Getting a Foreign Diploma Evaluated in the Netherlands: €148.83, About 14 Working Weeks, and When You Can Skip It

Sooner or later, many people with a foreign degree hear the same question from a Dutch employer: "Do you have a Nuffic evaluation?" It sounds official and urgent. In many cases it is neither, but in some cases it can decide whether a residence application moves forward.

The document is called a diplomawaardering or credential evaluation. It compares a foreign qualification with the Dutch education system and states which Dutch level it resembles. It is advice. It is not a licence, an admission decision, or permission to live or work in the Netherlands.

The starting point for this guide is Expatica's "Diploma evaluation in the Netherlands: what to do first", updated on 30 September 2026. Its main message is that you should identify your purpose before you pay for anything. This article checks its fee and timing against the official sources, adds what the IND says, and shows where public sources disagree.

If your main question is the orientation year itself, read our guide to the zoekjaar. This article stays focused on the evaluation.

Main sources behind this article

• IDW: To work, Required documents, Longer processing times and the FAQ
• Nuffic: Working in the Netherlands with a foreign diploma and the country pages
• IND: Orientation year (updated 7 October 2026), form 7523 and sponsor obligations (updated 30 June 2026)
• BIG-register: Certificate of competence for healthcare diplomas from outside Europe

1. What an evaluation is, and what it is not

IDW (International Credential Evaluation) says its evaluation states which level in the Dutch education system is comparable to your diploma. The evaluation is written in Dutch and signed electronically. It also records your name and details of the programme and diploma.

The IDW FAQ is clear about the limits. An evaluation does not prove you may work in a particular profession or study in the Netherlands, and it does not include work experience. The To work page adds that it is advice and that you cannot derive legal rights from it.

Four decisions that are easy to confuse

Much of the confusion comes from using "recognition" for four different things. This table separates them.

Holding an evaluation gives you none of the other three automatically. Expatica makes the same point up front, and it is worth keeping in mind when a recruiter or friend says a diploma has been "recognised".

What can and cannot be evaluated

According to IDW, it evaluates nationally recognised diplomas from programmes of at least 1,000 hours. It does not evaluate short courses, Dutch diplomas or work experience. If you did not finish a programme but completed at least one year, you may be able to get an educational evaluation instead.

Each application covers one diploma. If you want both a bachelor's and a master's evaluated, plan for two applications.

2. Who does what

The Dutch system has a lot of names for one process. IDW's own description is the clearest place to start: IDW handles applications and information, while two expertise centres carry out the assessments.

The Dutch higher education sector has two branches. Nuffic explains that wo is research-oriented education at research universities, while hbo is profession-oriented education at universities of applied sciences. That distinction matters because job adverts often ask for a particular level, such as hbo-niveau.

You do not choose Nuffic or SBB yourself. IDW's FAQ says it depends on the programme you completed. If an employer or the IND mentions a "Nuffic evaluation", the route normally still starts at IDW.

A foreign diploma or evaluation will not appear in DUO's "My diplomas" service, according to IDW, because that service lists Dutch programmes. Keep your own copy of the PDF.

3. The first decision: why do you need it?

Your purpose determines your first contact. Paying for an evaluation before you know the purpose is the most common way to lose time and money.

Work in a non-regulated profession

Nuffic's guidance suggests a useful order that many people miss. Start with its overview of more than 100 education systems. If your country and diploma are listed, show that comparison to the employer. It costs nothing.

If your diploma is not listed, or the employer wants an official document, you or the employer can apply through IDW. IDW says an employer needs your permission to apply for you, and that an evaluation is usually not mandatory.

NetherlandsWorldwide describes the evaluation as optional and tells you to ask your future employer whether they require one.

Looking for work while on benefits

IDW's FAQ says people receiving WW, ZW, WIA, WAO, Wajong, IOW, IOAW or IOAZ benefits can get a free evaluation if UWV agrees to pay. You need approval first, in the form of a purchase order sent by UWV directly to IDW. ACCESS also points unemployed benefit recipients to UWV.

Study

If you know what you want to study, contact the school. IDW says most institutions get free advice on the diploma level, so you do not need your own evaluation. The school decides on admission and exemptions, and may ask for a language test or other steps.

ACCESS adds that evaluations requested by regularly subsidised institutions normally have no charge, while private organisations and individuals pay. Ask about this if you are heading to a private provider.

Regulated professions

Search the EU Regulated Professions Database and select the Netherlands. If your profession is listed, contact the competent authority and follow its procedure. NetherlandsWorldwide says that if it is not listed, you do not need professional recognition, though an employer may still ask for an evaluation.

