Obtaining official approval of a foreign higher education law degree

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Approval of higher education law degrees obtained abroad is only required to participate in complementary courses on Luxembourg law and to access certain legal professions.

Applications must be sent to the Ministry for Research and Higher Education (MESR).

Who is concerned

Approval of law degrees is required to access complementary courses on Luxembourg law.

Lawyers from another EU Member State do not need to have their diplomas approved. They can contact the Ministry of Justice directly to request authorisation to practise law in Luxembourg.

Prerequisites

The interested party must have obtained a final law diploma abroad which must grant a higher legal education degree recognized by the country of origin.

The final diploma must provide proof of the successful completion of a full-time legal study cycle of a minimum duration of:

  • 4 years; or
  • 8 semesters; or
  • 12 trimesters.

Part-time study cycles are accepted provided that the total duration, the level and quality of these studies are not inferior to full-time studies.

The legal education programme must at least have included the following subjects:

  • civil law;
  • commercial law;
  • criminal law or criminal procedure;
  • private or public international law;
  • constitutional or administrative law.

Note that civil law must have been taught at least for:

  • 2 years; or
  • 4 semesters; or
  • 6 trimesters.

Other subjects must have been taught for at least one year, 2 semesters or 3 trimesters.

The legal courses must have similar fundamental conceptions to those of the Luxembourg legal system.

Preliminary steps

Concerned parties must submit a copy of their secondary school graduation diploma together with their application for approval of the higher education law degree.

If the secondary school graduation diploma was obtained abroad (A-Level, Abitur, Baccalauréat, Bachillerato, Certificat d’enseignement secondaire supérieur, High School diploma, Maturità, Selectividad, etc.), the applicant must first request the recognition of equivalence of said diploma compared to the Luxembourg secondary school graduation diploma.

Costs

Applicants must pay a fee of EUR 125 per diploma as a contribution to the cost of processing their application for official approval.

The tax must be paid by bank transfer to the bank account at the Banque et Caisse d’Épargne de l’État:
IBAN LU36 0019 5955 4436 2000
BIC/SWIFT BCEELULL
Communication: Taxe reconnaissance des diplômes, MENJE, Name of the applicant, Date of the application

A duplicate copy costs EUR 10.

The fee is not refunded if the application is rejected.

How to proceed

Filing an application

In order to have their higher education law certificate or diploma certified, concerned parties must submit an application:

Supporting documents

Applicants must attach the following documents to their file:

  • the duly completed and signed application form;
  • a curriculum vitae;
  • a copy of the birth certificate or of an identity card (for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland) / passport (for third country nationals);
  • a copy of the secondary school graduation diploma, i.e.:
  • a copy of the higher education diploma to be approved;
  • a copy of the intermediate academic diplomas obtained if the foreign country issues them;
  • a copy of the official curriculum for each completed academic year;
  • proof of payment of the accreditation fee of EUR 125 per diploma (debit notice).

The documents must be written either in one of the 3 official languages of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (French, Luxembourgish or German), or in English, or translated and certified in one of these languages by a sworn translator.

Online services and forms

Who to contact

  • Ministry for Research and Higher Education

    Address:
    18-20, montée de la Pétrusse L-2327 Luxembourg Luxembourg
    B.P. L-2915
    Open Closes at 16.30
    Monday:
    7.45 to 16.30
    Tuesday:
    7.45 to 16.30
    Wednesday:
    7.45 to 16.30
    Thursday:
    7.45 to 16.30
    Friday:
    7.45 to 16.30
    Saturday:
    Closed
    Sunday:
    Closed
    Reception: Monday to Friday from 7.45 to 16.30

Related procedures and links

Procedures

Links

Further information

Legal references

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