Foreign diploma in the Netherlands: Working as a teacher - DUO (2024)

• You have completed a teacher training programme.
• The level of this programme is equal to Dutch higher professional education or higher.
• You are authorised to work as a teacher in the country where your diploma was issued.
• The authorisation to teach conferred by your diploma is the same as the authorisation you are applying for.
• The teacher training programme you have completed gears towards the authorisation for which you want to apply.

If you are a citizen of an EEA member state Link opent externe pagina or Switzerland, you will find the full terms and conditions in the Regeling erkenning EU-beroepskwalificaties onderwijspersoneel (link in Dutch) Link opent externe pagina .

• You hold an EU residency permit.
• Your diploma was issued in an EEA member state or Switzerland.
• The diploma authorises you to teach in the country where it was issued.
• The authorisation to teach conferred by your diploma is the same as the authorisation you are applying for.

If you cannot apply for recognition of your professional qualification online, use a form instead.

• Use the 'Recognition of EU professional teaching qualifications' form to apply for recognition of your professional qualification if you have a diploma from an EU country or Switzerland.
• Use the 'Recognition of non-EU professional teaching qualifications' form to apply for recognition of your professional qualification if you have a diploma from a country other than the EU countries or Switzerland.

Do you want to work in primary education and are you from outside The EU and Switzerland? Please indicate on the 'Recognition of non-EU professional teaching qualifications' form which language requirement you meet.

• Recognition of EU professional teaching qualificationspdf, 131kb

• Recognition of non-EU professional teaching qualificationspdf, 132kb

You must submit a certificate which shows that you speak Dutch atCEFR level Link opent externe pagina B2, or higher. For instance:

• a diploma Dutch as a 2nd language (Nt2) State exam, programme II
• a certificate Dutch as a 2nd language at the 2nd level (issued before 1 January 1994)
• a certificate Dutch as a Foreign Language at the highest level (extensive knowledge)
• a certificate Dutch as a Foreign Language for the academic language proficiency profile, the education professional profile or the higher education language profile (PTHO)
• a certificate 'Nederlands Educatief Startbekwaam', for those who would like to start a study at a Dutch institution of higher education
• a HAVO (senior general secondary education) diploma or VWO (pre-university education) diploma, or another diploma for secondary education at a comparable level. The education must have been in Dutch and you must have passed the Dutch exam.

If you meet this language requirement, you are permitted teach in Dutch in the (European) Netherlands, on Bonaire, on Saba, and on Sint Eustatius.

You must submit a certificate which shows that you speak Papiamento atCEFR level Link opent externe pagina B2, or higher. For instance:

• a certificate for the language test in the Papiamento language at the University of Curaçao
• a HAVO (senior general secondary education) diploma or VWO (pre-university education) diploma, or another diploma for secondary education at a comparable level. You must have passed Papiamento exam.

If you meet this language requirement, you are permitted to teach in Papiamento on Bonaire.

You must submit a certificate which shows that you speak English atCEFR level Link opent externe pagina B2, or higher. For instance:

• documentary evidence issued by a centre authorized by Cambridge English Language Assessment Link opent externe pagina
• documentary evidence issued by the Anglia Link opent externe pagina educational network
• a HAVO (senior general secondary education) diploma or VWO (pre-university education) diploma, or another diploma for secondary education at a comparable level. You must have passed the English exam.

If you meet this language requirement, you are permitted to teach in English on Saba and on Sint Eustatius and in international education in the (European) Netherlands.

If you did not obtain your diploma in an EEA member state or Switzerland, you can only apply for recognition of your professional qualification. Please read the conditions:

• If you intend to work in secondary education, article 7.11, section 1 under c of the Wet voortgezet onderwijs 2020 (link in Dutch) Link opent externe pagina applies.
• If you intend to work in vocational education or adult education, article 4.2.1 of the Wet educatie en beroepsonderwijs (link in Dutch) Link opent externe pagina applies.
• If you intend to work in primary or special needs education, we will assess your application in accordance with Dutch education legislation (link in Dutch) Link opent externe pagina . You must also demonstrate a sufficient command of the language in which you intend to teach. Select a language requirement to see if you meet the requirements.

Are you Ukrainian and does the Temporary Protection Directive Ukraine Link opent externe pagina apply to you? You can apply for recognition of your foreign professional qualification if you meet the following conditions:

• You’ve completed a teacher training programme.
• The level of this programme is at equal to the level of Dutch higher education, or higher. A Ukrainian teaching diploma usually meets this requirement.
• You are authorised to work as a teacher in the country where your diploma was issued.
• The teaching qualification your diploma provides, is the same as the authorisation you are applying for.
• The teacher training programme you have completed is aimed towards the authorisation you to apply for.

Working in primary education

Apply for recognition

The procedure to recognise your foreign professional qualification is as follows:

• You submit a form requesting recognition of your professional qualification. The supporting documents you need to include are specified on the form.
• In relation to your diploma, DUO may consult Nuffic Link opent externe pagina or make enquiries with the relevant authorities in the country where the diploma was issued.
• If these authorities are unable to verify your diploma, we require a statement from your educational institute confirming that you graduated successfully.
• We will inform you of our decision
• If we reject your application, you can lodge an objection.

The procedure to register temporary or occasional work is as follows:

• You submit the registration form. The supporting documents you need to include are specified on the form.
• DUO makes enquiries about your diploma with the relevant authorities in the country where the diploma was issued.
• If these authorities are unable to verify your diploma, we require a statement from your educational institute confirming that you graduated successfully.
• We will inform you of our decision.
• If your registration is accepted, you will receive a letter confirming the registration. You will then be eligible to work as a teacher.
• If we reject your registration, you can lodge an objection.