4. Cost: one official price, several media figures

The fee itself is simple. IDW's FAQ lists €148.83 including VAT per diploma. You submit the application first, then pay through a link sent by email using iDEAL or a credit card. Processing starts after payment.

The table shows the main cost situations on the IDW site.

The free route has precise conditions on IDW's inburgering page. You must have an inburgering obligation on or after 1 January 2015 and hold a specific DUO letter, or be becoming a Dutch citizen, or have applied for permanent residence. If you already have an inburgering diploma, you pay.

Refunds

IDW's FAQ says that if your application is closed, you are refunded minus a €53 administration fee. If you receive a Notification of No Evaluation, there is no refund. This is one more reason to check eligibility before applying.

Where media figures differ

IamExpat's June 2025 guide says the fee is usually between €150 and €300. That range does not match IDW's single published fee. Expatica uses €148.83. Budget using the IDW figure.

Remember the possible extras: certified translations, legalisation if someone else asks for it, and obtaining documents from your old school. None of these is included, and they vary by country.

5. Timing: the sources do not agree

This is where public information is most inconsistent. The IDW page on longer processing times says it is receiving a high volume of applications and splits the process into two stages.

The initial check takes place about 6 working weeks after you apply. If documents are missing or scans are unclear, you are asked for more, and the file waits for the initial check again, about another 6 working weeks. Once the file is sufficient, the evaluation takes about 8 working weeks.

Other sources describe the same process differently.

The practical conclusion is to plan for the longer estimate and check the IDW page just before you apply. IDW's FAQ says it handles applications in order and cannot give priority.

Working weeks are not calendar weeks. Fourteen working weeks is more than three months, and public holidays can stretch it. If a job offer or permit deadline depends on the result, tell the employer early rather than hoping for a fast turnaround.

6. How to apply and what to upload

You apply at mijnidw.nl (My IDW). Create an account, upload your documents, pay through the emailed link, and follow the status online.

The documents

IDW's Required documents page sets out the basics, summarised here.

Files should be clear colour scans of the whole document with sensible names. Originals and certified copies are not needed unless IDW asks. IamExpat's guide mentions a certified copy, but the current IDW page asks for scans, so follow IDW.

Translation rules

Documents in Dutch, English, German, French or Afrikaans do not need translating for IDW. For other languages, you need a certified translation, which can come from a sworn translator in the Netherlands or another country.

There are two useful exceptions. If your institution also provided an English version, upload the original and the English version, with no certified translation needed. And on the free inburgering, citizenship or permanent residence route, a certified translation is not required.

Missing documents and country extras

If you can no longer obtain a document, upload a statement from your institution in your name. People who fled their country and cannot safely request documents can still apply, and IDW will see what it can do with what they have.

Check the extra documents per country before you submit. IDW says these are mandatory for many countries, and they are a common reason to end up back in the check queue. Each extra loop is about 6 working weeks.

After you receive it

You get an email and download the PDF from My IDW. According to IDW, it stays available for 3 years and remains valid. The FAQ says the evaluation and application are removed after 3 years for privacy reasons, so save your own copy immediately.

The electronic signature is not visible in a browser. Open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader to see it, which helps if an employer asks whether a PDF is genuine.

For factual errors such as a misspelled name, submit a request through My IDW. If you disagree with the result, you have 6 working weeks from the date on the evaluation to complain. Complaint handling takes about 8 working weeks.

7. When the IND is involved

An evaluation is not a residence permit, but it can be a required attachment. The rules depend on the permit and on whether a diploma is the basis of your application. Salaries are the IND's 2026 amounts.

The same job can require an evaluation or not, depending on which criterion the employer uses.

Orientation year

The IND says all foreign diplomas must be evaluated by Nuffic before they can be accepted, and that Nuffic may also check whether a diploma is genuine. It exempts accredited programmes in the Higher Education Register of Flanders.

Form 7523 adds a second exception, for a diploma or certificate also issued by a Dutch institution. DutchReview's 2026 guide names only Flanders, and an older Xpat.nl page simply says the diploma must be evaluated by Nuffic. The IND form is the one to rely on.

The form also solves a common timing fear. If you have applied for an evaluation and not received it, you can submit proof of your application and send the evaluation to the IND as soon as you have it.

Be careful about work, though. The IND's page says you may start while the application is pending if it included a foreign diploma Nuffic has assessed, and you also need a residence endorsement sticker. A slow evaluation could therefore delay your start date.

The orientation year has a three-year window after graduation. If you are close to the limit, build the evaluation time into your plan. Our zoekjaar guide has the eligibility details.

