Recognition of the Foreign Diploma of Physiotherapist in France
EU, EEA or Swiss diploma
Holders of a physiotherapist title, issued by a Member State of the European Union or another State part of the Agreement on the European Economic Area, or Switzerland, may benefit from an automatic recognition of their diploma subject to a certificate of conformity.
This document, generally issued by the competent authority responsible for keeping the register of physiotherapists and issuing professional cards in the country of origin, must specify the level of training, in accordance with the directive 2005-36-CE of the European Parliament, Article 11.
The level certificate according to directive 2005-36-CE is sufficient; It is not necessary to obtain a professional card in the country of origin to begin the procedure for applying for a license to practice in France.
Reference Links
LégiFrance
Directive 2005-36-CE of the European Parliament
Official newspaper
Directive related to the State Diploma of Physiotherapist
Non-EU, EEA or Swiss diploma
When the title of physiotherapist is issued by an institute, a school, or a university located in a country outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland, which enjoys recognition in the one of the countries of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, the diploma must first be validated in one of these countries likely to recognize it, before having it recognized in France. In this case, we advise you to contact your Institute for more information on this subject.
In other cases, (Directive of September 2, 2015 related to the state diploma of physiotherapist, Art 27 to Art. 32) holders of the title or diploma of physiotherapist obtained outside the EU, the EEA or Switzerland may benefit from a partial exemption from education for obtaining the French Diploma of physiotherapist, subject to success in selection tests.
There are three selection tests :
- an eligibility test;
- two admission tests.
The total number of candidates admitted to a physiotherapy institute in a given year is added to the number of places determined by the capacity of this institute for the year in question, without being able to exceed 2% of this number. The president of the jury establishes a main list and a complementary list of candidates admitted in accordance of article 27. The latter must make it possible to fill vacancies resulting from possible withdrawals.
The director of the training institute in physiotherapy, upon proposal from the credit allocation committee and after advice from the pedagogical council, is empowered to exempt candidates who have passed the selection tests provided for in article 27 of part of the training. This decision is taken according to the level of initial training of a physiotherapist and the professional experience of the interested parties assessed on the basis of their registration file, as well as on the results obtained in the tests of selection.
The Recognition of the Foreign Diploma in Physiotherapy, in Summary
To summarize, here are the documents and conditions allowing the validation of the professional diploma in France :
- for EU, EEA and Swiss diplomas, a certificate of conformity of the diploma, at the qualification level of article 11 of directive 2005/36/CE.
- for the EU, EEA and Swiss diplomas of the countries which do not regulate the access to the requested profession or its exercise : All useful documents justifying that they have practiced in this State, full time for two years during the last ten years or part-time for a corresponding period during the same period.
- for non-EU, EEA and Swiss diplomas, but recognized in one of these countries, other than France : Recognition of the training qualification, established by the authorities of the concerned country. This recognition must allow the therapist to practice his profession there.
On the other hand, physiotherapists with a citizenship from countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland are eligible for the authorization to practice physiotherapy in France, if and only if they meet one of the following two criteria :- has the status of long-term resident in France;
- is married to an EU national.