VAE for vocational training, general secondary education, and for
the Master Craftsmanship

Last update : 30.08.2023

General information

Validation of non-formal and informal learning (validation des acquis de l'expérience - VAE) allows experience to be recognised with a view to obtaining one of the following qualifications:

  • Vocational Capacity Certificate (Certificat de capacité professionnelle – CCP)
  • Vocational Aptitude Diploma (Diplôme d'aptitude professionnelle - DAP)
  • Technician's Diploma (Diplôme de technicien - DT)
  • General Secondary School Leaving Diploma (Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires générales - DFESG)
  • Master Craftsmanship qualification in a trade

Validation of non-formal and informal learning is for anyone, regardless of age, level of study or professional status. The prerequisite is to have completed at least 3 years or 5 000 hours (continuous or not) of paid, unpaid or voluntary work directly related to the requested certification.

Only qualifications for which at least one group of people have qualified on completion of initial training may be obtained through the VAE procedure.

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Would you like to have more information about this topic?

The INFPC organises free information sessions dedicated to the Validation of non-formal and informal learning (VAE)

For more information, visit www.infpc.lu

Identifying the qualification that corresponds to the applicant's experience

To find out which qualification may correspond to their experience, applicants may consult the academic/training syllabuses for the available qualifications on the following websites, for full details of the expectations and requirements (required skills and knowledge) linked to the various qualifications:

Qualification Website
  • CCP, DAP, DT
Follow this link to the eSchoolBooks website, then select CCP, DAP or DT and the trade or profession sought
  • General Secondary School Leaving Diploma (Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires générales)
Follow this link to the eSchoolBooks website, click on "General secondary education" under the heading "Upper classes", then select the diploma sought
  • Master Craftsmanship (Brevet de maîtrise)
Consult the syllabuses on the Chamber of Trades (Chambre des Métiers) website

Applicants may also:

  1. request an appointment with the VAE Unit at the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth, which advises on the qualifications available and explains the procedure;
  2. seek guidance from the Department of Adult Education (Service de la formation des adultes - SFA) to help them define their career plan;
  3. obtain information from VAE partners (Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Employees, Chamber of Trades, Chamber of Agriculture, Guidance Centre) on any other points.
What you need to know
  • What languages do you need to be able to speak?

    You must be able to speak the languages indicated in the academic syllabus for the qualification you are interested in. For the Master Craftsmanship qualification, applicants may choose either German or French.

  • List of professions and trades for the CCP, DAP and DT diplomas/certificates

    The list of professions and trades organised in the context of vocational training is updated yearly via Grand-Ducal Regulation.

  • Cross-border apprenticeship

    An application for VAE can only be made for a profession or trade for which a training programme exists. No Luxembourgish qualification is awarded on completion of cross-border training (TRF), so they do not fall within the VAE scheme.

Process to follow

The VAE procedure comprises two stages:

  • The admissibility application (15% of the procedure): 1st part of the validation process
  • The validation application based on content (85% of the procedure): 2nd step of the validation process
Diagram of the different stages of the procedure, from the admissibility application to obtaining validation.

It should be noted that the application for validation of non-formal and informal learning can henceforth be submitted entirely online via MyGuichet.lu.

Dynamic questionnaires (currently only available in French) guide the user through the two stages of the process: the admissibility application and, subsequently, the validation application based on content.

The required documents and supporting certificates can be uploaded directly via the MyGuichet.lu application.

Paper forms are still available to applicants and can be downloaded from the website www.vae.men.lu under the heading "Forms to be downloaded". They must be sent to the VAE Unit by post (registered letter) or delivered by hand.

Mentoring

The Ministry of Education, Children and Youth offers mentoring for anyone wishing to apply for VAE.

The aim of mentoring is to help applicants compile their application for VAE based on content. It may take the form of:

  • a group workshop organised by the Ministry;
  • one or several personal interviews with the mentor;
  • mentoring is strongly recommended and offered in French, German and Luxembourgish.

The stages in the mentoring available to applicants are as follows:

  • informing the applicant on the procedure to follow;
  • informing the applicant on the syllabus of the certificate, diploma or qualification sought;
  • guiding, helping and advising the applicant in compiling his/her application portfolio to present to the Validation Committee taking into account his/her professional and/or extraprofessional experience.
Deadline for requesting mentoring

Within one month of receiving notification of acceptance of the admissibility application, you send your request for a mentor to the Ministry.

A request for such mentoring can be made to the VAE Unit following the submission of the first application portfolio.

Admissibility application

First stage in the validation process

The applicant must complete an admissibility application, specifying the diploma sought through validation of non-formal and informal learning.