Highly skilled migrants

The IND's highly skilled migrant page (updated 29 October 2026) does not list a diploma evaluation for the standard route. On that route, the focus is on the salary and the recognised sponsor. That does not stop an employer from asking for one for its own reasons.

The reduced €3,122 criterion is different. The IND's sponsor guidance lists a copy of the diploma and a copy of the Nuffic evaluation among the records for this route, unless the qualification is in the Flanders register. If HR suddenly asks for your evaluation, this may be why.

EU Blue Card

The sponsor guidance says the holder must have completed higher education of at least 3 years, shown by a foreign diploma assessed by Nuffic or a certified copy of a Dutch diploma. There is also a route based on relevant work experience, with a personal statement, CV and copy of the vacancy.

IND form 7515 (2026 edition) asks for a copy of the diploma and the original evaluation. Since evaluations are now issued electronically, ask your sponsor how to submit it. IamExpat's 2023 article on the Blue Card calls the evaluation the first step in hiring, but its salary figure is out of date, so use the IND's table.

Why employers ask at all

A Nuffic survey of 382 firms, reported by DutchNews in June 2025, looked at hiring international graduates of Dutch universities. Employers said those qualifications already match Dutch academic standards.

The survey did not study foreign diplomas directly, but it suggests why they can need more explaining. If a vacancy asks for hbo-niveau or wo-niveau, a comparison document can answer the question quickly. Work experience is outside the evaluation, so your CV still has to do that job.

8. Regulated professions: a different route

For regulated professions, the evaluation is not the finish line. NetherlandsWorldwide says you must apply for recognition before practising, and that a qualification from elsewhere does not automatically meet Dutch requirements. If your qualification comes from outside the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland, you may also need an evaluation and a certificate of professional competence.

Healthcare from outside Europe

The BIG-register has three procedures, and which one applies depends on your profession and where you qualified. Some EU diplomas get automatic recognition. Other EU diplomas go through recognition of professional qualifications, with assessment within 12 weeks of a complete file, extendable by a month.

Diplomas from outside Europe go through the Certificate of competence. The main stages are:

1. Prepare Dutch language proof and documents
2. Apply online with DigiD or a BIG login
3. Nuffic or SBB assesses the diploma if needed
4. Doctors, dentists and nurses take the BI test
5. The CBGV committee assesses the file and may interview you
6. You receive a decision and register if required (€85)

Note step 3. DutchReview's nursing guide says non-EU diplomas must first be validated with Nuffic or IDW. The BIG-register's plan says the assessment happens during the procedure and that you do not arrange it yourself. Check before you spend €148.83.

The BIG-register gives an average of 6 to 18 months after a complete application. Application and processing are currently free, but it warns this will change. On the test page, nurses pay €400 and dentists €1,500, while the doctors' test is listed as full for this year.

Dutch language requirements depend on the profession: B2+ for doctors, dentists and pharmacists, B2 for professions such as physiotherapist and midwife, and B1 for nursing. Certificates must be no more than two years old. If you take a test abroad, only CNaVT is accepted, and it runs once a year in May. See our guide to learning Dutch for general options.

While the procedure runs, the BIG-register's Q&A says you may be able to work on assignment for a BIG-registered provider. Non-European nationals need a valid residence permit, and this work does not create a right of residence.

The BI test fee debate

The biggest recent news is a proposed increase in the doctors' test fee, reported by NL Times and DutchNews on 9 September 2026 and IamExpat on 12 October 2026. The reports differ slightly.

DutchNews describes this as a draft regulation, with the fee set by exam date rather than application date, so people already waiting would pay more. Check the BIG-register for final amounts. Waits of 18 to 24 months have been reported, with test places rising from 72 to 120.

These reports say more than 6,000 doctors and nurses arrived from outside the EU over eight years. The figures describe a group, not your personal odds, because language, specialism and family circumstances vary widely.

Teachers, childcare and titles

DUO handles teaching recognition, which is free. You must have completed teacher training at hbo level or higher, be authorised to teach where the diploma was issued, and match the authorisation you are applying for. Non-EU applicants for primary and special needs education must show B2 or higher in the language they will teach in.

Childcare has its own DUO route. You can also apply through DUO, free of charge, to use a Dutch title such as ir. or dr. if your degree qualifies.

9. Apostilles, legalisation and translations

People often gather apostilles for IDW that IDW explicitly does not want. The IDW FAQ says you do not need to upload apostilles or their translations.

That does not mean your diploma never needs legalising. NetherlandsWorldwide says a Dutch employer may ask for a legalised diploma, usually with an apostille, and that this happens in the issuing country.

The IND's page on translation and legalisation accepts documents in Dutch, English, French or German as they are. Translators in the Netherlands must be sworn in by a Dutch court. If you translate abroad, the document and translation usually both need legalising.

