Doctorate Certificate from EIU-PARIS is illegal and worthless junk

[Balchunas]

I was recently approached by European International University EIU-Paris offering a Doctorate degree for €2,200, with completion promised within 14 days in any field. As I have not yet completed my Master’s degree, this offer immediately raised serious concerns regarding academic credibility.

Independent verification revealed that degrees are awarded with no academic requirements, often based solely on a CV and internally structured by their own team.
Further research shows the institution is not registered as a public or state-recognized university and not even as a Private University.

Instead, EIU-Paris operates as a private limited company in France (e.g., SAS/SASU) using the word “University” in its English trade name.
Registered only as a "Distance Learning Centre"
As a private company, it provides unregulated distance-learning tuition without accreditation from French higher-education authorities or recognized academic licensing bodies.
The degrees issued are not government-accredited, are not aligned with national qualification frameworks, and do not hold formal equivalence to regulated university degrees.

The use of terms such as “Private University” appears to be misleading, as this does not indicate licensed or accredited university status.
In practice, the entity functions as a private tuition provider rather than a licensed degree-awarding institution.

This operational model appears designed to avoid academic regulation while issuing autonomous certificates with no formal academic recognition.
Consequently, the degrees are not recognised or accepted by accredited institutions or official qualification frameworks anywhere in the world.

I share this with deep concern, as students and professionals may be misled into investing time and money in qualifications that lack recognised academic standing.
Strong caution is advised when engaging with institutions that are not accredited, including entities that use the term “University” in their company name without recognition from official higher-education authorities as a Univerisity. 

The Minisitry of Education in France only recognizes EIU-Paris as a "Distance Learning Provider" which costs €500 to open such companies and not a University- and this company is duping, misleading students with the term "University" in its name - its the biggest scam i came across. 

[bjcheung77]

Just wondering, which doctorate are you referring to? Is it the professional doctorate for $2200 Euro? I remember back in the day, they were offering a hefty discount. The price was 20K Euro and they provided a scholarship to lessen it to $5K Euro. It seems they're not getting much business and dropping this further down to $2200. Just Wow... Here's the main thread, I see you posted there as well: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...University

[Sagan]

These things come in cycles. Every 20 years or so there is a serious crackdown on them. We're probably overdue.

[armado]

What expectations could anyone possibly have for a school whose founder talks like a fish seller at a wet market?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GP_oOPTe6cY

[Balchunas]

What expectations could anyone possibly have for a school whose founder talks like a fish seller at a wet market?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GP_oOPTe6cY

yes upon researching more i found all his degrees are also fake and are from diploma mills, thus the same tradition is following via his own university for others too and he keeps conferring worthless certificate awards to others  https://www.andrew-drummond.news/psst-wa...-yourself/

[cacoleman1983]

EIU-Paris was one of the most talked about schools on here for a while during the pandemic. They found several universities to partner with for dual awards and better recognition from foreign credential evaluators. Those partnerships were as dubious as the institution itself. Validential use to give a regionally accredited equivalency to their school and they claimed to have had a partner school that would provide a WES equivalency to recognized/accredited institution.

[PearsonOTHMQualifi7654]

It seems like they've clearly bothered you, and you have shared this with deep concern for others. 
I am also deeply concerned about the accuracy of information. As much as I can understand a person may not choose a school like EIU, I think we need to stay factual instead of being accusatory alone. 

The following is in the spirit of fairness and accurate info from a factual standpoint:

TL: DR 

Despite the degree not being state-sponsored, International Education Evaluations (IEE), a NACES member, evaluated the EIU-Paris BBA as equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree, and that qualifies for entry into master's level programs. Additionally, noting in the evaluation report that although it has ASIC UK accreditation, the school is not state-sponsored in France, and that the acceptance by institutions or employers is discretionary. I did not receive equivalency to a "Regionally accredited university." However, when a student has completed the ACBSP accredited programs via EIU's Dubai Campus, IEE is known to provide equivalency to a US Regionally accredited degree. 