In his/her admissibility application, the applicant must also provide information on his/her experience, education and training. The Ministry will use this information and the supporting evidence to check whether the person in question is indeed entitled to validation of non-formal and informal learning and if the application is admissible.

Administrative portfolio: copies of the documents to send with the admissibility application

  • Official documents (employment certificates, etc.)
  • Sworn statement
  • Transfer in the amount of 25€
  • Identity document
  • CCSS certificate(s)
  • Certificates/diplomas for initial or continuous training
  • Document signed with regard to processing of personal data

There is no deadline for submission of the admissibility application.

Any application sent by post must be submitted by registered letter.

The admissibility application (currently only available in French) can be submitted online via MyGuichet.lu.

Application for validation based on content

Second stage in the validation process

If the admissibility application is accepted, the applicant must complete the validation application based on content. A positive decision concerning admissibility of the request is valid for two validation sessions.

Example

You submit your admissibility application in January 2023. If the decision is favourable, you may submit your application for validation based on content:

  • either by 31 July 2023 (October-November 2023 session).
  • or by 28 February 2024 (May-June 2024 session).

These are absolute deadlines; postmarks will be used as evidence of the date on which the application was made.

The Validation Committees meet twice a year.

The competent authority will notify you of the decision within one month of being informed by the Validation Committee.

In their applications for validation based on content, applicants must give full details of their knowledge, abilities and skills directly related to to qualification sought and provide actual examples of the tasks they have carried out.

Portfolio for validation based on content: required information

  • Sworn statement
  • Forms describing background and career to date
  • Forms describing employment
  • Forms describing activities
  • Attachments
  • Copy of decision on admissibility
  • Optional: CV and initial/continuous training certificates/diplomas

Any application sent by post must be submitted by registered letter. Postmarks will be used as evidence of the date on which the application was made.

The application for validation based on content (currently only available in French) can be submitted online via MyGuichet.lu.

The portfolio is submitted to the members of the Validation Committee for analysis. The Committee compares the skills the applicant has acquired with those required for obtaining the qualification requested.

In the light of the portfolio compiled by the applicant, the Validation Committee issues a decision on the level of validation:

  • refusal,
  • partial validation,
  • full validation.

If appropriate, examination of the application may be followed, at the Committee's initiative, by an interview or placement in a professional situation (either real-life or simulated). Candidates may appeal against a refusal (within three months of notification of the Committee's decision). In the case of partial validation, the applicant has three years to acquire the missing skills, either through training or additional experience.

Example

Marc, a Mechanic, would like to take over the family business

Marc, 33, has worked in his uncle's garage as a mechanic for 13 years, and holds a Vocational Aptitude Diploma (Diplôme d'aptitude professionnelle - DAP) in car and motorcycle mechanics. He also helps his uncle with the day-to-day running of the business.

Keen to take over the business one day, Marc obtains information from the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth on the possibility of obtaining the Master Craftsmanship (Brevet de Maîtrise) in automotive electronic mechanical engineering. The Ministry replies that based on his years of experience, he can submit an an application for validation of non-formal and informal learning for the Master Craftsmanship.

This application is broken down into two stages. Firstly, Marc submits an admissibility application to the Ministry together with the required supporting evidence, stipulating the Master Craftsmanship that he wishes to obtain. Then, after having received a positive reply, he submits his validation application based on content, through which he provides evidence that he has gained the knowledge, competencies and skills required by the Master Craftsmanship sought relating to employment and social security law, company law, salary calculation, accounting tools and financial analysis, cost price calculation, communication techniques, staff management, running a business, setting up a business, reforms to vocational training, applied educational theory and professional theory and practice in the relevant trade.

He is granted only partial validation of non-formal and informal learning, as the Validation Committee deems his salary calculation, accounting tool, financial analysis and cost price calculation skills to be incomplete. Marc decides to attend evening classes in these areas. He has 3 years to acquire the missing skills.

Contact

Ministère de l’Éducation nationale, de l'Enfance et de la Jeunesse
Service de la formation professionnelle

Cellule VAE
29, rue Aldringen
L-2926 Luxembourg

www.vae.men.lu

+352 247 75908
+352 247 56445
+352 247 65253
+352 247 85993
vae@men.lu

Sur rendez-vous avec entrée au:
38, rue Philippe II
L-2340 Luxembourg



Service de la formation des adultes (SFA)
Guichet Maison de l'orientation
29, rue Aldringen
L-2926 Luxembourg

Orientation et conseil
Conseillers SFA
+352 247 65181
sfa@men.lu