and the translation.
Diploma
The official document that proves that you have completed your education. If you have not yet received your official diploma or degree certificate, you can use your provisional certificate instead.
You need this document to submit an application.
Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German? Submit the original and a sworn (official) translation into Dutch, French, English or German. This translation must be made by a translator who is sworn in at a Belgian court and must meet certain requirements. You can find the guidelines (106.82 KB) "pdf"on the NARIC-Vlaanderen website. Please provide these guidelines to your translator.
This document (and any translation) is also needed for underlying programmes (e.g. for a bachelor's degree you took before your master's degree).
Transcript
A list of all the subjects you studied and the results you obtained for those subjects. Normally, you receive this document together with your diploma or degree certificate.
Is this document not in Dutch, French, English, African or German?
Submit the original and a sworn translation into Dutch, French, English or German. This document must be translated by a translator who has sworn the oath at a Belgian court.
This document (and any translation) is also needed for underlying programmes (e.g. for a bachelor's degree you took before your master's degree).
Learning results
A list of your knowledge and skills at the end of your study. You can request the list from your school or university. Sometimes this list is included in the transcript (transcript, relevé de notes, zeugnis). You usually get this list along with your diploma.
Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German?
Submit the original and a sworn translation into Dutch, French, English or German. This document must be translated by a translator who has sworn the oath at a Belgian court.
This document (and any translation) is also needed for underlying programmes (e.g. for a bachelor's degree you took before your master's degree).
Study programme
An official document with a detailed description of each subject you followed during your studies. The document is often more than 10 pages long. You can request it from your school or university. Please note: You need the study programme for the period that you studied.
Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German? Submit a (self-made) translation in Dutch, African, French, English or German of your study programme. This can be a summary text of 5 to 10 lines per study subject in Dutch, French, English or German.
Do you not have this document? Submit a letter from your school or university. This states there is no study programme or they cannot deliver you a study programme anymore. You have to submit the original document and a sworn (official) translation if the document is not in Dutch, African, English, French or German.
This document (and any translation) is also needed for underlying programmes (e.g. for a bachelor's degree you took before your master's degree).
Thesis
The thesis or dissertation is the academic work you wrote during your studies. Did you not write a thesis? You may also demonstrate your academic skills with papers or articles. Do you have a master's qualification? If yes we need your thesis or dissertation so we can recognise your qualification in Flanders. A thesis or dissertation shows you have academic skills.
Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German? Translate it into Dutch, French, English or German. The translation is at least 5 to 10 pages long (excluding the bibliography). The translation contains:
- The table of contents or the index
- The research question
- Information about the methodology
- Information about the literature review
- Information about your own research
- The (partial) conclusions
Did you not write your thesis or dissertation in Latin alphabet? Please transcribe the bibliography into Latin alphabet.
Publication list
A list of your publications, such as essays, papers, academic articles or examples of project work. You need this document to submit your application.
Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German? Write this document in Dutch, English, French or German.
Certificate of internship
This is an official certificate stating you completed an internship during your studies. The document describes where and when you did your internship, and which tasks you had. An evaluation of the internship is useful, but not compulsory. The internship company or your school or university needs to draw up the internship certificate and sign it. Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German? Translate it into Dutch, French, English or German. Submit the original and the translation.
In addition to the documents you provide us to demonstrate your internship(s), we will also ask you to complete this form listing your internships and work experience (87.5 KB) "pdf".
Declaration of different name on diploma
Is your name on your qualification the same as on your identity documents? If not, you need to prove why with an official document. For example, a marriage certificate, divorce certificate, proof of gender affirming procedure.
Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German? Submit the original and a sworn (official) translation into Dutch, French, English or German.
Proof of additional training
An official document proving that you have completed additional training. For example, a study or diploma certificate. If you don't have this document, we cannot take your additional training into account when evaluating your degree.
Is this document not in Dutch, African, French, English or German? Translate it into Dutch, French, English or German. Submit the original and the translation.
Portfolio
The portfolio provides an overview of your work during and after the training. For example, photos, drawings, plans, descriptions.
Summarise the text in Dutch, French, English or German. Submit the original document and this summary.
Medicine motivation letter (compulsory for doctors)
You need this document to submit an application.
Explain why you are applying for a recognition of your foreign medical qualificaton in the motivation letter. The experts who will assess your qualification will read your motivation letter.
Write this document in Dutch, English, French or German.
Referral from institution
A letter or e-mail in which the university or institute for higher education requests recognition of your qualification by NARIC-Vlaanderen.
Consent form
NARIC-Vlaanderen verifies whether the documents you provide are authentic. This often requires us to contact the institution or government that awarded your foreign diploma. By completing, signing and uploading the consent form (142.15 KB) "pdf" you grant permission to NARIC-Vlaanderen to contact the institution or government that awarded your diploma. If you refuse to give permission, we will try to process your application without contacting the awarding institution. Please note: in this case, the process of handling your application will possibly be delayed or it may even cause your application to stall. This is because we then have no certainty about the authenticity of your documents.
Proof of citizenship
An integration contract not older than 3 years. You need this document if you want to apply for free recognition.
Certificate of refugee status
A residence card or identity card showing that you are a refugee or a certificate from the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS). You need this document if you want to apply for free recognition.
Proof of subsidiary protection
A residence card or identity card showing that you enjoy subsidiary protection or a certificate from the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS). You need this document if you want to apply for free recognition.
Certificate of OCMW support
A recent proof that you receive a living wage (=leefloon) or social assistance equivalent to a living wage. You need this document if you want to apply for free recognition. You need this document if you want to apply for free recognition.
Certificate of supplemented refunds (verhoogde tegemoetkoming)
A recent certificate from the health insurance fund. You need this document if you want to apply for free recognition.