NACES Member (IEE) Evaluation: 

1. EIU-Paris degrees are US Equivalent, ASIC UK-accredited but not French state-sponsored. Acceptance is at the discretion of the employer or university. (Attached screenshot of report) 

2. EIU Dubai degrees (DBA, MBA, BBA) are US Equivalent from a Regionally Accredited institution.

Full stop. 

The rest is additional info:

They (EIU-Paris) award institutional degrees, which are called DE (diplôme d’établissement) in France. 
Institutional degrees in France are also known as DU (diplôme universitaire), or DIU (diplômes Inter-Universitaires), which are essentially private degrees issued by a university (Like a Titulo Propio in Spain) or by multiple universities (DIU).

A diplôme d’établissement from France is functionally comparable to a Título Propio from Spain: a lawful institutional degree issued outside the national qualifications framework, commonly used for professional, executive, and international academic progression.

Calling such degrees “illegal” may be inaccurate, but I think the shock you experienced was that they offered a path to a degree without coursework!  
 
How is that even possible to earn a degree without coursework? 

VAE (Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience) is a formal French recognition system that allows a student to earn all or part of an academic degree based on documented professional experience and prior learning, rather than completing the entire program through coursework alone. VAE is recognized by all countries that are parties to the Lisbon Convention. It is grounded in French law aimed at working professionals, and is widely used across higher education in France.

The Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC) was adopted in 1997 by the Council of Europe and UNESCO. LRC is the primary international treaty governing the recognition of higher education qualifications across Europe, North America, and beyond. It mandates that foreign degrees be recognized unless "substantial differences" can be proven, facilitating academic mobility and reducing beuaucracy for students.

Functionally, VAE is the French equivalent of RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning). RPL is used in the UK, Australia, and other Commonwealth systems. In both cases, candidates must demonstrate that their prior education, professional experience, and competencies meet the learning outcomes of the target qualification.

This is done through a structured portfolio, evidence submission, and academic evaluation. The biggest difference is that entire degrees are not awarded through RPL.

Through VAE, however, an entire degree can be earned as a recognition of prior learning and experience. Importantly, VAE is not an honorary degree and is not automatic. It requires rigorous documentation, mapping of experience to academic standards, and institutional approval. When awarded, the credits given must be properly documented, and the rationale and basis for the award of credit must be based on a student's portfolio and explained in case of an audit.

The resulting credential is the same degree as one earned through traditional coursework, with no distinction noted on the diploma (per French Law, the VAE degrees are not distinguished from regular degrees).

In summary:

• RPL is the UK system (but not for entire degrees, just part credit)
  
• VAE is the French mechanism (can be applied to entire degrees and if successful, one does not have to take any coursework) 
  
• Both recognize validated prior learning and experience
  
• Both are legally established, academically governed pathways 
  

Neither bypasses standards; they assess them differently. 

The legality of the institution and degrees per French Law: 

EIU–Paris appears to be a lawful private education institution of distance learning authorized under the French Ministry of National Education (Code de l’Éducation, Chapitre IV) to confer diplômes d’établissement, and is officially listed under UAI Code 0756213W with the Ministère de l’Éducation nationale et de la Jeunesse. 

https://www.education.gouv.fr/acce_public/index.php

One can search by entering 0756213W

This ministry oversees national education and youth policy, including parts of higher education governance. It indicates that the institution is lawfully recognized/registered. 

• The Ministry of National Education and Youth is also called Minstry of National Education and oversees the country's public education system and supervises agreements and authorizations for private teaching organizations.  
  
• We can be certain that EIU-Paris is not a state-sponsored university. It appears to be a private distance education institution, registered lawfully in France.
  
• Public universities, on the other hand, are listed on the Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche. EIU-Paris is not listed there.
  

While its degrees are not French state-accredited (i.e., not diplômes nationaux or RNCP-registered), they are legally issued under French law as institutional awards.
EIU-Paris is pretty up front about all of this on their website, and full disclosure is on the enrollment agreement.
 
