Documents Needed to Apply for Certificate Equivalency in the UAE (2023)
Obtaining an equivalency certificate is essential to get your overseas qualifications recognized in the UAE. This process verifies that your institution and degree are accredited and endorsed by the UAE Ministry of Education. Failing to apply for certificate equivalency will prevent you from continuing higher education or finding employment in the UAE.
If you have completed your studies outside of the UAE, you must provide the following documents:
For Intermediate Diplomas and Bachelor’s Degrees:
- Attested copy of your qualification certificate
- Official transcript
- Embassy letter verifying authenticity of your qualification
- Arabic translation of your certificate if it is not in English or Arabic
- Attested copy of your high school certificate
- Proof of attendance from your overseas institution (passport stamps, residence visa)
For Postgraduate Degrees:
- Attested copies of your bachelor’s AND master’s degree certificates
- Official transcripts
- Embassy letters verifying authenticity
- Arabic translations if needed
- Proof of attendance
Important Note: The UAE no longer accepts from Genuinity Letter from consulates. You must get your verification directly from the dataflow or Quadrabay
Once you have collected all the required documents, get them attested by the UAE Embassy before applying to the Ministry of Education. Proper attestation is crucial for securing equivalency.
For more guidance on studying in the UAE as an international student, read our articles on the top universities in Dubai and a guide to student life in the UAE.
Navigating University Accreditation and Equivalency in the UAE
- University recognition refers to whether a university or college is officially accredited and licensed to operate in the UAE.
- All institutions must be recognized and approved by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) in order to issue degrees and qualifications in the UAE.
- The CAA maintains a list of recognized universities on its website. Students should verify an institution is recognized before applying or enrolling.
- For a university to be recognized, it must meet criteria set by the CAA such as facilities, faculty, curriculum, governance, etc.
- Foreign branch campuses also need to be specifically licensed. Just being recognized in the home country is not enough.
- University recognition is different from program accreditation. Individual degree programs also need proper accreditation from the CAA.
- Graduating from an unrecognized university can prevent your degree from being considered valid for employment or further education.
- There are penalties and fines for operating as an unrecognized institution or using fake degrees in the UAE.
the equivalency certification process in the UAE previously went through an organization called Equivalency and Attestation of Certificates Department (EACD) which was under the Ministry of Education.
However, in 2017 it was renamed to the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA).
So in summary:
- Old name: Equivalency and Attestation of Certificates Department (EACD)
- New name: Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA)
The CAA is now the government authority responsible for evaluating foreign qualifications and granting equivalency certifications for degrees obtained outside the UAE.
To reflect this in an updated blog post, references to “EACD” should be changed to “CAA” when talking about the equivalency certification process. For example:
Once you have attested documents, you can apply to the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) for your equivalency certificate.
“The CAA will evaluate your foreign qualifications and determine if equivalency can be granted.”
In summary, university recognition by the CAA is essential and students should always verify an institution’s licensed status before applying or enrolling to avoid issues. The recognition process ensures proper standards are met.
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