For certain residence permit applications, such as the European Blue Card, the IND requires higher education diplomas and certificates to be evaluated by Nuffic to determine their Dutch equivalent and to ensure the applicant meets the specific criteria set out for such a residence permit. Alternatively, your employer may also ask for it.
Required documents
An evaluation of your diploma or certificate will require you to submit the following:
A copy of the diploma/certificate for evaluation.
A copy of the grades list or the complete diploma supplement.
A copy of your passport, residence permit, or identity card.
Sworn translations of all documents, if they are not issued in Dutch, English, German, or French. If you received an English version of the documents from your educational institution, you will not need to submit a sworn translation. A copy of the documents in their original language and a copy of the English version are sufficient.
In certain cases, additional documents are requested. This can vary depending on the country where you obtained your diploma or certificate, but also on your personal circumstances, or if you have requested a credential evaluation on behalf of someone else.
If you are missing some of the necessary documents, it is often still possible to apply for a credential evaluation by Nuffic. They will decide based on the documents you do submit or will give an indication of the educational level instead. If you did not complete a programme of study, but have finished at least one year, you will receive an educational evaluation instead of a credential evaluation. If you have not yet received your diploma, you should request your educational institution to provide a statement saying you will receive your diploma at a later point in time.
Evaluation and application
Nuffic can evaluate the following diplomas and certificates:
Diplomas which are nationally recognised.
Diplomas for which the study programme took at least 1000 hours.
Certificates and diplomas for short programmes and courses, diplomas which are not nationally recognised, or Dutch diplomas cannot be evaluated.
An application for a credential evaluation can be submitted online through IDW. IDW is a Dutch umbrella organisation for the evaluation of educational credentials, in which Nuffic partakes. Go through the information and follow the steps to the online application form. Make sure you upload all required documents and pay the fee of €148,83.
Important: The processing time of an application for a regular credential evaluation by Nuffic is approx. 4 weeks. As such, make sure to request the evaluation as soon as possible to avoid delaying your residence permit application.