Your child has the right to education in Europe under the same conditions as nationals of another country. Your child has the right to be placed in a class with his/her own age group and at the level corresponding to his/her class in Belgium (regardless of the language level). In addition, your child is entitled to free courses, including language lessons, to facilitate adaptation and integration.

The school system can be very different in another country. There is also no automatic recognition of previous Belgian school diplomas. In some countries, recognition is required before you can enrol your child in a local school.

Tip:

It is usually a good idea to keep a file about your child's school history. This will help with enrolling in secondary education. A school history file may include the following:

• copies of reports (some schools also want to see the originals)
• letters of recommendation from teacher(s) and/or director(s)
• a list of textbooks used and an overview of the curriculum, allowing the new teacher to determine your child's level of education
• results of tests, especially of your child's native language, mathematics and sciences
• your child's vaccination booklet and recent medical reports