How do I have my foreign diploma assessed or recognised in the Netherlands?
You can have your foreign diploma assessed or recognised at various institutions in the Netherlands. The institution you choose depends on the profession in which you want to work in the Netherlands.
International diploma assessment
A diploma or training assessment describes to which Dutch education or diploma your foreign diploma or training is comparable. The Diploma assessment centres SBB and Nuffic prepare the diploma assessments. The SBB International Diploma Assessment Centres do this for preparatory secondary education (vmbo) and secondary vocational education (mbo). Nuffic produces diploma assessments for secondary and higher education sectors.
If you have any questions about this, please contact the Information Centre for Diploma Assessment (IcDW).
Diploma recognition for regulated professions
A person may only practise a regulated profession if they have obtained a diploma for it in the Netherlands. Examples of regulated professions are teacher, nurse, lawyer or interpreter. How you apply for recognition of your foreign diploma depends on the profession. Nuffic gives an overview of the regulated professions.
ITEM, part of the Maastricht University, has prepared descriptions for the professions of physiotherapist, nursing assistant and teacher on how to get your diplomas recognised in the Netherlands. These descriptions can be found on their website.
Applying for diploma recognition
Where you can get your foreign diploma recognised depends on what you will be doing in the Netherlands:
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You will be pursuing a university education
The Dutch college or university can assess your diplomas or apply for a diploma assessment for you at Nuffic.
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You will do (vocational) training at an ROC
The ROC applies for a diploma evaluation for you at the National Reference Point (NRP) of the SBB.
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You are looking for a job
Are you receiving benefits from the UWV? If so, the UWV will apply to the SBB for degree/qualification evaluation. This is only possible if you have a ZW, WAZ, WAO, WIA or WAJONG benefit. You do not receive a benefit? Then you can contact the Information Centre for Diploma Evaluation (IcDW).
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You do not know what you want to do yet
You can contact the Information Centre for the Evaluation of Diplomas (IcDW).
Apply for a Dutch title
At DUO, you can apply for a Dutch title based on your foreign diploma. This is possible for these titles:
Ingenieur (Ing.);
Bachelor (bc.);
Ingenieur (ir.);
Meister (mr.);
Doktorand (drs.);
Arzt (dr.).Engineer (Ing.);Bachelor (bc.);Engineer (ir.);Master (mr.);Doctor (drs.);Doctor (dr.).