Foreign School Report in Ghent: Translation for Enrolment and Equivalence

Ghent is one of Belgium's most dynamic university cities, attracting students and families from across the globe. For families settling in Ghent with children educated abroad, a certified translation of the foreign school report is essential for enrolment in Ghent's Flemish schools and for recognition through NARIC-Vlaanderen.

📖 See also: Foreign school report translation in Belgium · Foreign school report translation in Antwerp · Foreign school report translation in Bruges

Ghent: an international Flemish city with a growing school demand

Ghent (Gent) is East Flanders' capital and one of Belgium's most cosmopolitan cities, thanks partly to Ghent University (UGent) and its large international academic community. Beyond academics, Ghent's thriving economy in logistics, technology and creative industries attracts many international families who settle in the city with school-age children.

When a child arrives in Ghent having been schooled in Morocco, Turkey, Romania, Afghanistan, Vietnam or any other country, Ghent schools and the local CLB (Centre for Student Guidance) need to assess the child's academic level. This assessment relies on foreign school reports, which must be translated into Dutch when they are not already in one of Belgium's official languages or in English.

Belgian compulsory education law applies to all children residing in Belgium, regardless of nationality. For newly arrived children in Ghent, correct and timely enrolment is both a legal requirement and a crucial step for successful integration.

NARIC-Vlaanderen and school recognition in Ghent

NARIC-Vlaanderen is the Flemish authority for recognising foreign educational qualifications. Families in Ghent can request an assessment of their child's foreign school level from NARIC-Vlaanderen, which will then determine the appropriate year level in the Flemish system.

NARIC-Vlaanderen requires certified translations of all documents not written in Dutch, French, German or English. TranslateBE's sworn translators produce certified Dutch translations accepted by NARIC-Vlaanderen for all major language pairs, including Arabic, Turkish, Romanian, Polish, Dari, Pashto, Vietnamese, Chinese and many more.

OKAN in Ghent: the reception programme for newly arrived pupils

In Flanders, the OKAN (Onthaalonderwijs voor Anderstalige Nieuwkomers) programme provides specialised reception for newly arrived pupils who do not yet speak Dutch. Ghent has several OKAN schools and classes, including:

• Okan-school Gent : a dedicated reception school for newcomers in the city
• Various OKAN classes integrated into mainstream secondary schools in the Ghent area

The CLB serving Ghent schools - CLB GO! Gent and CLB Artevelde - uses the child's translated school report to determine the most appropriate level within the OKAN programme and plan the transition to mainstream education.

Ghent secondary schools accepting foreign pupils

Ghent has a wide range of secondary schools across different educational networks. Among those frequently welcoming newly arrived international pupils:

• Koninklijk Atheneum Gent (GO! network)
• Sint-Bavohumaniora (Catholic network)
• Stedelijk Lyceum Gent (municipal network)
• Various technical and vocational institutes (BUSO, TSO, BSO)

Languages most requested in Ghent

Ghent's international community is particularly diverse due to the university presence. The most common source languages for school report translations in Ghent include:

• Arabic (Moroccan, Algerian, Syrian dialects)
• Turkish
• Romanian
• Polish and Bulgarian
• Vietnamese and Chinese
• Dari and Pashto
• Spanish and Portuguese
• French (for documents from DRC, Cameroon, Guinea)

Fully online, fast delivery for Ghent families

TranslateBE's service is entirely online. Families in Ghent upload their child's school report, receive a quote within one hour, and get the certified Dutch translation delivered by email within 24 to 48 hours. The translation is produced by a sworn translator registered with the competent Court of Appeal and is accepted by all Flemish educational authorities.