THE ESSENTIALS
Do you have a foreign diploma and want to study or work in French-speaking Belgium? You’ll need an equivalence! This is a mandatory step for your diploma to be recognized here. The procedure is done through the Equivalence Service of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and allows you to know which Belgian level your qualification corresponds to.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
To access higher education (bachelor’s) in French-speaking Belgium, your secondary school leaving diploma must be recognized as equivalent to the Belgian Certificat d’Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur (CESS).
Actual costs (academic year 2026-2027):
- The administrative fees for a secondary school leaving diploma equivalence application (equivalence to the CESS) are €400.
- If you come from an OECD member country or a country benefiting from official development assistance (ODA), the fees are €150.
- The procedure is free if you benefit from temporary protection.
- These fees are never refunded, even if your application is refused.
- For higher education diploma equivalences (in certain specific cases), the cost is €200 (or €150 for ODA countries).
Deadlines (academic year 2026-2027):
- The normal period to submit your secondary diploma equivalence application is from November 15 to July 15 preceding your enrollment.
- For the 2026-2027 academic year, the application had to be received by July 15, 2026, at the latest.
- A late application is possible until September 14, 2026, if you have a serious justification (for example, results announced after July 10).
- Processing your complete application generally takes between 4 and 12 weeks.
Where to submit your application:
- For the equivalence of your secondary diploma, you must contact the Equivalence Service for compulsory education of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
- The address is: Direction générale de l’enseignement obligatoire, Service des équivalences, Rue Adolphe Lavallée 1, 1080 Bruxelles.
- You can send your application by registered mail or drop it off in person by appointment.
- If you want to enroll in
Verified sources
- jeminforme.be
- studyinbelgium.be
- ijbxl.be
- bruxelles-j.be
- etudierenbelgique.be
- condorcet.be
Information verified on 01/09/2026. Amounts and rules may change: always check with the official body.