Foreign Degree Recognition for PhD Applications: ENIC-NARIC Explained

Why your degree may need a check

If you earned your degree outside the EU, a university may ask you to prove its level before it admits you to a PhD. Many EU countries do not give automatic recognition to foreign diplomas. Each government decides its own rules for its own education system. The university that admits you decides, on its own, whether your degree gives you access to a PhD.

Check this early. A national recognition procedure can take weeks or months. Start it long before your PhD application deadline, not after you receive an offer.

The result can also surprise you. A degree is sometimes judged equivalent to a qualification that covers less material than you already studied. When this happens, you may need extra coursework before a university lets you move on to the next stage.

What the ENIC-NARIC network does

ENIC-NARIC is a network of national centres. UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the European Commission set it up. Almost every European country runs its own centre in this network.

You contact the ENIC-NARIC centre in the country where you want your degree assessed. This can be your home country, or the country where you plan to study. The centre compares your diploma to the diplomas of that country. In most cases, it gives you a "statement of comparability." This statement is not a legal equivalence and not an admission decision. It only shows how your degree compares.

Depending on the country and the purpose of your assessment, the centre may compare your diploma itself, or pass your file to another competent authority that handles this type of assessment. Ask the centre which path applies to your case, so you know who to contact while you wait for the result.

Before you request an assessment, check three things with the centre:

1. The fee, if the service charges one.
2. The processing time. It can run from a few weeks to several months, depending on the country and your file.
3. The exact document you will get, and how to appeal if you disagree with the result.

If your university can issue documents in the Europass format, such as the Diploma Supplement, ask for one. A degree with a Diploma Supplement is easier to compare and recognise.

Note that this process covers academic qualifications only. A different set of EU rules governs professional qualifications, such as the ones nursing and law require. If your field needs a licence to practise, check the professional-qualification rules for that profession instead.

A worked example: credential evaluation in the Netherlands

Rules differ by country, so here is one official example. In the Netherlands, Nuffic is the Dutch ENIC-NARIC centre. Nuffic compares a foreign diploma to a Dutch diploma. It calls this comparison a "credential evaluation."

Nuffic follows the Lisbon Recognition Convention. Under this agreement, a foreign diploma counts as the same level as a Dutch diploma, unless there are substantial differences between them. You apply for a credential evaluation through IDW, the digital counter for these evaluations. Once your application is complete, the evaluation usually takes at least 10 working weeks.

A Nuffic credential evaluation is an official document. It is not legally binding. Dutch universities and employers still decide for themselves who they admit or hire. The evaluation gives them evidence about your diploma's level. It is not proof that you may study or work in the Netherlands.

Other countries run their own centres, with their own fees, timelines and documents. Always check the official page for your specific target country before you apply, since the Dutch process will not match every country's rules.

How to start the process

1. Check the admission page of the doctoral school or university you plan to apply to. It should say whether it needs a comparability statement, a credential evaluation, or no extra document at all.
2. Find the official ENIC-NARIC centre for the country where you need the assessment.
3. Gather your diploma, transcript, and a Diploma Supplement in the Europass format, if you have one.
4. Submit your application and pay any fee. Keep a copy of everything you send.
5. Wait for the result. Start this step as early as possible, so it does not delay your PhD application.
6. If you disagree with the result, ask the centre about its appeal procedure.

Tip: A comparability statement is not the same as admission. The university still sets its own entry requirements for a PhD, such as a relevant master's degree and a minimum grade average.

Common mistakes

• Waiting until after a PhD offer to start the recognition process. Some countries need months, not weeks.
• Assuming one country's statement works in every country. Each ENIC-NARIC centre decides for its own country only.
• Sending self-made or informal translations. Most centres want certified copies and official translations.
• Treating a comparability statement as a guarantee of admission. The university, not the ENIC-NARIC centre, makes the final decision on your PhD application.

Where to find open PhD positions

Once your documents are in order, you can focus on finding the right position. PhD Atlas lists open PhD positions across Europe, including in the Netherlands and Germany. You can also browse funded PhD positions directly, or search all open positions. For help with the documents themselves, see our guides on transcripts, degree certificates and translations and how to write an academic CV for a PhD application.

Sign up with PhD Atlas. We match open positions to your CV, so you can spend more time on your application and less time searching university websites.