UAE Equivalency Certificate 2026: Steps, Documents, Fees and the New AED 50 Rule

A UAE equivalency certificate is the official decision that your foreign qualification is accepted in the UAE. University degrees go to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR), which now calls it a recognition report. School certificates up to Grade 12, such as Class 12, a higher secondary certificate or A Levels, go to the Ministry of Education (MOE). The MOHESR service page lists AED 350 for partner verification and AED 50 for the recognition report.

Equivalency and attestation are two separate processes. Attestation proves your paper is genuine. Recognition says your qualification meets UAE standards. Some employers, licensing authorities and government entities ask for both, depending on the purpose. You can begin partner verification for a degree without finishing attestation first. Check your employer’s attestation requirements separately.

If you have	Start here
A bachelor’s, master’s or PhD from a university abroad	MOHESR qualification recognition
A Grade 12 school certificate from abroad	MOE school equivalency
A three year diploma taken after Grade 10	MOE school equivalency (diploma track)
A job offer that asks for attested certificates	The attestation chain, then your employer’s exact list
A regulated profession such as doctor, nurse or teacher	The relevant licensing authority as well

Latest Updates (October 2026)

• 12 September 2026: Cabinet Resolution No. 103 of 2026 came into force. It sets the recognition fee at AED 50 per application and repeals the 2025 fee table.
• UAE MOFA now offers digital attestation through some UAE embassies abroad, where one application covers both the embassy and UAE MOFA. The UAE Embassy in Islamabad is one example.
• August 2026: MOHESR said 41 UAE universities now benefit from automatic recognition, with 20,536 qualifications recognised. This applies to UAE graduates only.

What Is a UAE Equivalency Certificate (Qualification Recognition)?

It is the digital recognition report that MOHESR issues after your degree passes verification. You download it from a link sent to your email. The old name was equivalency, and HR teams and typing centres still use that word.

MOHESR sets two main conditions on its service page. The certificate must be original, authentic and issued by the awarding institution. The university must have been accredited by the relevant authority in the country of study during your period of study, and the degree must meet the ministry’s standards.

Employers can check a report through MOHESR’s free recognition verification service, using the document number and verification number printed on it. Keep those two numbers private.

UAE Equivalency: MOE vs MOHESR for Foreign Certificates

The ministry depends on the level of your certificate, not on the job you are applying for.

Your certificate	Common examples	Goes to	Official service
School up to Grade 12	Class 12 or higher secondary certificate, A Levels, IB Diploma, US high school diploma, French Baccalaureate	MOE	Equivalency Certificate, General Education from Abroad (Grade 12)
Three year diploma after Grade 10	Polytechnic or technical board diplomas	MOE	Same MOE service, diploma track
University degree	Bachelor’s, master’s, MBBS, PhD	MOHESR	Recognition of qualification from outside the UAE

A higher secondary certificate is a school qualification in the UAE. In some countries, Grades 11 and 12 are studied at a junior college or intermediate college, so people call it a college qualification. The UAE counts it as Grade 12, so it goes to MOE, not MOHESR.

Equivalency vs Attestation: What Your Company Is Really Asking For

When HR says “bring your equivalency”, ask which document they mean.

	Attestation	Recognition (equivalency)
What it proves	The document is genuine	The qualification meets UAE standards
Who does it	Education authority and foreign ministry of the issuing country, UAE embassy, UAE MOFA	MOHESR for degrees, MOE for school
Usually needed for	Work permits in MOHRE skill levels 1 to 5	Jobs, licences and studies that need a recognised qualification
UAE fee	AED 150 per personal document at UAE MOFA	AED 50 report plus AED 350 partner verification (degrees)

VFS Global says attestation is not required for degree verification, so the two can run at the same time. School equivalency is different. MOE asks for your Grade 12 certificate and transcript to be attested by UAE MOFA before you apply.

Is a UAE Equivalency Certificate Required for a Work Visa?

Not every UAE work visa needs one. MOHRE’s academic certificate rules depend on the skill level of the job. Under MOHRE Administrative Resolution No. 38 of 2022, skill levels 1 and 2 need a bachelor’s degree or higher, levels 3 and 4 need a diploma or higher, and level 5 needs a high school certificate. These certificates must be attested. Certificates issued inside the UAE are excluded.

