Diploma Equivalence in Belgium: FWB Equivalence, Flemish Admission and Legalisation

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Who checks your school-leaving diploma depends on where in Belgium you want to study. The French-speaking Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB) has a central equivalence service, and you need its decision before you can enrol. In Dutch-speaking Flanders, the university or college checks your diploma itself during admission. This guide covers both routes for bachelor's applicants.

French-speaking universities: the FWB equivalence

To enrol in a bachelor's programme at ULB, UCLouvain, ULiège, UMons, UNamur or a haute école, a foreign diploma must be declared equivalent to the Belgian school-leaving certificate (CESS). The decision comes from the FWB's Service des équivalences, not from the university.

Who is exempt. You do not need an equivalence if you hold the European Baccalaureate issued by the European Schools or the International Baccalaureate awarded by the IB Organisation in Geneva. Universities accept these diplomas directly.

Deadlines. For a start in 2027/28, the service accepts files from 15 November 2026 to 15 July 2027, and the fee must be paid by 15 July. Decisions are posted from 1 March 2027 at the earliest. Processing takes at least 4 to 12 weeks, longer if the file is incomplete. Filing the request does not extend the university's own application deadlines.

Fees. The fee is €150 or €400, depending on the country where you finished school. For 2027/28 the country pages give €400 for France and Italy, and €150 for Morocco and Cameroon. Check the page for your country. The fee is never refunded.

If you graduate this summer. You can apply with your provisional results. You then receive a provisional equivalence, valid until 15 May of the following year, by which date you must send the final diploma.

Restricted equivalence. Holders of a diploma from outside the EU will probably receive an equivalence with restrictions, which limits the programmes open to them. You can lift these restrictions by passing the DAES, an aptitude exam for higher education organised by the FWB's examination boards.

What to send

The exact list is on the page for your country. It usually includes:

1. The diploma and the transcript of the final exams, as certified copies or originals. Some countries, including Morocco and Cameroon, must send originals.
2. A copy of your passport or ID card.
3. A signed letter in French explaining what you want to study, or the service's form.
4. The original proof of payment.

You send everything in one registered letter to the service in Brussels, or hand it in by appointment.

Translations

Documents in French, German, Dutch, English, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish need no translation. Others must be translated into French by a sworn translator. If the translation is made abroad, the translator's signature needs an apostille, or full legalisation by the Belgian embassy in countries outside the Hague Convention. See sworn translations.

Dutch-speaking universities: the institution decides

In Flanders, the university or college decides whether your diploma gives access to its programme. You do not need an official recognition from NARIC-Vlaanderen, the Flemish recognition centre, to apply for a bachelor's. NARIC-Vlaanderen matters for other purposes, for example some adult education courses or a medical specialisation.

Each institution sets its own document rules. The University of Antwerp, for example:

• checks authenticity in the final phase of admission;
• asks for legalised copies if your documents cannot be verified online;
• accepts an apostille from countries in the Hague Convention, and full legalisation otherwise;
• requires translations of documents not in Dutch, French, German or English, legalised as well;
• asks to see the original legalised diploma at enrolment.

Expect similar rules at KU Leuven, Ghent and the hogescholen, and read the checklist for your programme.

Apostille and legalisation

Belgian institutions follow the usual chain: an apostille if your country is party to the Hague Convention, otherwise legalisation by your foreign ministry and then the Belgian embassy. Documents from some EU countries may be exempt under the 1987 Brussels Convention. See apostille and legalisation.

A realistic order of steps

1. Decide whether you will study in French or in Dutch.
2. French: check if you are exempt; if not, file the equivalence from 15 November and before the end of winter. Dutch: read the programme's admission and document rules.
3. Order certified copies, an apostille or legalisation, and translations.
4. Apply to the institution before its deadline.
5. With the admission letter, apply for your visa. See student visa for Belgium.

Where to look next

• How to get into a university in Belgium
• How much it costs to study in Belgium
• Student visa for Belgium
• Student housing in Belgium

Official sources

• FWB equivalence service: secondary diploma equivalence, country pages and fees (in French)
• ULiège: secondary school diploma equivalents: who is exempt
• Flanders: studying with a foreign diploma
• University of Antwerp: legalisation of documents
• NARIC-Vlaanderen

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.