ASIC UK and ACBSP Accreditation 

EIU–Paris holds institutional accreditation from ASIC (UK) and programmatic accreditation for its EIU-Dubai Campus programs: DBA, MBA, and BBA, from ACBSP (CHEA-recognized, U.S.), and is a member of BGA (UK), ATHEA (Europe), and ECBE (Belgium), with programs aligned to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and UNESCO recognition conventions.

The institution operates as a distance-learning institution, which is lawful under French regulations and does not affect the legality of its awards.
Memberships in BGA, ATHEA, and ECBE are not accreditations, and ASIC UK is considered a "light accreditor"; however, all these are steps in a positive direction, I would say.
 
My own experience with EIU-Paris and the IEE Evaluation result:

• I completed a BBA from EIU–Paris (issued as a diplôme d’établissement). 
  
• I did it as a top up (Final year) to my Level 4 & 5 qualifications (UK Years 1, and 2, of 3 for a BSc). 
  
• I completed 8 courses and a capstone project. 
  
• I did not pay for VAE for the entire degree program, as it would have cost more than double the advertised cost of the BBA Top Up (Instead of 2000 EUR, It would have cost 5500 EURs to go the full VAE route).
  

Despite the degree not being state-sponsored, International Education Evaluations (IEE) evaluated it as equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree, that it qualifies for entry into master's level programs. Additionally, noting in the evaluation report that although it has ASIC UK accreditation, the school is not state-sponsored in France, and that the acceptance by institutions or employers is discretionary. I did not receive equivalency to a "Regionally accredited university." however when a student has completed the ACBSP accredited programs via EIU's Dubai Campus, IEE is known to provide equivalency to a US Regionally accredited degree. 

Cost of Tuition?

Where did you get 2200 EUR? I didn't see that on the website.

As I understand, EIU-Paris charges a LOT more than 2200 EURs when going the VAE route, try more like 10,000 EUR for the Professional Doctorate. If doing a Practitioner's Doctorate, yes, it can cost 5000 EUR, but if you want the VAE option, it will cost more than what's listed on the website.

The prices are for standard completion, not VAE. EIU Paris does not advertise the price via VAE unless it's the Professional Doctorate, and the tuition is clearly stated to be at 10,000 EUR.

[bjcheung77]

Hmm, just wondering, was your BBA the one with the ACBSP programmatic/secondary accreditation? It's unclear by reading the IEE evaluation. If you did, you've got an extra layer of accreditation or recognition because of the ACBSP, thus, it should be NA/RA equivalent plus ACBSP.

[PearsonOTHMQualifi7654]

Hmm, just wondering, was your BBA the one with the ACBSP programmatic/secondary accreditation?  It's unclear by reading the IEE evaluation.  If you did, you've got an extra layer of accreditation or recognition because of the ACBSP, thus, it should be NA/RA equivalent plus ACBSP.

I did the regular BBA without ACBSP accreditation. 
The EIU-Dubai (ACBSP Accredited) programs do not have top-up/VAE options, and no transfer credits are allowed.
EIU-Dubai Campus DBA/MBA/BBA offerings are programmatically accredited by ACBSP. 
EIU-Dubai programs are on a different learning management platform (Delivered via TalentLMS) than the regular EIU-Paris programs. 
As I understand, IEE gives RA Equivalency for EIU-Dubai Campus programs.

Because I did the regular EIU-Paris BBA, which only has ASIC UK Accreditation, the IEE Report says:

US Equivalency: 
Bachelor of Business Administration Degree, Finance
Institution status: Accredited by the Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC)*
Additional notes: Completion of this program grants access to graduate-level studies.
European International University is an Accreditation Service for 
International Colleges (ASIC) premier institution. ASIC is listed as an
international accreditation agency by the Council for Higher Education
Accreditation (CHEA). However, this institution is not recognized or overseen
by the government agency tasked with ensuring quality and regulating
education in France. US colleges, universities, licensing boards and
employers may exercise their own judgment regarding accepting this
qualification

[SteveFoerster]

Perhaps they believe that EIU-Dubai has approval in UAE, which is the usual standard?