QUALIFICATIONS DETAILS Back to list
Belgium - Flemish Community
Name of the qualification in original language
Diploma van secundair onderwijs (Deeltijds beroepssecundair onderwijs)
Translation in English
Diploma of secondary education (part-time vocational secondary education)
Awarding body
Centrum voor deeltijds beroepssecundair onderwijs (Center for part-time vocational secondary education)
Total number of years of schooling
at least 5 school years after the first 2 years of secondary education
General requirements for access to higher education
The Diploma of secondary education provides general access to higher education and admission to all higher education programmes. However, For a number of programmes, there are additional requirements:
- Fine Arts and performing arts: Students who want to follow an artistic higher education programme must first pass a skill test, the artistic entrance exam, if they wish to enter a programme in the fields of study ‘Audiovisual and Visual Arts’, ‘Music’ and ‘Performing Arts’.
- Medicine: For the university programme in medicine, you have to pass and obtain a favorable ranking in the entrance exam (numerus clausus).
- Dentistry: For the university programme in dentistry, you have to pass and obtain a favorable ranking in the entrance exam.
- For certain Bachelor's programmes: participation in a non-binding admission test is a condition for enrolment.
EQF level
4
NQF level
4
Comments/Additional Information
In order to be able to start in part-time vocational secondary education, students have to be either 16 years of age or 15 years of age and have completed the first two years of secondary education.
Part-time vocational secondary education is based around a system that combines studying and workplace learning and was implemented in the school year 2008-2009 (based on the "Decree learning and working"). Students take lessons in a center for part-time education (CDO) for two days a week. The other days are either spent preparing for workplace learning or workplace learning. Students can obtain vocational certificates, but also a diploma of secondary education if they meet all the requirements.