From a foreign diploma to the BIG register
Five stages, three brands, one route. This page names every one of them — diploma recognition, medical Dutch, the BI-toets, BIG registration and your first placement — so you know exactly where you are and what comes next.
Diploma recognition
The CBGV assesses whether your foreign medical training is equivalent to the Dutch degree. Sworn translations, transcripts and a clean dossier decide how long this takes.
Medical Dutch, B1 to B2+
The AKV-toets is gone — language is now the gatekeeper from the start. You need Dutch at B2+ for medical communication, built for the ward rather than a phrasebook.
BI-toets preparation
The professional-knowledge exam for dentists and general practitioners. BigMentor's question bank and adaptive exam simulation track exactly what you keep getting wrong.
BIG registration
With diploma, language and BI-toets behind you, the CIBG enters you in the BIG register — the Dutch state register without which you may not practise independently.
Placement with an employer
Your dossier is matched with hospitals and practices looking for exactly your specialty — the last stage of the route, and the reason for all the others.
Start your free dossier →What does this cost?
Paid services live on mentoramedic.eu — the same non-EU/EEA route audited above, priced in full. Every fee below includes 21% Dutch VAT for consumers.
Full credential review, comparison against Dutch standards, and a formal roadmap for your specific diploma. 3–5 business days. Fully credited against the packages below if you continue within 30 days.
End-to-end handling of diploma recognition, medical Dutch tracking, exam preparation platform access (BigMentor), and full CIBG/RGS filing. Billed in milestones, not upfront. Eligible for employer sponsorship.
Add-on to the trajectory above: IND coordination via a recognised sponsor, highly-skilled-migrant guidance, BSN registration and 30%-ruling readiness.
Questions doctors actually ask
What is the BI-toets and who needs it?
The BI-toets (beroepsinhoudelijke toets) is the Dutch professional-knowledge exam required for doctors, dentists and nurses whose diploma comes from outside the EU/EEA. Holders of an EU/EEA diploma do not sit it.
How long does the route to BIG registration take?
For a non-EU/EEA diploma, most candidates need around 18 months from a completed dossier to BIG registration.
Can I work while I wait for BIG registration?
Yes — many candidates work as a physician assistant or medical assistant while completing the language and exam requirements.
I have an EU/EEA diploma — is this route for me?
No. Go to mentoramedic.eu for the simplified EU/EEA recognition route instead.