Recognition of diplomas of higher education

General information

Recognition of higher education diplomas falls within the remit of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. It can take 3 forms, each with a specific purpose:

1. academic recognition (register of certificates);
2. professional recognition;
3. approval.

The academic recognition of a higher education diploma obtained abroad takes the form of listing in the "higher education" section of the register of certificates. It is required to be able to use publicly a title conferred by higher education and prove the academic level reached.

Some diplomas are automatically recognised and their holders are exempted from the registration procedure in the register of certificates:

• Luxembourgish national higher education diplomas;
• a number of diplomas awarded in Belgium and in the Netherlands pursuant to the decisions of the Benelux Committee of Ministers M(2015)3 and M(2018)1. More specifically, this concerns diplomas issued by higher education establishments that are duly recognised and confer the degrees listed in the table below. The holders of these degrees are entitled - without any administrative procedure on their part - to use the title as awarded on the diploma, and receive automatic recognition of the academic level as defined by the competent Belgian or Dutch authority.

When a old Belgian or Dutch degree awarded before the Bologna Process came into effect has a formal equivalent to a degree listed in this table, it is also automatically recognised at the same academic level as the new degree. If there are any queries, a certificate of equivalence can be requested from the educational establishment attended.

For further information on automatic recognition and the diplomas concerned, please consult the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

For all other higher education diplomas, the normal registration procedure for entry in the register of certificates applies.

For a formal qualification to be entered in the register of certificates, it must be a final certificate issued upon completion of a full course of studies, and it must be conferred in accordance with the laws and regulations on higher education in the country issuing the diploma.

Registration in the register of certificates involves classification in the Luxembourg Qualifications Framework (CLQ).

For more information on the procedures to follow, please consult the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

It is recommended you submit your application online, on Guichet.lu.

The documents in the file must be in one of the three official languages of the Grand Duchy (French, German and Luxembourgish) or in English. If they are in another language, a translation into one of these languages by a sworn translator must be attached.

The following may not be listed in the register of certificates:

• intermediate qualifications ("Zwischenprüfung", "Vordiplom", certificate of successful completion of M1, etc.),
• diplomas that do not confer an academic qualification or degree recognised by the competent government authorities of the issuing country.

Please note: Academic recognition should not be confused with professional recognition for access to a regulated profession, i.e. a profession requiring a licence to practice.

Professional recognition, also known as recognition of professional qualifications, was introduced by Directive 2005/36/EC and concerns access to a regulated profession.

Professional recognition of diplomas and qualifications for access to a regulated profession at higher education level falls within the remit of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (Department for the recognition of professional qualifications). These are

• medical professions,
• some healthcare professions,
• the psychotherapist profession
• and certain liberal professions.

Applications must be assessed by a committee specific to each profession, which can award direct recognition, recognition subject to successful completion of compensatory measures or issue a refusal.

Access to a regulated profession is achieved in 2 stages:

1. Professional recognition of qualifications obtained abroad by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (Department for the recognition of professional qualifications).
2. Once you have received your recognition, you can apply for the licence to practice from the ministry in charge of regulating the profession concerned: the Ministry of Health (medical professions; healthcare professions; the psychotherapist profession) or the Ministry of the Economy (liberal professions - for which a right to set up a business is issued).

For more information on the procedures to follow, please consult the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

It is recommended you submit your application online, on Guichet.lu.

The documents in the file must be in one of the three official languages of the Grand Duchy (French, German and Luxembourgish) or in English. If they are in another language, a translation into one of these languages by a sworn translator must be attached.

Approval applies exclusively to law degrees for admission to the regulated profession of lawyer and for admission to additional courses in Luxembourg law (Cours complémentaires en droit luxembourgeois - CCDL).

For more information on the procedures to follow, please consult the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

The application can be submitted by post or by email to Ms Josiane Laures.

The documents in the file must be in one of the three official languages of the Grand Duchy (French, German and Luxembourgish) or in English. If they are in another language, a translation into one of these languages by a sworn translator must be attached.

Anyone entitled to practise as a lawyer in another member State of the European Union, is exempt from the approval procedure and may apply directly to the Ministry of Justice for authorisation to practise in the Grand Duchy.