Tell us about your qualification
Your personalised evaluation plan
* All costs are estimates. Translation fees vary by language and document length. Apostille costs depend on your country of origin.
What is Nuffic credential evaluation?
Nuffic is the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education. Founded in 1952, it is the nationally recognised body responsible for evaluating foreign diplomas and qualifications for use in the Netherlands. When Nuffic assesses your diploma, they produce a written credential evaluation report — known as a diplomawaardering — that compares your qualification to the Dutch education system and assigns an equivalent Dutch level.
Employers, universities, professional bodies, and the Dutch government all widely accept Nuffic evaluations. The evaluation does not give you the Dutch qualification itself — it simply establishes equivalency. Think of it as an official translation of your educational credentials into a language Dutch institutions understand.
When do you need diploma evaluation in the Netherlands?
Not every expat needs a formal Nuffic evaluation, but there are several situations where one is required or strongly recommended:
- Regulated professions: If you want to practise as a doctor, nurse, teacher, lawyer, or architect in the Netherlands, you must have your qualifications formally recognised by the relevant Dutch professional body. This almost always requires a Nuffic evaluation as a first step.
- University admission: Dutch universities (WO) and universities of applied sciences (HBO) use Nuffic country-specific modules to assess whether your foreign diploma meets their entry requirements. A formal Nuffic evaluation may be required alongside this.
- Immigration purposes: For certain highly skilled migrant visas and residence permit applications, the IND (Dutch immigration authority) may request evidence of your educational level. A Nuffic evaluation provides this evidence.
- Employment: For non-regulated jobs, a Nuffic evaluation is not legally required, but many Dutch employers request one — particularly for mid-senior roles — if your degree is from a country outside the EU.
Regulated professions in the Netherlands explained
The Netherlands has a list of regulated professions where you must meet specific qualification requirements before you are legally allowed to practise. The main regulatory bodies and the professions they cover are:
| Profession | Regulatory Body | Register / System |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor, nurse, dentist, pharmacist, physiotherapist | CIBG (on behalf of Ministry of Health) | BIG-register |
| Teacher (primary, secondary, vocational) | DUO (Ministry of Education) | Lerarenregister |
| Lawyer, notary | Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten / KNB | Dutch Bar / Notarial register |
| Architect | Bureau Architectenregister | Architectenregister |
| Accountant / auditor | NBA (Beroepsorganisatie van Accountants) | NBA register |
| Civil / structural engineer (technical) | Various (sector-dependent) | Professional association |
For healthcare professionals, the BIG-register is the most important step. You must apply to CIBG, submit your Nuffic evaluation, provide proof of professional competence, and in some cases pass additional Dutch language and knowledge tests. The full process can take 6–12 months.
How to get your diploma apostilled
An apostille is a certificate issued by the competent authority in your home country that confirms the authenticity of your original document. It is required by Nuffic for diplomas from non-EU countries that have signed the Hague Apostille Convention (most countries have).
If your country has not signed the Hague Convention (for example, some African countries), you need to go through a longer legalisation process via the embassy chain: your document must be authenticated by a local authority in your home country, then by your country\u2019s foreign ministry, and finally by the Dutch embassy or consulate in your home country.
Steps to get an apostille:
- Contact the authority that issued your original diploma (usually the university registrar or the ministry of education in your country) to obtain a certified copy.
- Identify the competent authority in your country that issues apostilles — usually the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the court system.
- Submit the certified copy for apostille certification. Costs range from free to around \u20ac100 depending on the country.
- Once apostilled, the document is ready to be submitted to Nuffic (together with a certified translation if needed).
Cost and timeline for credential evaluation 2026
Based on current Nuffic fees, here is what to expect financially:
- Standard credential evaluation (diplomawaardering): €148
- Extended evaluation with programme description: €252
- Certified translation per document: €30–€80 (depending on language, complexity, and translator)
- Apostille / legalisation: €10–€100+ (varies by country)
- BIG-register application (healthcare): €65
- Professional body applications: Varies — typically €50–€500 depending on profession
In terms of timing, the Nuffic evaluation itself takes 4–12 weeks after they receive your complete application. Adding document gathering, apostille, and translation time, the realistic total timeline from start to having your evaluation report in hand is 8–20 weeks for non-EU qualifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nuffic is the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education. They evaluate foreign diplomas and qualifications for use in the Netherlands, producing a credential evaluation report called a diplomawaardering. Their evaluations are widely accepted by Dutch employers, universities, and government bodies. Nuffic also publishes country-specific information modules (called country modules) used by universities for admissions decisions.
Nuffic charges €148 for a standard credential evaluation. If you need an extended evaluation with a detailed description of your programme, the fee is €252. On top of this, budget €30–€80 per document for certified translations (if your documents are not in Dutch, English, French, or German), and €10–€100 for apostille or legalisation depending on your country.
Standard processing time at Nuffic is 4–12 weeks after receiving your complete application. EU/EEA diplomas from well-documented education systems tend to be processed in 4–6 weeks. Diplomas from countries where Nuffic needs to verify the institution can take up to 12 weeks. Nuffic does not currently offer an express service.
For regulated professions, EU diplomas are generally automatically recognised under EU Directive 2005/36/EC, but you still need to apply to the relevant Dutch professional body (e.g., CIBG for healthcare, DUO for teaching). For general employment, a Nuffic evaluation is not legally required, but many Dutch employers request one for foreign diplomas from less-familiar education systems. For university admission, Dutch institutions use Nuffic country modules and may request a formal evaluation.
Credential evaluation (by Nuffic) compares your foreign diploma to Dutch education levels and produces a written report. It tells you what Dutch qualification your degree is equivalent to. Professional recognition goes further: it is the process by which a Dutch professional body (such as CIBG for healthcare or DUO for teaching) formally authorises you to practise a regulated profession in the Netherlands. Many regulated professions require both: first a Nuffic evaluation, then an application to the relevant body.