Guide: Certificates
MOE equivalency certificate in UAE: notarised copies and what to prepare
An MOE equivalency certificate in UAE is the name many people use for an official decision on what a foreign qualification is equal to in the UAE system. For a university degree issued outside the UAE, that decision comes from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR). The Ministry of Education handles school certificates. Equivalency is not the same as attestation. Attestation shows the document is genuine; equivalency judges the qualification. You usually need the attestation first.
Before you apply, the paperwork around your certificate has to be in order. We have in-house, in person notary public services, online notary public services and home visit notary services. We certify true copies of your degree and transcripts, notarise the affidavits you may need, such as one linking two spellings of your name, and help you finish the attestation steps. The ministry decides every application; our part is getting the file ready.
Side by side
Attestation, notarisation and equivalency side by side
| Notarisation | Attestation | Equivalency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it answers | Does this copy match the original? Did this person sign? | Is this document genuine? | What is this qualification worth in the UAE? |
| Who does it | A notary public | Home country offices, the UAE embassy there, and MOFA | MoHESR for a degree, the Ministry of Education for a school certificate |
| What you get | A certified true copy, or a notarised affidavit or declaration | Stamps on the original | A separate equivalency decision |
| When | Whenever an office asks for a copy or a sworn statement | Before equivalency | After attestation |
Who usually asks for equivalency
- Government and semi-government employers, to grade a job.
- Some professional regulators.
- UAE universities, for students entering with a foreign school certificate or applying for postgraduate study with a foreign degree.
Many private sector jobs only need the attested degree. Ask the office for its requirement in writing before you pay for equivalency you may not need.
Checklist
The notary side of an equivalency file
These are the notary services people most often need around an MOE equivalency certificate in UAE:
- Certified true copies of your degree, transcripts and mark sheets, so the original stays with you. See certified true copy.
- A name affidavit, when your degree and passport spell your name differently. See affidavit before a notary.
- A declaration, if the ministry, the employer or the university asks for a signed statement.
- A power of attorney, so someone in your home country can collect your certificate or take it to the foreign ministry and the UAE embassy there. See power of attorney.
You sign in person with our public notary services, by video with our online notary, or at your home with our home visit notary. Online notarisation works through the UAE remote notarisation channels, such as the Ministry of Justice e-Notary system and UAE PASS. We tell you if your document can be done online.
Step by step
The attestation steps before you apply
01
Home country offices.
The university, and in some countries an education office, confirms the degree.
02
Foreign ministry of the issuing country.
03
UAE embassy or consulate in that country.
This step happens there, not in Dubai.
04
MOFA in the UAE.
MOFA charges AED 150 for a personal document such as a degree.
MOFA attests originals in Arabic or English, or with a legally certified translation, and does not attest laminated documents. Our degree attestation page covers degrees, and educational certificate attestation covers school certificates. The main hub is certificate attestation.
What we check before you apply
The ministry’s service page lists its current requirements. Before you apply, we check that:
- the degree is attested through the full chain ending with MOFA;
- the transcripts are ready, and attested if the ministry asks for that;
- earlier qualifications the degree built on are to hand;
- the name matches across the degree, transcripts and passport, or a name affidavit links them;
- any document not in Arabic or English has a legally certified translation. See legal translation.
Checklist
Why files are sent back
We cannot speak for the ministry’s decisions, but some problems are visible before you apply:
- The degree is attested but the transcript is not.
- The name on the degree and the passport differ, with nothing linking them.
- A translation is missing or not certified.
- A copy was sent where the original was needed, or the other way round.
Step by step
How we help with an equivalency file
01
We read your documents and tell you whether the office really needs equivalency.
02
We certify true copies and notarise any affidavit, declaration or power of attorney, in person, online or at your home.
03
We check every document is attested through MOFA, and take it through the MOFA step where it is missing.
04
We book translation for anything not in Arabic or English.
05
You apply to the ministry, which assesses the file and issues its decision.
Prices
Prices
| Service | Our service price | Government fee, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| Degree, certificate or diploma copy, notary certified | From AED 500 | Confirmed at booking |
| Transcripts and mark sheets copy, notary certified | From AED 400 | Confirmed at booking |
| Name affidavit, notarised | From AED 600 | AED 300 per affidavit (federal schedule) |
| Degree certificate attestation, MOFA stage | From AED 150 | MOFA AED 150 |
| Legal translation | From AED 50 per page | AED 50 per page if notarised with the instrument |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is MOFA equivalency the same as MOE equivalency?
No. MOFA attests documents; it does not issue equivalency. For a degree from outside the UAE, equivalency comes from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. For a school certificate, it comes from the Ministry of Education.
Can a notary certify a copy of my degree for equivalency?
Yes, we certify true copies of degrees and transcripts after seeing the original. Check the ministry’s service page, or ask us, to confirm whether a copy or the original is needed at each step.
Do I need an MOE equivalency certificate in UAE for a private sector job?
Often not. Many private employers only need the attested degree. Ask the employer for its written requirement.
My name is spelled differently on my degree and passport. What do I do?
A name affidavit, signed before a notary, states that both spellings belong to you. We notarise it in person, online or at your home.
Is there equivalency for a high school certificate?
Yes. The Ministry of Education has a school certificate equalisation service, used mainly for university admission.
Guides
More guides
Notary and MOFA
MOFA verification
MOFA attestation verification is the check an employer, school, bank or government office makes to confirm that the MOFA attestation on a document is real and belongs to.
Notary and MOFA
Attestation steps
The UAE attestation process is a chain of signatures, each one confirming the one before it.
Ask us before you apply
Send photos of your degree, transcripts, passport and the requirement list you were given. Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7.
- Phone: +971 52 947 5935
- WhatsApp: +971 52 947 5935
- Email: info@dubainotaryservices.com
Certificates
More in this cluster
Service hub
Certificate attestation in Dubai is the chain of stamps that makes a degree, marriage certificate, birth certificate or similar paper acceptable to an office.
Sources for this page
- Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Recognition of university certificates issued from outside the UAE: https://www.mohesr.gov.ae/En/EServices/ServiceCard/pages/universiycertificateequilization.aspx
- UAE Government portal, Equalising high school certificates: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/education/school-education-k-12/equalising-high-school-certificates
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FAQ (attestation chain and fees): https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/faqs
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attestation service: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation
- Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024 on notary fees: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491