Applying for recognition of diplomas (baccalaureate/matura)
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Summary:
The recognition of a diploma (baccalaureate/matura) obtained abroad (other EU Member State or non-EU country) is subject to certain conditions and administrative procedures.
Who is concerned: any person with a diploma obtained abroad.
Costs: a fee of EUR 75 or EUR 125 is due for all applications for recognition of a diploma (depending on the type of diploma). Duplicate copies are charged EUR 10.
Certificates and diplomas (collectively referred to as 'diplomas' on this page for the sake of simplicity) from higher education programmes equivalent to a baccalaureate or matura certificate obtained abroad may, under certain conditions, be recognised as equivalent.
Applications for recognition of equivalence are subject to the payment of a fee, the amount of which varies depending on the country in which the diploma was obtained.
Who is concerned
The following can apply for a recognition of equivalence:
- holders of a baccalaureate/matura diploma who wish to:
- pursue higher education or university studies in Luxembourg;
- enter the job market;
- holders of other general, technical and vocational secondary school leaving diplomas.
Prerequisites
Conditions for countries that have signed the Paris and/or Lisbon and/or World conventions
Recognition may be granted for secondary school leaving diplomas after examination of the file by the competent departments and if the diplomas meet the following criteria:
- they attest the successful completion of at least 12 years of consecutive study;
- they enable access to higher education or university studies in the country of origin.
Supporting documentation is required for diplomas that do not specify such access.
The diplomas taken into consideration are those from countries that have signed the Council of Europe, Lisbon, Paris and/or World conventions on the mutual recognition of diplomas.
The countries concerned by the mutual recognition of diplomas are the following (list in force in September 2024):
Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Holy See (Vatican), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Northern Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, State of Palestine, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Yemen.
The recognition of a foreign diploma is not automatic, but is decided on a case-by-case basis. During the recognition procedure, a distinction is made between:
- diplomas from countries that have signed the Paris and/or Lisbon and/or World conventions on the mutual recognition of diplomas;
- and the diplomas issued by third countries (countries that did not sign the Paris, Lisbon and/or World conventions).
This distinction implies specific terms and conditions for equivalence.
Specific terms and conditions
- Third country diplomas
- International Baccalaureate
In addition to the conditions required for the countries that have signed the Paris, Lisbon and/or World conventions, equivalency to a Luxembourg secondary school leaving diploma - be it in classical or general secondary education, or a technician's diploma - awarded in a country that has not signed the conventions will only be recognised in the following cases:
- if you hold a diploma issued by a higher education institution recognised by and located in a Member State of the European Union (EU), in recognition of the successful completion of a higher education study cycle of at least 3 years (baccalaureate+3); or
- if you are (formally) enrolled in higher education studies in an EU Member State and the diploma meets the following criteria: the diploma examination papers must have covered:
- at least 2 languages (including either French or German);
- subjects belonging to at least 3 of the following subjects:
- humanities and social sciences;
- natural sciences;
- mathematics;
- technology;
- fine arts and music; or
- if you hold a diploma issued by a higher education institution recognised by a third country, certifying completion of a higher education course lasting at least 3 years (baccalaureate+3), and you can provide:
- a level B2 language certificate for Luxembourgish, French or German under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages; or
- proof that you have completed 3 years of study in one of the 3 languages mentioned before; or
- proof that the secondary school leaving examination was taken in Luxembourgish, French or German.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma is recognised as an equivalent of the Luxembourg classical secondary school leaving diploma if, in addition to the criteria set by the International Baccalaureate Organisation in Geneva, the following conditions are met:
The International Baccalaureate exams must cover:
- two languages (group 1: language A1, group 2: language A2);
- one subject of each of the following disciplines:
- group 3: 'individuals and society': including history, geography, economics, philosophy, psychology, business and management;
- group 4 'sciences': including biology, chemistry, physics;
- group 5 'mathematics': mathematical studies, mathematics SL, mathematics higher level, computer science;
- and a choice of either:
- group 6 'arts': including visual arts, music, theatre and film; or
- a second subject from groups 1 to 5.
The nomenclature of the groups is that used by the International Baccalaureate Organisation in Geneva.
