Question 1

What is a credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

A credential evaluation compares a foreign diploma with the Dutch education system. It shows which level in the Dutch education system your foreign diploma is comparable to.

Question 2

What does a credential evaluation not include?

Accepted Answer

A credential evaluation is not proof that you are allowed to work in a certain profession or study in the Netherlands. Work experience is not included in a credential evaluation.

Question 3

Is a credential evaluation required to work in the Netherlands?

Accepted Answer

No. Having a foreign diploma evaluated is not required. An employer decides whether to employ someone. For regulated professions, recognition by the competent authority is required. Please contact the competent authority first.

Question 4

What is the difference between IDW, SBB and Nuffic?

Accepted Answer

IDW (International Credential Evaluation) is the information and application centre for credential evaluations in the Netherlands. SBB and Nuffic evaluate the diplomas. Which organisation evaluates your diploma depends on the education programme you completed. For more information, see this page.

Question 5

How do I apply for a credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

You can apply for a credential evaluation through My IDW. You must first create an account and complete your registration.Do you need help using My IDW? See the My IDW instructions.

Question 6

Which documents do I need for my application?

Accepted Answer

On this page Required documents, you can find which documents you need to upload with your application for a credential evaluation. The required documents depend on your application and the diploma you want to have evaluated.Upload all required documents with your application. If your application is not complete, we will need to ask you for additional documents. This will delay the processing of your application.

Question 7

Do my documents need an apostille?

Accepted Answer

No. You do not need to upload apostilles or translations of apostilles. Only upload clear colour scans of your documents.

Question 8

Can I have more than one diploma evaluated in one application?

Accepted Answer

No. We evaluate one diploma per application.

Question 9

How long will it take to receive my credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

The processing time for a credential evaluation depends on several factors. These include whether your application is complete and the number of applications we receive.Our page about processing times explains more about the process, the current processing times and how you can avoid extra delays.

Question 10

Can my application be given priority?

Accepted Answer

No. We understand that you would like to receive your credential evaluation as soon as possible, but we cannot give applications priority. We process applications in the order in which we receive them.

Question 11

I am required to complete Inburgering. Can I get a free credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You are entitled to one free credential evaluation if you are required to complete Inburgering, are applying for Dutch citizenship or have applied for a permanent residence permit.For more information, see Inburgering.

Question 12

I have already received my Inburgering diploma. Can I still apply for a free credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

No. You are no longer entitled to a free credential evaluation. You can still apply for a credential evaluation, but you will have to pay for it.

Question 13

Do I need to upload different documents when I apply for a free credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Some document requirements are different for a free credential evaluation for Inburgering. For example, you must upload a letter from DUO or an official document showing your citizen service number (BSN).See Required documents for the documents you need to upload.

Question 14

I do not have all the required education documents. Can I still apply for a credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

Have you fled the country where you studied? And are you unable to safely request the missing documents? You can still apply for a credential evaluation. We will check whether we can evaluate your diploma using the documents you do have.

Question 15

How will I receive my credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

You will receive an email when your credential evaluation is ready. You can then download it in My IDW.See the My IDW instructions for instructions on how to download your credential evaluation.

Question 16

I have a question or complaint about my credential evaluation. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

Do you have a question about your credential evaluation, or is there an error in it? Submit a request through My IDW.Do you disagree with your credential evaluation? You can submit a complaint through My IDW within 6 working weeks of the date on your credential evaluation. The processing time for a complaint is 10 working weeks.

Question 17

How long will my credential evaluation be available in my My IDW account?

Accepted Answer

Your credential evaluation and the related application will be removed from My IDW 3 years after the credential evaluation was issued. This is done because of privacy legislation (GDPR).

Question 18

How do I check the electronic signature on a credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

Credential evaluations have an electronic signature. This signature is only visible when you open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader.Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader and click Handtekeningenvenster. The electronic signature details will appear on the right-hand side of the screen. You can check here whether the signature is valid.

Question 19

Can my diploma or credential evaluation be added to DUO&#x27;s My diplomas?

Accepted Answer

No. My diplomas only contains information about diplomas from Dutch education programmes recognised by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

Question 20

How can I contact IDW?

Accepted Answer

You can contact us by email or telephone. You can find our details on the Contact page.

Question 21

How much does a credential evaluation cost?

Accepted Answer

A credential evaluation costs &#x20AC;148.83, including VAT.Are you completing Inburgering, applying for Dutch citizenship or have you applied for a permanent residence permit? You can apply for one free credential evaluation. For more information, see the Inburgering page.

Question 22

Will I receive an invoice for my credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

No. You will not automatically receive an invoice.After your credential evaluation has been issued, you can request an invoice by submitting a request through My IDW. Complete the Question about received credential evaluation form and state that you would like to receive an invoice.

Question 23

My application for a credential evaluation has been closed. Will I get my money back?

Accepted Answer

You will receive a refund of the amount you paid, minus an administration fee of &#x20AC;53,00. If you receive a Notification of No Evaluation, you will not receive a refund.

Question 24

I receive benefits from UWV. Can UWV pay for my credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you receive WW, ZW, WIA, WAO, Wajong, IOW, IOAW or IOAZ benefits, you can apply for a free credential evaluation if UWV agrees to pay for it.You need approval from UWV in the form of a Inkooporder. Contact your contact person at UWV. UWV will send the Inkooporder directly to IDW. We will start processing your application after we have received the Inkooporder.

Question 25

I am a refugee from Ukraine. Can I apply for a free credential evaluation?

Accepted Answer

No. Since 1 January 2025, refugees from Ukraine can no longer apply for a free credential evaluation because funding is no longer available. You can still apply for a paid credential evaluation.

Frequently asked questions