Education · For candidates
Describe your qualification as it was awarded.
A name alone tells an employer very little. Say what was awarded, where, under which system, and keep the proof close.
The qualification, record by record
Six things that make a qualification readable
The example is a fictional record to show the shape. Fill yours in with what is on your certificate.
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Credential, as awarded
Diploma Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs (HAVO)
The exact title on the certificate. Do not translate it into another system's name.
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Awarded by
A school or university
Name the institution. Recognition and accreditation belong to it, not to the country.
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System and country
Aruba, secondary education (HAVO)
Where you studied and the system the diploma belongs to can be different.
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Field and year
Economics profile, 2024
What you specialised in and when you finished.
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Comparison, only if verified
Compared by Nuffic with HAVO, dated
Say who compared it, when, and for what purpose. If nobody has, leave it blank.
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Evidence you can show
Certificate and transcript
What a reader can ask to see.
What to do
Keep the original title
Write the credential exactly as awarded. Add a comparison next to it, never in its place.
Check the institution
Recognition and accreditation belong to the institution and programme, not to the country. Nuffic says a US high school should be regionally accredited or recognised by its state, and that a US college should be accredited. An American-curriculum school outside the US is often, but not always, regionally accredited; it may instead be accredited by CIS or NCPSA, which Nuffic says are accepted in the US and usually in the Netherlands.
Use a comparison only when one exists
Nuffic publishes general comparisons: for example a US bachelor's degree is generally compared with an HBO or WO bachelor's degree, and a US high school diploma is usually compared with HAVO but can range from VMBO-T to VWO. A transfer associate's degree needs an individual evaluation.
An American diploma earned in Aruba is still an American-system credential
Do not assume it equals HAVO or VWO. Nuffic says that for an American-curriculum diploma earned abroad, careful attention to accreditation is particularly important. Show the curriculum, the transcript and which accreditor covers the school, and ask the receiving programme or employer what they need.
Nuffic read 17 October 2026 (opens another site) Nuffic read 17 October 2026 (opens another site)
Put it where it will be read
On your profile and CV: title, institution, country and system, field, year. Add the evidence you can show.
How it can read on a CV
The first line is a real diploma name with a Nuffic comparison. Use your own facts.
Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Aruba, 2023. Nuffic compares this degree with an HBO bachelor's degree.
Original title first; comparison named, sourced and dated.
Bachelor of [title], [university], [country], [year]. Comparison: not yet requested.
Honest when no comparison exists. An employer can ask for one.
Sources and how they were read
- Nuffic · US institutions and accreditation Read in full. Compared 17 October 2026. Official source · Verified · next check due 15 April 2027
- Nuffic · US diplomas compared with Dutch ones Read in full. Compared 17 October 2026. Official source · Verified · next check due 15 April 2027
Planning guidance only. The authority or institution named on each step decides; requirements, fees and deadlines change.
Disclaimer: This content is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice.