Updated application instructions

Make sure that all supporting documents fully correspond to the information declared in your application form. Any missing, inconsistent or incorrect document may result in exclusion during the eligibility checks or in your application being declared ineligible.

General rules

You must upload a single PDF file, which must:

Dates:

Translation of documents:

Personal data

Required documents

You must provide:

• A copy of a valid passport or identity card, or
• For refugees only: a valid residence card.

The document must:

• Prove the nationality declared in your application
• Be valid (not expired) at least until the closing date of the application portal.
  Driving licences are not accepted.

Names

• When completing your application, use your full legal name exactly as it appears on your ID or passport.

• Ensure that the First and Last name shown on all supporting documents match those on your ID or passport. 

  OR

• If you have changed your name, you must provide official supporting evidence (e.g. a marriage certificate or a certificate issued by the competent national authorities).

Dual nationality

If you hold dual citizenship, you must submit the document corresponding to the nationality you selected in your application.

Example:
If you hold both Belgian and Spanish nationalities and you apply as Belgian, you must submit a Belgian passport or ID card.

Education ADMIN-UG & TRA

Required documents

You must provide copies of all degrees, diplomas and qualifications declared in the application form, for:

Eligibility Criteria and 
Formal education - further completed university studies

• Bachelor’s degree or other equivalent university degrees or diplomas
• University transcripts (list of subjects studies each year)
• Europass Diploma Supplement

Important clarifications

• Passerelle / academic reorientation degrees:
  Select  Licence/Bachelor, indicate 3 years or more, include all study years, and explain the reorientation in the comments.
• Preparatory Classes (CPGE):
  Preparatory years cannot be claimed as a diploma, but they count towards the full 3-year Bachelor’s cycle (minimum 180 ECTS).
  Include them in the start and end dates and explain in the comments.
• Degrees obtained outside the EU without ECTS:
  Accepted if you can prove completion of a standard 3-year higher education degree. You must still indicate minimum 180 ECTS in the application form.
• Accelerated Bachelor’s degrees:
  If you completed a 180 ECTS degree in less than three years, it is accepted.
  Indicate 3 years as the programme duration and explain this in the comments.
• Self-declarations are not accepted, except for Italian candidates as they are legally recognised for education. In that case, the document must be dated and signed or stamped.

Ongoing studies

• University transcripts that show you are enlisted in a study programme.
  If pursued outside your home country, they may also be listed under International experience. 

Informal education

• Professional certifications or licences, if declared (e.g. IT certifications, TOGAF, ITIL, Bar exams, CPA, CFA).
• Certificates must explicitly confirm that the exam was successfully passed.
• Participation certificates for seminars and course attendance documents are not accepted.
• Language proficiency certificates are not accepted under this section (they belong to the Languages section).

Education ADMIN-VET

Required documents

You must provide copies of all degrees, diplomas and qualifications declared in the application form, for:

Eligibility Criteria

• Vocational Education and Training diploma of EQF level 3, 4 or 5 (or NQF equivalent) confirming its successful completion.
• Vocational Education and Training degree transcripts (list of subjects studied each year).

Important clarifications

• Degrees obtained outside the EU:
  Accepted if you can prove completion of EQF levels 3, 4 or 5.
• Self-declarations are not accepted, except for Italian candidates as they are legally recognised for education. In that case, the document must be dated and signed or stamped.

Informal education

• Professional certifications or licences, if declared (e.g. IT certifications, TOGAF, ITIL, CPA, CFA).
• Certificates must explicitly confirm that the exam was successfully passed.
• Participation certificates for seminars and course attendance documents are not accepted.
• Language proficiency certificates are not accepted under this section (they belong to the Languages section).

Professional experience

• The minimum duration for an experience to be declared must be 15 calendar days. If your experience does not amount to 15 calendar days (in full-time employment equivalent, in case of part-time experience), it cannot be declared.
• Only experiences accumulated after your 16th birthday are accepted.
• Every experience must be declared separately if it is not continuous or if you changed the position within the same organisation.
• Only full-time equivalent experience is accepted. One full-time workday is considered to be 8 hours.
  If you worked part-time, you must convert your experience to its full-time equivalent.