Some jobs also need a professional licence, for example doctors, nurses, teachers, fitness trainers and lawyers. Your qualification also shapes the job title on your work permit and labour contract.

Recognition is a separate step. MOHESR lists government entities among its users for “verifying credentials to meet visa and residency requirements”, and private employers use it to check candidates. Confirm the exact documents with your employer, MOHRE or your licensing authority before you start.

The Attestation Chain for Certificates Issued Abroad

The UAE MOFA gives the order for documents issued outside the UAE.

1. The education authority in the country that issued the certificate verifies or attests it, where that country requires it.
2. The foreign ministry of the issuing country attests it.
3. The UAE embassy or consulate in that country attests it.
4. UAE MOFA gives the final attestation in the UAE, online or through its app, unless a digital route has already covered this step.

Digital Attestation Through UAE Embassies

UAE MOFA now runs digital attestation through some of its embassies abroad. One application covers both the embassy and UAE MOFA. The UAE Embassy in Islamabad describes how it works for documents issued there. Documents must still be attested by the issuing country’s foreign ministry first, and the original physical document is required.

1. Log in to the UAE MOFA website with UAE PASS and choose Attestation Service.
2. Select the country that issued your document.
3. Fill in the application and pay.
4. A MOFA approved provider collects your original documents.
5. You receive the digitally attested documents by email, certified by both the embassy and UAE MOFA.
6. Your originals come back by courier.

The embassy says most requests are completed within 2 to 3 business days. That covers this digital stage only, not the home country steps before it. Check the MOFA website to see whether this service is available for your country. If a request is rejected, the attestation fee is refunded but the service and delivery fee is not.

How to Get a Foreign Degree Recognised in the UAE

These steps follow the MOHESR service page.

Step 1: Check accreditation. Make sure your university and programme were accredited by the relevant authority in the country of study for your years of study. MOHESR makes the final decision under UAE rules.

Step 2: Start the service and pick a partner. Click Start Service on the MOHESR page, choose one of the ministry’s accredited verification partners, such as VFS Global, and sign in with UAE PASS.

Step 3: Submit and pay the partner fee. Upload your documents and pay for verification. MOHESR lists this stage at AED 350. The VFS FAQ still shows AED 645, so check the amount at checkout. The partner contacts your university, and some universities charge their own verification fee.

Step 4: Open the recognition application. After verification, use the link sent to your email. Enter your verification reference number and date of birth, and your details load automatically.

Step 5: Pay the recognition report fee. This is AED 50.

Step 6: Download your decision. You receive an email with the final decision and a link to your digital recognition report.

MOHESR shows 18 working days for this service. VFS separately says verification usually takes 18 days after all documents are in, and longer in some countries. Do not expect both stages to finish within a guaranteed 18 working days. If MOHESR asks for documents or data, provide them within 7 working days, or the request can be closed. All MOHESR service fees are non refundable.

Documents by Stage

Stage	Documents
MOHESR application	Graduation certificate (original or its equivalent) and a clear copy of your passport photo page
Partner verification	Transcripts and any other records the partner asks for
Only if it applies	Legal translation if not in Arabic or English, proof of name change if your names differ, extra papers for research degrees

Secondary School Equivalency Through MOE

The MOE Grade 12 equivalency service costs AED 50. You log in with UAE PASS, upload your documents, pay, and receive the result by email.

• Attested Grade 12 certificate, plus the attested certificates for the previous year and the year before it
• Passport copy
• Job offer letter if you apply for work, or a university admission letter if you apply for study
• Attested legal translation for certificates not in Arabic or English

The Grade 12 certificate and transcript must also be attested by UAE MOFA. Extra documents depend on your curriculum. These are some of the requirements MOE lists:

Curriculum	What MOE asks for
Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi	Grade 10 and Grade 12 board certificates with transcripts, attested by the board. Or a three year diploma with transcripts, plus the Grade 10 certificate and transcript.
American	Graduation diploma and Grade 10, 11 and 12 transcripts, plus English (IELTS Academic 5.0, TOEFL iBT 61 or SAT 450) and SAT Math 450.
British	One A Level or two AS Level subjects at grade E or above, plus five GCSE or IGCSE subjects at grade E or 3 or above.
International Baccalaureate	IB Diploma with transcript, or six HL or SL subjects with at least 3 in each and 21 overall.
Canadian, Australian, French	The final diploma, with Grades 10, 11 and 12 passed under the accredited curriculum.