Form 7523 warns that legalisation can take a long time and advises starting several months ahead. The Hague International Centre's guide gives the same warning. That guide is mainly about civil documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, not diploma evaluation.

Each country has its own rules on who issues the apostille and in what order. Check the country page on NetherlandsWorldwide before you ask anyone to send documents across borders.

10. Example situations (fictional)

These examples are invented to show how the rules work. They are not real people or companies.

Sam is joining a tech company on the standard highly skilled route. The employer is happy with Nuffic's free country comparison, so he spends nothing on an evaluation.

Lina has a qualifying master's and is 30 months past graduation. She applies at IDW immediately, then submits proof of application with her orientation year application. She sends the evaluation on as soon as it arrives.

Marco nearly pays for an IDW evaluation, then reads the BIG-register's steps. He focuses on B1 Dutch and the BI test first, because the diploma assessment happens during the procedure.

Ana has applied for permanent residence and checks whether DUO accepts her for the one free evaluation. Tom applies through IDW and leaves the choice of evaluator to the system; his mbo-level qualification is likely to be handled by SBB.

11. Common mistakes

Most of these are avoidable with a short email to the organisation receiving your documents.

12. Your checklist

Work through these before you pay.

1. Write down the exact purpose and who will receive the result
2. Search the regulated professions database
3. Ask the employer or school whether they need an evaluation
4. Check whether Nuffic's country overview is enough
5. Check whether you qualify for free evaluation or UWV funding
6. Collect diploma, transcript and any earlier degrees
7. Check the country extras and translation rules
8. Check your ID is valid for 3 more months and names match
9. Scan everything in colour and label each file
10. Apply and pay, then note the date
11. Save the PDF as soon as it arrives

If you are stuck, our guide to free help for internationals lists places to ask. For permit questions, start with the residence permit overview.

13. Summary

• An evaluation compares your diploma with the Dutch system; it gives no legal right to work, study or stay
• For non-regulated work it is usually optional, and Nuffic's free country pages may be enough
• The fee is €148.83 per diploma, with free routes for some inburgering, citizenship, permanent residence and UWV cases
• IDW currently describes about 14 working weeks, and other sources differ
• The IND requires it on some routes, including the orientation year for foreign graduates and the reduced highly skilled criterion
• Regulated professions start with the competent authority, and non-European healthcare workers face a long procedure
• IDW does not want apostilles, but an employer or the IND may ask for legalisation of documents

Sources

Official sources

• To work — IDW: procedure, fee, 3-year availability, complaints
• Longer processing times — IDW: 6 and 8 working weeks
• Required documents — IDW: documents, translations, apostilles
• FAQ — IDW: fee, refunds, priority, UWV
• Inburgering — IDW: free evaluation conditions
• To study — IDW: study route
• Who are we? — IDW: Nuffic and SBB roles
• Working with a foreign diploma — Nuffic: regulated and non-regulated work
• Applying for a credential evaluation — Nuffic: at least 10 working weeks
• Education in the Netherlands — Nuffic: hbo and wo
• Orientation year — IND: evaluation rule
• Form 7523 — IND: proof of application, exceptions
• Form 7515 — IND: Blue Card documents
• Sponsor obligations — IND: reduced criterion and Blue Card records
• Required amounts — IND: 2026 salaries
• Highly skilled migrant — IND: standard route
• Translation and legalisation — IND: language and sworn translators
• Certificate of competence — BIG-register: 6 to 18 months, steps
• Professional test — BIG-register: BI test fees
• Language — BIG-register: language levels
• Teachers — DUO: teaching recognition
• Professional recognition — NetherlandsWorldwide: regulated professions
• Foreign qualifications and work — NetherlandsWorldwide: legalised diplomas

Media and support organisations

• Diploma evaluation in the Netherlands — Expatica: starting point
• How to evaluate a foreign diploma — ACCESS: routes by situation
• Foreign qualifications recognised — IamExpat: 2025 fee and timing claims
• Only 38% of non-EU doctors qualify — IamExpat: figures on qualification
• Becoming a nurse — DutchReview: nursing route
• Permits and visas — DutchReview: orientation year
• Non-EU doctors — DutchNews: fee proposal
• International graduates — DutchNews: employer survey
• Competency test fee — NL Times: fee and waiting list
• Coming to NL as a Student — Xpat.nl: evaluation for foreign graduates
• Legalising documents — The Hague International Centre: legalisation and translation

All sources were checked on 1 November 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm current figures on official websites before you apply.

Original article

Diploma evaluation in the Netherlands: what to do first — Expatica