Having my US Degrees Recognized in France

The French are all about degrees, certifications, and experience. Much like the US, the resume is crucial to giving a perspective employer confidence that you will be successful in a job. Being in the European Union (EU), there is a specific process to having your degrees recognized by the EU so that they have the same weight here. I don’t necessarily need my degrees to be a swing dance instructor in Paris. However, when I do branch out into other exploits here, having my degrees recognized by the French government will be critical.

The group that recognizes foreign diplomas is the ENIC-NARIC (European Network of National Information Centres – National Academic Recognition Information Centres). While managed by each member country of the EU, the EU maintains the standards each country follows in recognizing foreign degrees. The recognition process (https://www.france-education-international.fr/hub/reconnaissance-de-diplomes) is in two stages: filing the request (20€) and the examination of the file (50€). In the first stage, they check to see if the diploma recognition would even be possible. In the second stage, they process the recognition and send the Attestation de Comparabilité which shows how the diploma is recognized in the EU (shown below).

I submitted my three diplomas (a Bachelor’s Degree and two Masters) for recognition on January 20, 2022 and received my Attestations on March 2, 2022. It took about six weeks which is about what I was told to expect. Now that my diplomas are recognized, when I do want to look for a job, my resume will have reputable degrees.

The process for each diploma was fairly straightforward except for the somewhat complicated process of sending multiple emails for each diploma. In hindsight, I should have processed one diploma at a time so that I didn’t get confused. Each diploma request is given a different case number, so that’s how I kept them straight.

Now that my degrees are recognized by France and the EU, that’s another major integration step complete living in Paris. It is getting closer to the time when I request a VISA renewal (starts in May 2022). Every step I take to integrate into French culture gives evidence that I am serious about living in France long-term. The more evidence of my integration, the more likely my visa will be renewed.

Until we meet in Paris…