Academic recognition vs professional recognition: two different processes
France has no system of automatic official recognition of foreign degrees. Recognition can be sought for two very different purposes: continuing your studies in France (academic recognition) or practising a regulated profession (professional recognition). These two processes involve different bodies and have different effects.
The ENIC-NARIC centre: your first contact
For academic recognition, the French ENIC-NARIC centre issues certificates of comparability. This document specifies which French level your foreign degree corresponds to. It's useful for university applications, some job applications, and certain administrative procedures. Applications are made online. Allow 4 to 8 weeks to receive it.
Joining a French university with a foreign degree
Each university sets its own admission criteria for students with foreign degrees. The most effective approach: contact the programme director directly, attach your degree translated by a sworn translator, your detailed transcripts, and if you have one, your ENIC-NARIC certificate. A carefully written motivation letter explaining the coherence of your project significantly strengthens your application.
Regulated professions: a specific and often lengthy procedure
If you want to practise a regulated profession in France (doctor, lawyer, architect, pharmacist), the process is different and often longer. Each profession has its own recognition body: the Ordre des médecins for doctors, the Conseil national des barreaux for lawyers, etc. These processes may include aptitude tests, placement periods, and examinations.
The special case of EU degrees
Degrees awarded in a European Union country in principle benefit from facilitated mutual recognition, particularly for regulated professions. Directive 2005/36/EC governs this automatic recognition for certain professions (doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses). If your degree was obtained in an EU country, first check whether you fall under the automatic recognition regime.