Please note:
- of the 2 languages mentioned under point 1, at least one must be either French, or English, or German;
- at least 3 subjects must be studied to a higher level (HL), the others to a standard level (SL);
- in order to obtain the IB diploma, you must meet all the conditions set by the internal rules of the International Baccalaureate;
- you must have completed at least 12 years of progressive primary and secondary education;
- you must have completed a 4-year course of study in a foreign language other than the 2 languages referred to in 1 above.
Moreover, the International Baccalaureate diploma may be recognised as equivalent to the Luxembourg secondary school leaving diploma under the conditions provided for in Article 4.1 of the Grand-Ducal Regulation of 27 October 2006 in execution of Article 4 of the amended Law of 18 June 1969 on higher education and the accreditation of foreign higher education titles and diplomas.
Deadlines
The processing time for files relating to diplomas from signatory countries is 2 to 10 weeks.
Costs
- Application for recognition of foreign qualifications
- Requesting duplicates
You must pay a fee for any application for recognition of qualifications.
| Type of diploma | Fee due |
|---|---|
| Diplomas issued by countries that are signatories to the Paris and/or Lisbon and/or World conventions | EUR 75 |
| Diplomas issued by a European school (European Baccalaureate) | EUR 75 |
| Diplomas issued by countries that are not signatories to the Paris and/or Lisbon and/or World conventions | EUR 125 |
| Diplomas issued by the International Baccalaureate Organisation | EUR 125 |
The fee must be paid by bank transfer to the following account:
Account holder: AED-LAR-TAXES
IBAN: LU36 0019 5955 4436 2000
BIC: BCEELULL
Communication: Taxe reconnaissance des diplômes, MENEJ, [name of applicant], [date of application]
You must enclose proof of payment with your application.
The payment of the fee is mandatory in order for the application to be processed, but it does not mean that the recognition of equivalence will be granted. As a matter of fact, for each application, the conditions of recognition of equivalence must be met.
The fee is not reimbursed if the recognition of equivalence is refused.
For any request for a duplicate copy of the recognition of equivalence, you must pay a fee of EUR 10 by bank transfer to the following account:
Account holder: AED-LAR-TAXES
IBAN: LU36 0019 5955 4436 2000
BIC: BCEELULL
Communication: Taxe reconnaissance des diplômes, MENEJ, [name of applicant], [date of application]
How to proceed
Application procedure
You can submit your application for recognition of equivalence (see 'Online services and forms') by:
- email to reconnaissance@men.lu for the PDF version;
- by post to the Department for the recognition of diplomas of the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth (Service de la reconnaissance des diplômes du ministère de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse - MENEJ); or
- online form.
Elements of the application
- Diplomas from signatory countries
- Third country diplomas
The diplomas concerned by this scenario come from countries that have signed the Paris and/or Lisbon and/or World conventions on the mutual recognition of diplomas, i.e. all the countries listed under 'Prerequisites'.
The application must include the following documents:
- a written request stating the reason for submitting the application;
- a CV that includes your educational background and the date and place of your birth;
- a copy of a valid identity document (identity card, passport or residence permit);
- copies of the diplomas;
- proof of payment of the fee.
All copies of diplomas and identity documents issued by third countries to the EU must be certified by an approved authority (communal administration, embassy or consulate).
The diplomas concerned by this scenario come from countries that have not signed the Paris and/or Lisbon and/or World conventions on the mutual recognition of diplomas, i.e. all the countries listed under 'Prerequisites'.
You must enclose the following documents with your application:
- a written request stating the reason for submitting the application;
- a CV stating, among other things, your educational background and date and place of birth;
- a copy of a valid identity document (identity card, passport or residence permit);
- copies of the diplomas;
- only for beneficiaries of the international protection status: a document certifying that the applicant was granted this status in Luxembourg;
- proof of payment of the fee.
You must also attach:
- a diploma attesting to the successful completion of at least 3 years of higher education or university studies in an EU Member State; or
- proof of enrolment in a higher education institution or university in an EU Member State, as well as the list of the subjects taken for the secondary school leaving diploma (e.g. transcript of grades); or
- a diploma issued by a higher education institution recognised by a third country, providing proof of successful completion of a higher education study cycle of at least 3 years (baccalaureate+3) together with:
- a level B2 language certificate for Luxembourgish, French or German under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages; or
- proof that you have completed 3 years of study in one of the 3 languages mentioned before; or
- proof that the secondary school leaving examination was taken in Luxembourgish, French or German.
