He has been publicly recognized by his peers. By the way, many 'experts' have learned without formal education. Genius doesn't require formality, as history can attest.
Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Ulm, Germany, but he grew up and obtained his early education in Munich, Germany. He was a poor student, and some of his teachers thought he might be retarded (mentally handicapped); he was unable to speak fluently (with ease and grace) at age nine. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.notablebiographies.com/amp/Du-Fi/Einstein-Albert.html