Steps to Earning Accreditation for Work Experience (VAE)

The following information, usually provided via email or phone, covers: 

• degrees issued by AgroParisTech accessible through accreditation for work experience (VAE); 

• the name of the degree sought (RNCP classification – Répertoire national des certifications professionnelles, French National Directory of Professional Certifications); 

• the VAE procedure. 

Based on this information, if the application is relevant and if requested by the applicant, Cerfa Form No. 12218*2 (application for VAE admissibility) and the relevant instruction sheet will be sent for the applicant to fill out. 

It is delivered by mail from the school’s VAE correspondent, based on: 

• a resume; 

• a cover letter; 

• Cerfa Form No. 12218*2; 

• any additionally requested documentation; 

• an admissibility interview between the applicant, the VAE correspondent, and in some cases, parties responsible for the course of study. 

The admissibility interview ensures that the applicant is choosing the right degree. The VAE correspondent may suggest a new orientation for the applicant. During the interview, the applicant will be given a detailed overview of the VAE procedure, along with the range of support options available to the applicant. 
For the application to be admissible, the applicant must have “at least one year of experience” in the functions covered by the targeted qualification. Admissibility fees are to be expected, depending on the degree sought. 

The applicant sends a letter to the relevant AgroParisTech school (see the list of correspondents) to launch the VAE procedure. If they wish, they may request support.  

In exchange, they will receive our guide for submitting a VAE application, with the RNCP information sheet of the degree sought. The VAE correspondent may establish a support agreement in some cases. 

The applicant files their VAE application with their VAE correspondent in as many copies as required, and pays registration fees for the targeted degree, as well as corresponding examination committee fees (see the pricing page). 

Composed of members chosen in relation to an applicant’s specialty, the jury includes a majority of professors and professionals who hold the degree being sought, whenever possible. The VAE committee will assess an applicant’s experience based on their VAE application and interview. To do so, it relies on an “experience reference grid” and can decide to grant: 

• full accreditation: the degree is granted; 

• partial accreditation: the committee must state which elements are considered to be fully acquired, along with aspects that are still needed and how to acquire them if the application will need additional review in the future; 

• no accreditation: the degree is not granted and the process ends. 

After deliberation, the chair of the committee announces its conclusions, which are stated in the deliberation report.

If requesting that an applicant complete additional training, the VAE committee must state the type of training and the manner in which it must be completed, along with any additional evaluation procedures. Furthermore, it can appoint a supervisor from the committee, who will monitor the applicant’s progress throughout the additional training, liaising with the committee chair and the VAE correspondent. 

Having followed the procedures set out by the first VAE committee, the applicant must send the committee all additional elements required for its consideration, and may need to stand before the VAE committee again.