Belgium Study Documents: Translation, Legalization & Equivalence

To study in Belgium you usually need your diplomas and transcripts authenticated (by apostille or legalisation), translated if they are not in an accepted language, and, for a French Community bachelor's program, recognised through an official equivalence. Which steps you need depends on the country that issued your documents and on whether you study in Flanders or the French Community.

Document preparation is often the slowest part of the whole process, so start months before your deadline. This guide explains each step with official sources. For the full journey, see our guide to studying in Belgium.

Step 1: Authenticate your documents (apostille or legalisation)

Belgian institutions and embassies want to be sure your documents are genuine. There are two systems:

• Apostille: if your country is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, a competent authority in your country adds an apostille. According to the HCCH status table, Pakistan (since 9 March 2023), India and Bangladesh are parties.
• Legalisation: if your country is not a party, the Belgian FPS Foreign Affairs explains that the document is first legalised in its country of origin and then by Belgium's competent consular post, which adds a sticker with a control number of at least 12 digits.

Legalisation does not guarantee acceptance. The receiving body, such as a university or the equivalence service, may still verify the content of your document.

Special case: documents from Afghanistan

Afghanistan does not appear among the parties to the Apostille Convention, so Afghan documents cannot be apostilled. The Belgian Embassy in Islamabad, which is responsible for Afghanistan, states that it does not legalise any Afghan documents. For visa applications, it says Afghan documents are accepted in the state in which they are presented.

Step 2: Sworn translations

For the visa

Visa documents must be in English, French, Dutch or German. Documents in other languages, such as Dari, Pashto or Urdu, must be translated by a certified translator; the Embassy in Islamabad points to the FPS Justice register of sworn translators. English documents do not need translation.

For the French Community equivalence

The equivalence service accepts documents in French, German, Dutch, English, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish without translation. Other languages need a French translation by a sworn translator. If the translation is done abroad in a non-Apostille country, the translator's signature must be legalised by the competent local authority and then by the Belgian embassy. In Belgium, use a sworn translator (paper format).

For universities

Each university sets its own rule. Ghent University, for example, asks for a sworn translation into Dutch, French, German or English if needed, and a diploma verified through Qualification Check. The University of Antwerp lets you upload electronic documents first, but legalised or certified documents must reach the registrar by a second deadline (31 May 2027 for 2027/28).

Step 3: Diploma recognition and equivalence

This is where the two Communities differ most.

French Community secondary equivalence: how it works

To start a bachelor's program in the French Community in 2027/28, request the equivalence of your secondary diploma between 15 November 2026 and 15 July 2027, by registered post or at an appointment. According to the service's 2026 information sheet, you send:

• Certified copies (or originals) of your secondary-school diploma and its transcript, plus reports of the last year passed if relevant.
• For non-EU files, recommended: proof of admission to higher education in your country, or of access exams.
• A copy of your passport or ID.
• A motivation letter or the non-EU motivation form.
• Proof of payment of the fee. Without it, your file is not processed.

The fee is €400 for completed secondary studies, or €150 for diplomas from countries on the OECD development-aid list used by the service, which includes Afghanistan. Recent graduates can apply with a transcript or provisional certificate and receive a provisional equivalence valid until 15 May of the following year.

Certified copies from outside Europe

Outside the Hague system, the service explains that a certified copy is made by a municipal official, legalised by your Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then by the competent Belgian embassy. Ask officials to print their names legibly in Latin script next to their stamps; this small detail avoids delays.

Flemish bachelor applicants: the access declaration

In Flanders there is no equivalence step for school diplomas, but you still need to prove that your diploma opens the door to university at home. Institutions give you an access declaration form, which your school completes. Some universities also ask for proof such as an admission letter from a university in your country or your national entrance exam results. Ghent University, for example, asks for proof of access to a university bachelor in your home country if your diploma is not on its direct-admission list.

Higher-education degrees

For a master's or PhD you usually do not need a formal equivalence. The French Community ENIC-NARIC centre can issue an attestation on the level of your qualification for €70 per case (year not stated); it is not an equivalence, but some institutions ask for it. Full degree equivalence requests are made online via Equisup.

Visa-specific documents: medical certificate and criminal record

Two documents are needed only for the visa, and both take time. The medical certificate must come from a doctor approved by the Belgian embassy. In Pakistan, the approved physician hands it to you in a sealed envelope, which you submit at the visa centre without opening it.

You also need a criminal record extract if you are 18 or older. If it is not in English, French, Dutch or German, it must be translated by a certified translator. If your country is an Apostille party, ask the issuing authority whether it should be apostilled; otherwise follow the legalisation chain described above.

A realistic document timeline

If you are still in your final year, you can usually start with a transcript or provisional certificate, then send the final diploma later. Keep scanned copies of every page and every stamp; you will upload the same documents several times.

Your document checklist

1. 1.Passport valid for at least one year (the visa checklist requires this).
2. 2.Secondary-school diploma and transcripts (all years), authenticated.
3. 3.Bachelor's and master's diplomas and full transcripts for every year, authenticated.
4. 4.Sworn translations where required.
5. 5.Language test certificate (IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent).
6. 6.CV, motivation letter and proof of activities over the last five years (often required for master's programs).
7. 7.For the visa: medical certificate, criminal record extract (18+), insurance and proof of means. See the Belgium student visa guide.

Keep a simple tracking sheet for every document: who issued it, whether it needs an apostille or legalisation, whether it needs a translation, and which university or office has received it. With several applications, an equivalence file and a visa file, it is easy to lose track of originals.

Mistakes to avoid

• Sending the equivalence file without proof of payment: it will not be processed.
• Translating into English when the equivalence service needs French for your document language.
• Waiting until spring: legalisation chains through two ministries and an embassy can take months.
• Assuming a legalised document is automatically accepted; the receiving body can still verify it.
• Using an unofficial translator for visa documents.

Check the admission requirements for your level and then track deadlines for free on FindUniPath so your documents are ready in time.