Upload PDF files of up to 5MB each. MOE closes a request after 7 days if documents are missing. A complete file that needs no correspondence or committee review takes 3 to 5 working days. Cases that need both can take up to 30 working days. Certificates from distance learning, Open School or GED are not equated. The UAE Government portal adds that you must be a UAE resident, and that you can also apply at MOE offices in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

UAE Equivalency Certificate Fees in 2026

Item	Fee	Paid to
Degree: partner verification	AED 350 on the MOHESR page (VFS FAQ shows AED 645)	Verification partner
Degree: university verification	Set by your university, if any	Your university
Degree: recognition report	AED 50	MOHESR
School (Grade 12) equivalency	AED 50	MOE
Legal translation	Only if not in Arabic or English	Legal translator
UAE MOFA attestation	AED 150 per personal document	UAE MOFA

So a foreign degree costs AED 400 at MOHESR’s listed rates before any university, translation or courier charges. If your partner charges AED 645, the total is AED 695 before those charges. Attestation fees in the issuing country are set by that country’s authorities.

Many websites still show the 2025 fees. This is how the MOHESR recognition fee changed.

Degree level	Cabinet Resolution 81 of 2025	Since 12 September 2026
Bachelor’s or below	AED 100	AED 50
Master’s	AED 150	AED 50
Doctorate	AED 200	AED 50

What MOHESR Will Not Recognise

The MOHESR service page lists these cases:

• Not enough evidence to verify that the qualification is authentic
• An institution not recognised by MOHESR
• An institution not recognised by the accreditation authorities in the country of study
• A certificate that does not meet the recognition requirements and standards

Forged certificates lead to criminal cases in the UAE. Read our guide on fake degrees before you trust any shortcut offer.

If your degree is not recognised, you can use the free reconsideration service. Apply within three months of the decision, only once for each qualification. The ministry lists 20 working days for this review.

Common Mistakes That Delay UAE Equivalency

• Applying to MOHESR with a Grade 12 certificate. School certificates go to MOE.
• Applying to MOE without UAE MOFA attestation on the Grade 12 certificate and transcript.
• A name spelling mismatch. If your degree and passport differ, VFS needs a government document that confirms the change.
• Waiting for attestation before starting degree verification. Verification does not need it.
• Missing the 7 working day window when MOHESR asks for documents.
• Late cancellation. VFS accepts cancellation only within 24 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UAE equivalency certificate fee in 2026?

For a degree, MOHESR lists AED 350 for partner verification and AED 50 for the recognition report. School equivalency for Grade 12 costs AED 50 at MOE.

Is a higher secondary certificate equal to a degree in the UAE?

No. Class 12, a higher secondary certificate or A Levels count as Grade 12, a school qualification. Equivalency is done by MOE, not MOHESR.

Do I need attestation before MOHESR recognition?

Not for partner verification, according to VFS Global. MOE school equivalency does need UAE MOFA attestation, and your employer may ask for attested certificates for the work permit.

How long does UAE equivalency take?

MOHESR shows 18 working days for degree recognition, but verification can take longer in some countries. MOE takes 3 to 5 working days for a complete file and up to 30 working days in complex cases.

Is an equivalency certificate required for a UAE work visa?

Not always. MOHRE asks for attested certificates for skill levels 1 to 5, based on the job. Recognition is needed when your employer, a licensing body or a government entity asks for it.

What if MOHESR does not recognise my degree?

Apply for reconsideration within three months of the decision. The service is free and you can use it once for each qualification.

How can an employer check my recognition report?

Through the free MOHESR recognition verification service, using the document number and verification number printed on the report.

References

• MOHESR, Recognition of qualification from outside the UAE
• MOHESR, Reconsideration of recognition decision
• MOHESR, Verification of qualification recognition authenticity
• MOHESR, Automatic recognition for 41 UAE universities (August 2026)
• MOHESR, Updated recognition system (April 2025)
• UAE Legislation, Cabinet Resolution No. 103 of 2026
• MOE, Equivalency Certificate, General Education from Abroad (Grade 12)
• u.ae, Equalising high school certificates
• UAE MOFA, Attestation FAQs
• UAE Embassy Islamabad, Attestation information
• VFS Global, MOHESR verification FAQs