All copies of certificates/diplomas and identity documents issued by third countries to the EU must be certified by an approved authority (communal administration, embassy or consulate).
Translations of documents
Documents must be:
- written:
- either in one of Luxembourg's 3 official languages (French, Luxembourgish or German)
- or in English; or
- translated into one of these languages by a sworn translator in Luxembourg.
The translator's stamp must be affixed partly on the translation and partly on the document provided for translation. All documents must be signed by the translator. In the absence of such a stamp, a document attesting to the translator’s sworn status must be included with the application (for example, a copy of the translator's registration certificate on the list of experts, translators and interpreters).
If necessary, you may be asked to provide further information.
Processing the application
You should receive a response to your application between 2 and 6 weeks after the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth has received your complete file. This period begins on the date on which the Department for the Recognition of Diplomas receives the complete application file.
If your application is incomplete, you will receive a letter asking you to submit the missing documents so that the application can be processed.
For urgent cases, and pending the processing of the file, it is recommended that you also apply for recognition of the level of education, since that procedure will allow for quicker processing of your application.
If the applicant does not submit the missing documents to the ministry within a period of 3 years following receipt of the letter requesting additional information, the application for recognition is cancelled and a new application will need to be submitted.
A judicial appeal against the MENEJ's decision may be filed through a lawyer before the administrative tribunal in Luxembourg.
For further information, please contact the Department for the Recognition of Diplomas by email at reconnaissance@men.lu.
Online services and forms
Who to contact
Ministry of Education, Children and Youth Department for the recognition of diplomas
- Address:
-
29, rue Aldringen
L-1118
Luxembourg
L-2926 Luxembourg
- Phone:
- (+352) 247 85910
- Email address:
- reconnaissance@men.lu
Closed ⋅ Opens Monday at 8.00
- Saturday:
- Closed
- Sunday:
- Closed
- Monday:
- 8.00 to 12.00 , 13.00 to 17.00
- Tuesday:
- 8.00 to 12.00 , 13.00 to 17.00
- Wednesday:
- 8.00 to 12.00 , 13.00 to 17.00
- Thursday:
- 8.00 to 12.00 , 13.00 to 17.00
- Friday:
- 8.00 to 12.00 , 13.00 to 17.00
Department for the Recognition of Diplomas
Ministry of Education, Children and Youth Department for the recognition of diplomas
- Address:
-
29, rue Aldringen
L-1118
Luxembourg
L-2926 Luxembourg
- Phone:
- (+352) 247 85910
- Email address:
- reconnaissance@men.lu
Closed ⋅ Opens Monday at 8.00
- Saturday:
- Closed
- Sunday:
- Closed
- Monday:
- 8.00 to 12.00 , 13.00 to 17.00
- Tuesday:
- 8.00 to 12.00 , 13.00 to 17.00
- Wednesday:
- 8.00 to 12.00 , 13.00 to 17.00
- Thursday:
- 8.00 to 12.00 , 13.00 to 17.00
- Friday:
- 8.00 to 12.00 , 13.00 to 17.00
Related procedures and links
Procedures
Links
Further information
-
Secondary education
on the website of the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth
-
Vocational training
on the website of the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth
-
Accreditation of prior learning and experience (VAE)
on the website of the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth
-
Programme d’études du programme du diplôme
sur le site du Baccalauréat International® (IB)
Legal references
-
European Convention of Paris
on the Equivalence of Diplomas leading to Admission to Universities
-
Lisbon Convention
on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region
-
Global Convention
on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education
-
Loi du 19 décembre 2014
relative à la mise en oeuvre du paquet d'avenir - première partie (2015)
-
Règlement grand-ducal modifié du 27 octobre 2006
pris en exécution de l'article 4 de la loi modifiée du 18 juin 1969 sur l'enseignement supérieur et l'homologation des titres et grades étrangers d'enseignement supérieur
-
Règlement grand-ducal du 9 mai 2008
fixant les modalités de reconnaissance d'équivalence du Baccalauréat International au diplôme de fin d'études secondaires luxembourgeois
-
Règlement grand-ducal du 7 décembre 2010
modifiant le règlement grand-ducal du 9 mai 2008 fixant les modalités de reconnaissance d'équivalence du Baccalauréat International au diplôme de fin d'études secondaires luxembourgeois
