Degrees from the BENELUX and the Baltic States

For certain higher education degrees awarded in Belgium, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, academic recognition is automatic (decisions of the Benelux Committee of Ministers M(2015)3 and M(2018)1, and treaty of 14 September 2021 on the automatic recognition of higher education qualifications).

In practice, this is expressed as follows:

• administrative procedures:
  Holders of the diplomas concerned are exempt from any administrative process aimed at academic recognition. In Luxembourg, this exemption concerns the procedure for registration in the register of formal higher education qualifications;
• academic level (CLQ):
  The level of the diplomas concerned within the respective national qualifications framework automatically corresponds to the same level of the Luxembourg Qualifications Framework (CLQ).
  This is made possible by the alignment of the qualification frameworks of Belgium (Flemish, French, German-speaking communities), the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Luxembourg with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), which acts as a translation tool (e.g.: level 6 of the Dutch Qualifications Framework (NLQF) = level 6 of the EQF = level 6 of the CLQ);
• use of the academic title:
  Holders of the degrees concerned automatically have the right to use the academic title following their name and as written on the final diploma. The field of study/specialisation may be translated (e.g.: [name of holder], Magister in History).

As a vector of European integration, automatic recognition aims to simplify administrative procedures for holders of higher education degrees, thereby facilitating the cross-border mobility of students and workers. Thus, in Luxembourg, for example, registration of degrees covered by automatic recognition in the register of formal higher education qualifications is no longer required to take part in recruitment tests for the higher careers in the civil service.

Degrees concerned and corresponding levels of the Luxembourg Qualifications Framework (CLQ)

Only the degrees listed in the legal texts setting up automatic recognition are automatically recognised (see table below). These are therefore degrees awarded since the implementation of the Bologna Process. They must be awarded by a higher education institution recognised in the country in which the diploma is issued, and upon completion of a recognised study programme of initial training (continuing education courses leading to an academic degree are excluded).

In the case of Belgian and Dutch degrees only, the Benelux Decisions M(2015)3 and M(2018)1 also provide for automatic recognition for those degrees which, although awarded before the implementation of the Bologna Process, are subject to a formal and legally binding correspondence with a current academic degree (see ‘Old academic degrees’).

EQF	5	6	7	8
Flemish Community of Belgium	Gegradueerde1	Bachelor	Master	Doctor
French community of Belgium	Brevet d’enseignement supérieur	Bachelier	Master Médecin Médecin vétérinaire	Docteur
German-speaking community of Belgium	not applicable	Diplom Bachelor	not applicable	non applicable
Netherlands	Graad Associate degree	Graad Bachelor (incl: Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Science)	Graad Master (incl: Master of Arts; Master of Science)	Graad Doctor (incl.: Doctor of Philosophy)
Estonia	not applicable	Rakenduskõrghariduse diplom Bakalaureus	Magister Arstikraad Hambaarstikraad Farmaatsiamagister Loomaarstikraad Arhitektuurimagister Tehnikateaduse magister Haridusteaduse magister	Doktor
Latvia	Pirmā līmeņa profesionālās augstākās izglītības diploms	Bakalaura diploms Profesionālā bakalaura diploms Profesionālās augstākās izglītības diploms	Maģistra diploms Profesionālā maģistra diploms Profesionālās augstākās izglītības diploms un profesionālās kvalifikācijas diploms (ārsta, zobārsta, farmaceita un veterinārārsta profesionālākvalifikācija)	Doktora diploms Profesionālā doktora diploms mākslās
Lithuania	not applicable	Profesinis bakalauras Bakalauras	Magistras	Mokslo daktaras Meno daktaras
Luxembourg	Brevet de technicien supérieur	Diplôme de bachelor	Diplôme de master	Doctorat (grade de docteur) Diplôme d'études spécialisées en médecine2
CLQ	5	6	7	8

¹ The degrees of gegradueerde awarded before the academic year 2004-2005 correspond to the current Bachelor’s degree (see section ‘Old academic degrees‘).

² The Luxembourg Diplôme d'études spécialisées en médecine is included in the table because it is automatically recognised in Luxembourg. However, recognition is not automatic in Belgium, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Recognised training institutions

All degrees listed in the table above, awarded by higher education institutions listed on the following sites, are automatically recognised.

• Flemish Community of Belgium
  highereducation.be – ‘Higher Education Register’ (EN)
  hogeronderwijsregister.be – ‘Hogeronderwijsregister’ (NL)
• French Community of Belgium
  enseignement.be – ‘Cadastre des établissements d’enseignement supérieur reconnus par la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles’ (FR)
  mesetudes.be – ‘Dans quel établissement étudier?’ (FR, EN)
• German-speaking Community of Belgium
  Autonome Hochschule Ostbelgien (DE)
• Netherlands
  duo.nl – ‘CROHO – Centraal Register Opleidingen Hoger Onderwijs’ (NL)
  (the file can be downloaded in Excel or ASCII format)
• Estonia
  harno.ee – ‘Higher education institutions and study programmes’ (ET, EN)
• Latvia
  eplatforma.aika.lv – ‘Higher Education Institution’ (LV, EN)
  (since 2019)
  aiknc.lv – ‘Institutions’ (LV)
  (2012 to 2019)
• Lithuania
  aikos.smm.lt – ‘Want to study’ (LT, EN)

Diplomas not covered by automatic recognition

Specialisation degrees from Belgium

The Benelux Decisions M(2015)3 and M(2018)1 and the Treaty of 14 September 2021 relate exclusively to diplomas awarded after completion of initial training. Therefore, some Belgian academic degrees, and in particular specialisation degrees, are omitted from automatic recognition. However, this exclusion is without prejudice, in itself, to possible recognition through the normal procedure for registration in the register of formal higher education qualifications. The list below gives an indication of some higher education qualifications not covered by automatic recognition:

• Flemish Community of Belgium
  Schakelprogramma, bachelor na bachelor (ba-na-ba), master na master (ma-na-ma), Postgraduaat
• French Community of Belgium
  Grade de spécialisation, Bachelier de spécialisation, Master complémentaire, Master de spécialisation

Old academic degrees from the Baltic States

The Treaty of 14 September 2021 refers exclusively to degrees awarded since the implementation of the Bologna Process. Old academic degrees from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are therefore not listed in the table above, can nevertheless be recognised through the normal procedure of entry in the register of formal higher education qualifications.