UAE Qualification Equivalency and Recognition 

Qualification attestation and equivalency

Applicants may be required to complete UAE Government attestation and/or equivalency for their prior qualifications.

In the UAE, the Ministry of Education (MoE) recognises school qualifications and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) recognises previous higher education qualifications.

Which qualifications require recognition?

• High school (secondary) certificates: required for admission to undergraduate programs.
• Bachelor’s degrees: required for admission to postgraduate taught programs.
• Master’s degrees: required for admission to Higher Degree by Research programs.

What are attestation and equivalency?

Attestation: Certificate attestation is the official authentication process of verifying your previous academic qualifications. This ensures your documents are genuine and issued by a recognised institution that can be accepted as valid documents in the UAE.

Equivalency: Equivalency is formal recognition that your previous foreign academic qualifications are equivalent to the educational standards and qualifications of the UAE. It is essential for your degree to be officially recognised and for future employment in the region.

These steps help ensure your previous qualifications are formally recognised in the UAE. Requirements may differ depending on whether your prior study was completed inside or outside the UAE.

When should I complete this?

You should begin the attestation and equivalency process as early as possible, once you receive your final certificates and transcripts from your highest awarding institution.

Students are typically granted one study period to obtain equivalency. However, it is strongly recommended that this is completed before enrolment to avoid any disruption to your studies. The University reserves the right to withdraw enrolment if these requirements are not met, and it remains the student’s responsibility to ensure ongoing compliance.