The recognition of professional qualifications in education

If you hold a foreign professional qualification in education and you would like to teach in Flanders, you are required to have this professional qualification recognised.

The Agency for Educational Services (Dutch: Agentschap voor Onderwijsdiensten/AGODI) is in charge of the recognition of foreign professional qualifications which provide their holders with access to the teaching profession in education. This recognition grants the same teaching qualification in Flanders as the one you have in your home country.

In order to teach in education in Flanders, it is recommended that you have due command of Dutch (in Dutch)(opens in new window).

Conditions

You are a citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
You have obtained your professional qualification which provides you with access to the teaching profession within the EEA or in Switzerland.

Procedure

Apply for your recognition with AGODI using the application form for the professional recognition of a foreign teaching certificate:

The application form specifies which documents, copies and translations you should include.

Send the completed application along with all mandatory documents to erkenning.onderwijskwalificatie@vlaanderen.be.(opens in your email application)

The agency aspires to process your application within 30 calendar days from the date of submission of all the documents required.

Cost

The recognition of your foreign professional qualification to be allowed to teach in education in Flanders is free of charge.

Exceptions

Are you an EEA or Swiss national, and have you obtained your professional qualification which gives you access to the teaching profession in a country outside the EEA or Switzerland? If you have at least 3 years’ relevant professional experience and your professional qualification has already been recognised by an EEA member state or Switzerland, you can also have your professional qualification recognised in Flanders. These 3 years’ relevant professional experience must have been acquired in the country that has recognised your professional qualification.

If the conditions are not applicable

If you hold a professional qualification issued in a non-EEA country and/or you are a national of a non-EEA country, you need to apply for (specific) recognition of equivalence of your diploma with NARIC-Flanders.