VAE enables all adults (employees, the self-employed, volunteers, certain jobseekers, ....) to access training offered by a higher education institution. They can benefit from special arrangements (exemptions, specific programmes) as long as they can prove that they have acquired experience and skills relevant to the chosen course.

The VAE can be combined with a request for exemptions and/or a request for a reduction in the duration of studies and/or a transfer following the successful completion of studies or parts of studies. In these cases, the application must be submitted together with the VAE file, of which it will form an integral part.

When applying for VAE, the candidate must submit a file corresponding to the type of VAE desired to the university of his/her choice:

• VAE exemption to obtain exemptions in a year of study

• VAE admission to be admitted during the course.

Applications must be submitted by 1 September at the latest, unless an exemption is granted by the university authorities.

Further information can be obtained from ECAM's VAE advisor: Marie-Francoise LEFEBVRE lfv@ecam.be.