Validation of prior learning (VAE)
Verified 30 April 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
You wish that your experience (professional or not) either recognized in particular by a professional title or a diploma ? The Validation of Experience (VAE) may interest you. This recognition can allow you to reconvert, to make evolve your career or to obtain a best income. If you are an employee, you can ask your employer for 48 hours of leave. We explain the regulations you need to know.
The rules differ depending on which certification you are aiming for is or is not available on the Official VAE Public Service Portal called France VAE.
Warning
France VAE is not not again open for the public officials. They should contact their usual HR contacts.
Certification available
The VAE is a way to have your professional or extra-professional experience recognized (examples: volunteering, union responsibilities, electoral mandate).
This recognition requires obtaining a:
- Diploma
- Or professional title
- Or professional qualification certificate (CQP).
This professional or extra-professional experience must be directly related to the certification sought.
Example :
The working wife of a craftsman, responsible for accounting, can obtain through the VAE a professional title of accounting secretary.
Anyone can have their experiences recognized by a professional certification.
Indeed, you can engage in an e-bike approach whatever:
- Your status (examples: private sector employee, jobseeker, volunteer, caregiver)
- Your age
- Your nationality
- Your level of training.
1Apply on the website of France VAE
The 1era step consists in create a candidate account and to submit your application.
One search engine allows to find the desired degree and to launch the application procedure immediately.
Public service for the validation of acquired experience (called France VAE)
2Make an appointment with your support organization
If you wish to be accompanied, the support organization puts you in contact with an architect-guide who guides you throughout your VAE.
3Get in touch with an architect-tour guide (AAP)
You are then put in touch with a architect-tour guide within the chosen organization. This architect-guide is responsible for guiding you through the essential steps of his VAE journey.
THEarchitect-tour guide send a document summarizing your experience and your project to the certifier managing the diploma in question. This document is called feasibility file.
4Receive the notice of admissibility or inadmissibility
The certifier then examines the file and issues a notice of admissibility or inadmissibility. This notice determines whether or not you can continue your eBike journey.
FYI
Since 1er January 2024, it is no longer necessary to demonstrate at least 1 year of experience in relation to the certification in question.
5Write a validation file
If you can continue your VAE journey, you create a validation file for the jury.
Thus, you describe the skills and knowledge mobilized during your experiences (work, training, volunteering).
During this drafting work, the architect-guide helps you organize this file. He will then transmit it to the certifier, in charge of organizing the jury.
6Interview with the jury
It is the certifier who sets the modalities and the date of presentation before the jury.
This presentation comes before the end of the 3th months after the submission of the validation file.
After this presentation, the jury decides whether or not to award the diploma to the candidate.
The final decision shall be transmitted by the certifier within 15 days who follow.
FYI
The jury can also decide to partially grant you the diploma. This is the case when the jury invites you to follow its recommendations (examples: find additional training, gain more experience).
You can mobilize your Personal Training Account (PTA) and the abundances several actors (examples: your employer, theOpco, the regional council, France works in case you are a jobseeker).
Please note
Since May 2, 2024, you must participate in the financing up to €150.00 . If you benefit from a abundance from your employer, you're not involved by that obligation.
The employer may also cover the costs of the VAE as part of the skills development plan.
If you undertake an e-bike initiative at your initiative by all or part of your working time, you can apply for leave.
When to apply for VAE leave?
You send your employer a request for leave of absence (leave) no later than 30 days before the start of the VAE actions.
What should be specified in the request for VAE leave?
The request for VAE leave shall specify:
- The professional certification sought
- The dates, nature and duration of the actions allowing you to validate the achievements of your experience
- The name of the certifying department or body.
You attach any document attesting to the admissibility of his application.
Within what period of time must the employer respond to the request for VAE leave?
The employer has 15 calendar days upon receipt of your request to respond in writing.
What response can the employer provide to the VAE leave request?
They can either accept your leave request or postpone it for service reasons (overwork).
This postponement may not exceed one month from the date of the request.
Please note
Failure to respond within 15 days calendars worth agreement.
How long is the VAE leave?
Since 1er january 2024, this leave is for a period of 48 hours per evaluation session.
Please note
This period may be extended by convention or collective agreement.
What remuneration during the VAE leave?
Your pay is maintained for the duration of the leave.
What obligation at the end of the VAE leave?
You must present, at the request of your employer, any proof provided by the certifier attesting to your participation in the VAE shares.
You can find an advisor near you by contacting:
- A Point Relais Conseil
- An association for professional transition
- A professional development advisor.
Not available
The VAE is a way to have your professional or extra-professional experience recognized (examples: volunteering, union responsibilities, electoral mandate).
This recognition requires obtaining a:
- Diploma
- Or professional title
- Or professional qualification certificate (CQP).
This professional or extra-professional experience must be directly related to the certification sought.
Example :
The working wife of a craftsman, responsible for accounting, can obtain through the VAE a professional title of accounting secretary.
Anyone can have their experiences recognized by a professional certification.
Indeed, you can engage in an e-bike approach whatever:
- Your status (examples: private sector employee, jobseeker, volunteer, caregiver)
- Your age
- Your nationality
- Your level of training.
You can request:
- Your Personal Training Account (CPF). You must participate in the financing up to €150.00. If you benefit from a abundance of your employer, you are not affected by this obligation.
- Your employer under the skills development plan or conversion period.
If you undertake an e-bike initiative at your initiative by all or part of your working time, you can apply for leave.
When to apply for VAE leave?
You send your employer a request for leave of absence (leave) no later than 30 days before the start of the VAE actions.
What should be specified in the request for VAE leave?
The request for VAE leave shall specify:
- The professional certification sought
- The dates, nature and duration of the actions allowing you to validate the achievements of your experience
- The name of the certifying department or body.
You attach any document attesting to the admissibility of his application.
Within what period of time must the employer respond to the request for VAE leave?
The employer has 15 calendar days upon receipt of your request to respond in writing.
What response can the employer provide to the VAE leave request?
They can either accept your leave request or postpone it for service reasons (overwork).
This postponement may not exceed one month from the date of the request.
Please note
Failure to respond within 15 days calendars worth agreement.
How long is the VAE leave?
Since 1er january 2024, this leave is for a period of 48 hours per evaluation session.
Please note
This period may be extended by convention or collective agreement.
What remuneration during the VAE leave?
Your pay is maintained for the duration of the leave.
What obligation at the end of the VAE leave?
You must present, at the request of your employer, any proof provided by the certifier attesting to your participation in the VAE shares.
Ministry of Labor
Ministry of Labor
Ministry of Labor