FWB Diploma Recognition in Liège: Translation and NARIC Procedure

Liège is a major university city and the capital of a province with strong historical immigration links to Morocco, Italy, Turkey and, more recently, Eastern Europe and the Greater Region. For foreign diploma-holders seeking recognition in the French-speaking community, the ARES equivalence procedureis the official route - and TranslateBE provides the sworn French translations required to complete the file.

ARES equivalence in Liège: why it matters

Liège is home to the Université de Liège (ULiège), one of Belgium's major research universities, as well as the HEC Liège (management school), HELMO and several other higher education institutions. It is also an important economic hub with the Port of Liège, the Liège Airport logistics zone, and a significant public sector.

Foreign degree-holders in Liège most commonly need ARES equivalence to:

• Apply for positions in the City of Liège, Province of Liège or Walloon public bodies
• Practise a regulated profession: medicine (required for CHU Liège appointments), nursing, pharmacy, architecture
• Enrol in a master's or doctoral programme at ULiège or HEC
• Obtain recognition for private employers in the Liège industrial and logistics sector
• Support a Belgian naturalisation or residence permit application

The Greater Region context: German-speaking communities

Liège Province includes the German-speaking community of Belgium (the cantons of Eupen-Malmédy). German-speaking residents of Belgium who hold foreign diplomas and wish to work in the French-speaking sphere of Wallonia must apply to ARES/NARIC Wallonie-Bruxelles. However, those targeting positions in the German-speaking community's own institutions (Unterrichtswesen der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft) follow a separate procedure.

Additionally, Liège's proximity to Aachen, Maastricht and the Netherlands means that professionals from these areas who seek Belgian recognition regularly require German-French and Dutch-French sworn translations for their ARES files.

Documents required for an ARES application from Liège

• Original diploma (or certified true copy authenticated in the country of origin)
• Sworn French translation of the diploma by a Belgian FPS Justice-listed sworn translator
• Academic transcript with sworn French translation
• Programme description or detailed course syllabus
• Apostille or consular legalisation for diplomas from non-EU countries
• Identity document copy
• Completed ARES online application form

Key language pairs for Liège ARES applications

Liège's historical immigration patterns and Greater Region geography shape the most frequently requested sworn translation pairs:

• Arabic → French: Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian academic documents
• Italian → French: laurea and post-secondary diplomas
• Turkish → French: lisans, yüksek lisans
• German → French: Diplom, Bachelor, Master from German and Austrian universities
• Dutch → French: from NARIC Vlaanderen or Dutch institutions
• Romanian → French: licenţă, master
• Polish → French: licencjat, magister

Medical professionals in Liège: additional steps

For medical professionals seeking to practise at CHU de Liège, CHR Citadelle or other Liège healthcare facilities, the ARES equivalence certificate is the first administrative step. The final recognition decision for regulated healthcare professions rests with the FPS Public Health (SPF Santé Publique). This process can take 12-18 months in total; starting sworn translations early is essential.

For foreign-trained doctors from non-EU countries, the procedure involves:

1. ARES equivalence of the basic medical degree
2. FPS Public Health application for professional authorisation
3. Possible evaluation by a Belgian medical commission
4. Registration with the ORDOMEDIC (Ordre des médecins)

Frequently asked questions: ARES equivalence in Liège

Does ULiège accept students with an ARES equivalence certificate?

ULiège conducts its own international admissions process and does not require an ARES certificate as a precondition for admission to most master's programmes. However, having an ARES equivalence certificate significantly strengthens your application, especially for regulated programmes (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, architecture). Contact the ULiège international student office directly to confirm requirements for your specific programme.

My diploma is from Morocco - do I need an apostille before translation?

Yes. Moroccan diplomas must carry legalisation by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs before they can be submitted to ARES. This step must be completed in Morocco. Once your document is legalised, TranslateBE translates it into French under oath within 24 to 48 hours. Our translators are familiar with Moroccan academic document formats, which speeds up the process considerably.

See also: ARES diploma equivalence Belgium, Foreign diploma recognition Belgium, Urgent translation Liège