To convert part-time work into full-time days:

• Calculate the total number of hours worked part-time.
• Divide the total hours by 8 (the number of hours in a full-time workday).
• The result corresponds to the number of full-time equivalent days (calendar days, including weekends and holidays).

Example:
One month of work at 50% of full-time is equivalent to 15 calendar days of full-time work.

Accepted types of experience

• Work experience (paid or unpaid)
• Internships
• Voluntary work
• NGO or political party activities.

Not accepted

• Diplomatic Studies: studying for a diplomatic competition is not considered work experience. It can be declared under Education if a diploma is obtained. 

Required documents

You must provide written proof for every declared work experience, such as:

• Signed and dated employment contracts clearly stating the period of work
• Recommendation letters, duly signed and dated (please introduce the exact dates as in your supporting documents)
• Payslips, clearly indicating the period of employment (please provide the first and last payslip for each continuous experience)
• For ongoing work experience, a current employment certificate confirming that you are still employed at the time of application or at the closing date of the application period
• Tax declarations (accepted for freelancers), provided they cover the relevant period and clearly identify the employer
• Invoices covering the relevant period, with the employer clearly identified
• Proof of self-employment, such as tax declarations and/or invoices
• Military service certificates
• Certificates of volunteer work
• National social insurance records
• PhD contracts.
   

All documents must:

• Be signed and dated
• Include the employer’s header (no plain paper)
• Clearly indicate the exact period of work.

International experience

Experiences that have taken place outside of your home country, your home country being the country of the nationality declared in your application. This concerns only studies abroad, school exchanges and mobility programmes.

• The minimum duration for an experience to be declared must be 15 calendar days. If your experience does not amount to 15 calendar days (in full-time employment equivalent, in case of part-time experience), it cannot be declared.
• Only experiences acquired after your 16th birthday are accepted.
• Only full-time equivalent experience is accepted.
• For experiences carried out on a part-time basis, the duration must be converted into its full-time equivalent. A full-time equivalent day corresponds to 8 hours.

To convert part-time experience into full-time equivalent days:

• Calculate the total number of hours completed.
• Divide the total number of hours by 8.
• The result corresponds to the number of full-time equivalent calendar days (including weekends and public holidays).

Example:
One month of experience completed at 50% of a full-time schedule is equivalent to 15 calendar days of full-time experience.

Required documents

You must provide written proof for every declared international experience, such as:

• Diplomas obtained abroad
• Erasmus certificates or transcripts
• Certificates of study exchange programmes.

Languages

All language proficiency declarations, regardless of proficiency level (CEFR), including CEFR levels A1 & A2, must be accompanied by supporting documentation. 

Certificates of language proficiency examinations are only accepted when all four essential language skills, namely Writing, Speaking, Listening and Reading have been tested and graded.

Languages should be listed in order of proficiency starting with the strongest; however, note that mother tongues do not contribute points towards the evaluation of your application.

Accepted proof includes:

• Language certificates with a clear Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR) level
• Certificates from recognised language institutes
• Certificates from state-recognised language schools
• TOEFL, IELTS, DELF/DALF, DELE, Duolingo English Test, ILEC, CELTA (Expired language certificates are still accepted)
• Completed University degrees (accepted only with qualification diploma)
• On-going University degrees (accepted only with transcript of records)
• Bilingual secondary education diplomas and certificates certify a C1 declaration for each language
• Online tests organised by official institutions when the identity of the candidate is clearly identified.
   

Not accepted:

• Online Linguistic Support (OLS) tests results
• Duolingo certificates other than 'Duolingo English Test'
• Language courses at university without separate Diploma or Certification
• Erasmus mobility is not proof of language knowledge

• Living abroad does not constitute proficiency in the local language.