Organizational Matters Equivalency Certificate

Certificate of equivalence for licentiate / diploma and master's

The Swiss University Conference (SUK) has confirmed the equivalence of the former first university qualification (licentiate / diploma) and the new master's titles. A licentiate and a diploma are equivalent to a master's degree. Holders of a licentiate or diploma are thus within their rights to call themselves «master" instead of using their previous title. The licentiate or diploma title and the master's title can only be used as alternatives and not in addition to each other. You are not permitted to use both titles in the same document. If you have a licentiate or diploma, you can use the title of master without having a certificate of equivalence. You are not allowed to define the branch of study more precisely in the title as the content of the former study programs is often different from the new master's degree programs.

  • Holders of the title «Bernese Attorney-at-Law» ("Bernischer Fürsprecher“) can now use the title «Master of Law (M Law)».
  • Title only possible as «Master of Theology (M Th) / of Law (M Law) / of Arts (M A) / of Science (M Sc)».
Holders of the "Eidgenössisches Turn- und Sportlehrerdiplom II" (Swiss Gymnastics and Sports Teacher Diploma II) should please contact the Swiss Sports Commission.
Holders of other teaching certificates should contact the General Secretariat of the EDK (Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education) for full Swiss recognition.