Applying for a Dutch title

If you have been awarded an academic degree outside the Netherlands, you can apply to use a Dutch title. This option is only available if your diploma is a recognised higher education qualification, and the programme you completed must be of equal value to a similar Dutch programme.

Once you have been awarded a Dutch title, you can use either your foreign degree or the Dutch title. When you choose to use your foreign degree, do it just as you would in the country where the degree was awarded to you.

Conditions

• Your programme has been recognised.
• Your programme is comparable to a Dutch programme and has the same goal.
• Your programme has the same rights as a comparable Dutch programme.
• There are no fundamental differences with a Dutch programme.

For more information, read the ministerial regulation (link in Dutch) Link opent externe pagina .

Which titles?

• ingenieur (ing.) = higher professional education in the field of technology, or agriculture and natural environment
• baccalaureus (bc.) = other higher professional education
• ingenieur (ir.) = university education in the field of technology, or agriculture and natural environment
• meester (mr.) = university education in the field of law
• doctorandus (drs.) = other university education
• doctor (dr.) = academic research leading to the conferral of a PhD

If you apply, DUO will assess for which title you are eligible. Your foreign diploma will not be entered in Mijn diploma’s. This register only contains Dutch diplomas.

Apply for a Dutch title

Apply for a Dutch title online. Submit all requested supporting documents.

Apply for Dutch titleApply for Dutch title (link in Dutch)

Free

Applying for a Dutch title is free.

Contact

Please contact the Diploma Services Department if you have any questions. You can call us on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on +31 50 599 77 78. Or send an email to diplomaservices@duo.nl.