Foreign Degree Recognition in Belgium: NARIC Procedure and Translations

Having your diploma translated and having your diploma recognised: two procedures that are often confused but are fundamentally distinct. Translation is a prerequisite that makes your document readable by Belgian authorities. Recognition is an administrative decision that grants your foreign diploma a legal value equivalent to a Belgian qualification. This guide details the procedure for recognition and equivalence of a foreign diploma in Belgium, the competent bodies, the required documents and the timelines to anticipate.

What is the recognition of a foreign diploma in Belgium?

The academic or professional recognition of a foreign diploma is the procedure by which a competent Belgian authority officially attests that your title obtained abroad is equivalent to a Belgian diploma of the same level. Without this decision, your diploma remains a foreign document valid in its country of origin but with no direct legal effect in Belgium: you cannot practise a regulated profession, access certain public sector competitions, or benefit from automatic enrolment at a Belgian university.

In Belgium, the recognition system is based on the European ENIC-NARIC network (European Network of Information Centres. National Academic Recognition Information Centres). Each member state has a national contact point; Belgium has two, corresponding to its two major linguistic communities:

• NARIC Wallonie-Bruxelles (formerly NARIC-CF): competent for people wishing to use their diploma in the French-speaking sphere, employment in Wallonia or Brussels, enrolment at a French-speaking university, regulated professions under the Federation Wallonia-Brussels.
• NARIC Vlaanderen: competent for people wishing to use their diploma in Flanders or in the Dutch-speaking institutions of Brussels.

It is important to note that both bodies issue comparability certificates, not automatic equivalence. This certificate indicates at which level of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) your diploma sits. Some employers or professional bodies may subsequently require additional steps.

Recognition procedure with NARIC in Belgium

The process is similar at both NARIC offices, but each community has its own forms and processing times. Here are the main steps to follow:

1. Determining which NARIC to contact

The determining criterion is the use you intend to make of your diploma, not your place of residence. If you are looking for work in Liège or with a Walloon administration, contact NARIC Wallonie-Bruxelles. If you are targeting a company in Ghent or a Flemish university, contact NARIC Vlaanderen.

2. Assembling your file

Both NARIC offices generally require the following documents:

• The original diploma (or a certified true copy by a competent authority in your country)
• A sworn translation of the diploma into French (for NARIC Wallonie-Bruxelles) or Dutch (for NARIC Vlaanderen), see next section
• The full academic transcript of your programme, together with its sworn translation
• The detailed course programme for certain professional recognitions (medicine, law, architecture, engineering...)
• A copy of your identity document or passport
• The official application form, downloadable from the relevant NARIC website

If your diploma comes from a country outside the European Union, an apostille or legalisation of the original document may also be required before any translation.

3. Submitting the file and paying the fees

Both NARIC offices charge processing fees (variable depending on the type of request and the community). Submission is generally done online via their portal, accompanied by scanned supporting documents. The originals may be requested at a later stage for verification.

4. Processing time

The average processing time is 4 to 6 months for a standard application. This period can be extended if the file is incomplete, if the issuing institution is little known to NARIC services, or if verifications with the authorities of the country of origin are required. It is therefore essential to plan ahead and submit your complete file as early as possible, particularly if you have a job deadline or a university enrolment deadline.

What translation does NARIC accept?

This is one of the points where applicants make the most mistakes, leading to rejected files and additional delays. NARIC, both Wallonie-Bruxelles and Vlaanderen, accepts only sworn translations produced by a recognised sworn translator in Belgium, meaning one who is registered on the official list of the FPS Justice and has taken the oath before a Belgian Court of Appeal.

Expressly refused are:

• Automated translations (DeepL, Google Translate, ChatGPT...), even if proofread or corrected
• Self-translations, even if you are bilingual or trained as a translator
• Translations by a friend, colleague or family member without official sworn status
• Translations certified by a foreign consulate or embassy (except specific exceptions mentioned in the NARIC instructions)

Sworn translations by TranslateBE are valid with both Belgian NARIC offices, as well as with all public administrations, universities and professional bodies in the country. We cover more than 70 languages, including less common languages such as Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Farsi, Swahili or Tigrinya. For more information, see our dedicated page on sworn translation.

An important distinction: the translation of a diploma is a technical step (making the document understandable), while recognition is an administrative decision. The two procedures are complementary but distinct. TranslateBE handles the first; NARIC handles the second.

Recognition for employment or for studies: two different paths

The purpose of your recognition application determines the procedure to follow and the competent body.

To practise a regulated profession

Certain professions are regulated in Belgium: doctor, dentist, pharmacist, nurse, architect, lawyer, notary, agricultural engineer, accountant, etc. To practise them with a foreign diploma, you must obtain professional recognition from the competent FPS or the relevant Professional Order, not solely from NARIC.

The NARIC certificate often serves as a preliminary document for this application, but the final decision rests with the supervisory authority of the profession (FPS Public Health for medical and paramedical professions, Order of Architects, Institute of Company Auditors, etc.). Timelines in this case can reach 12 to 18 months depending on the profession and the completeness of the file.

To enrol at a Belgian university

Belgian universities generally have their own international admissions services that assess foreign applications. A NARIC certificate is not always mandatory for university admission, as some universities conduct their own assessment, but it constitutes a strong asset and can speed up the processing of your file.

For master's degrees and doctorates, additional conditions apply: compatibility of prior studies, language level, motivation letter. Contact the admissions office of the university you are targeting directly.

Special cases and exceptions

Diplomas obtained in a European Union country

Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications establishes a system of mutual recognition between member states for regulated professions. In practice, this means that if you obtained your medical, nursing or architecture degree in another EU country, Belgium is required to recognise it under simplified arrangements, with in some cases an adaptation period or an aptitude test.

Bear in mind, however, that the directive does not remove the obligation to translate documents if their language is not French or Dutch. A sworn translation remains necessary to build the administrative file.

Diplomas obtained outside the European Union

For diplomas from third countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Turkey, Cameroon, DR Congo, India, China, Brazil, etc.), the procedure is often more complex. NARIC must be able to verify the authenticity and level of the qualification, which may involve contacts with the academic authorities of the country of origin.

Furthermore, depending on the issuing country and the bilateral agreement in force, an apostille or consular legalisation will be required before your diploma can be submitted to the recognition procedure. This formality must be completed in the country of origin of the document.

Links with other administrative procedures

Diploma recognition often forms part of a broader migration project. If you are in the process of applying for a residence permit, family reunification or Belgian naturalisation, the sworn translations of your diplomas can serve multiple files simultaneously. Consider ordering several original certified copies to avoid back-and-forth with the authorities.

See also: How to have a foreign diploma translated in Belgium , Apostille and legalisation of documents in Belgium , Translations for Belgian naturalisation , Our sworn translation service