Certificate attestation

Educational certificate attestation in Dubai, for school admission

Educational certificate attestation in Dubai usually comes up when a family moves here and a school asks for the child’s previous school records. A transfer certificate, a last report card or a school leaving certificate issued abroad has to be attested where it was issued, stamped at the UAE mission in that country, and finished at MOFA in the UAE. Dubai schools then use the attested papers to place the child in the right grade.

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This page is written for parents. It covers which school papers are usually asked for, how to get them attested before you move (the easy way) or after you arrive (the harder way), and what happens when a certificate from a Dubai school has to go abroad. For university degrees, see degree attestation in Dubai.

Side by side

Which school papers are usually asked for

Child is joining	Papers schools commonly ask for	Attestation usually needed?
Early years or first grade	Birth certificate, previous nursery report if any	Birth certificate often yes; reports rarely
A middle grade	Transfer certificate or leaving certificate, last report card	Transfer certificate often yes
Upper secondary	Transfer certificate, recent report cards, exam results	Yes in many cases
University in the UAE	Secondary school certificate and results	Yes, and often Ministry of Education equivalency too

Every school will give you its own list. Ask for it in writing before you leave your home country, and attest only what is on it.

Step by step

The easy way: attest before you move

While you are still at home, the school and the education authority are within reach. The order is:

Rolled certificate tied with a pink ribbon on a plain background

01

Ask the current school for a transfer certificate and final report on letterhead, signed and stamped.

02

Take them through your country’s education authority, if it has one, and the foreign ministry.

03

Take them to the UAE mission that serves your city.

04

Bring the originals to Dubai. We take them through MOFA.

Our country pages list the home country offices, for example Indian certificate attestation in the UAE and Pakistan documents attestation in the UAE.

The harder way: you are already in Dubai

If the school asks after you arrive, the papers must go back to your home country. A relative or representative there can take them through the offices with your authority letter, which we prepare. Some schools allow a child to start with a provisional place while attestation is completed.

Report cards and transfer certificates: small details that matter

Letterhead, signature and stamp.

An unsigned printout from an online portal is often refused.

Name spelling.

It should match the child’s passport. If it does not, ask the old school to correct it before attestation.

Grade and dates.

The transfer certificate should show the last grade completed and the date the child left.

Language.

Arabic and English are fine. Any other language needs a certified translation.

Dubai school certificates going abroad

When a family leaves the UAE, the new school abroad may ask for the Dubai school’s transfer certificate or results to be attested. The usual route is the relevant UAE education authority, then MOFA, then the destination country’s mission in the UAE if it asks. Our page on legalising UAE documents for use abroad covers the later steps.

Diplomas and older students

People also search for “mofa attestation diploma” for a vocational diploma or a secondary school diploma used for work. These follow the same chain. If the diploma will be used for a UAE university place, Ministry of Education equivalency may follow. See the MOE equivalency certificate in the UAE.

The birth certificate

Most schools also ask for the child’s birth certificate, and for a residence visa you will need it attested anyway. Doing both in one pass saves a trip. See birth certificate attestation in Dubai.

How we help families

We read the school’s list and your child’s papers and tell you what needs attesting.
We give you the order of offices for your country.
We prepare the authority letter if a relative handles the home country steps.
We take the papers through MOFA and deliver them to you or to the school.
We handle the translation where a paper is not in Arabic or English.

Prices

Service	Our service price	Government fees, paid on top at cost
MOFA attestation, personal document (each certificate)	From AED 150	MOFA AED 150
Transcripts and mark sheets copy, notary certified	From AED 400	Confirmed at booking
Legal translation	From AED 50 per page	AED 50 per page if notarised with the instrument
Courier pickup and delivery	From AED 80	None

Tell us which school asked

Send photos of your child’s papers and the school’s list.

Phone and WhatsApp: +971 52 947 5935
Email: info@dubainotaryservices.com

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Does every Dubai school ask for attested school records?

No, it depends on the school and the grade. Ask the school for its written list, and check it against KHDA’s rules.

Can educational certificate attestation in Dubai be done without sending papers home?

Only the MOFA step. The home country and UAE embassy steps happen in the country that issued the papers.

Is KHDA attestation the same as MOFA attestation?

No. MOFA attests documents. KHDA regulates private schools in Dubai and sets what schools must collect.

My child’s report card is in French. What do we do?

Arrange a legally certified translation into Arabic or English. Ask the school which it prefers.

Send your document and know every step before you pay

Share a photo of both sides on WhatsApp and tell us where it will be used. We reply with the stamps it needs, the order they go in and the price for each one.