FWB Diploma Recognition in Charleroi: Translation and NARIC Procedure

Charleroi is home to a large international population - particularly from Morocco, Algeria, Italy, Poland and Eastern Europe - many of whom hold foreign qualifications and wish to have them recognised in the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. The ARES diploma equivalence procedure is the route for French-speaking Wallonia, and a certified sworn translation into French is the mandatory first step.

ARES diploma equivalence for Charleroi residents

Charleroi falls entirely within the French-speaking community of Belgium (Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles). Any foreign diploma-holder living in or targeting employment or study in the Charleroi area who needs formal recognition of their qualification must apply to ARES/NARIC Wallonie-Bruxelles.

Common reasons Charleroi residents seek ARES equivalence include:

• Applying for positions at CPAS Charleroi, the City of Charleroi, Province of Hainaut or Forem
• Practising a regulated profession: nursing, pharmacy, architecture, accountancy
• Enrolling in a master's or postgraduate programme at HELHa, EPHEC or a Liège/Brussels university
• Obtaining recognition of professional qualifications for a private employer in the Charleroi industrial zone
• Demonstrating academic equivalence for Belgian naturalisation or residence permit applications

Documents required for an ARES application in Charleroi

• Original diploma or a certified true copy authenticated by the competent authority in the country of origin
• Sworn French translation of the diploma by a Belgian sworn translator on the FPS Justice official list
• Academic transcript (all modules, credits, grades) with sworn French translation
• Programme description or detailed course syllabus
• Apostille or legalisation: required for diplomas from non-EU countries (Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, DR Congo, etc.)
• Identity document copy
• Completed ARES online application form (available on the ARES website)

Key language pairs for Charleroi ARES applications

Charleroi's demographics shape the most frequently needed sworn translation pairs for ARES applications:

• Arabic → French: Moroccan baccalauréat, Algerian licence, Egyptian or Tunisian engineering or medicine diplomas - our highest volume in the Charleroi area
• Italian → French: laurea, diploma di maturità and other Italian academic documents from the significant Italian community
• Polish → French: licencjat, magister - increasingly requested from the growing Polish community
• Romanian → French: licenţă, master - very frequently requested
• Turkish → French: lisans, yüksek lisans
• Russian/Ukrainian → French: диплом, магістр

Apostille requirements for Charleroi applicants

If your diploma was awarded in a country that is not an EU member state and has not concluded a specific bilateral agreement with Belgium, your original diploma must carry an apostille (under the Hague Convention, 1961) or be consularly legalised before it can be submitted to ARES.

This step must be completed in the country of origin of your diploma - neither TranslateBE nor ARES can do this on your behalf. The process typically involves:

• Morocco: attestation by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Légalisation consulaire)
• Algeria: legalisation by the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Turkey: apostille affixed by the Turkish Ministry of Education or prefectural authority
• Countries outside Hague Convention: consular legalisation at the Belgian embassy/consulate in the country of origin

Once your document carries the apostille or legalisation stamp, our sworn translators can translate it into French within 24 to 48 hours.

Frequently asked questions: ARES equivalence in Charleroi

My Moroccan diploma is already in Arabic and French - do I still need a sworn translation?

Yes. Even if your diploma includes a French version, ARES requires a sworn translation produced by a Belgian sworn translator on the FPS Justice list. A French translation printed by your Moroccan university is not accepted. The sworn translator certifies the accuracy of the translation under Belgian law; the Moroccan institution cannot provide this guarantee.

Can Charleroi employers directly recognise a foreign diploma without ARES?

Private employers in Charleroi are free to assess foreign diplomas on their own terms and do not legally require an ARES certificate for most positions. However, positions in the public sector (CPAS, Province of Hainaut, Walloon administration) and regulated professions (healthcare, architecture, law) require formal ARES recognition. Many private employers in Charleroi also request it as a quality signal.

See also: ARES diploma equivalence Belgium, Foreign diploma recognition Belgium, Apostille and legalisation Belgium