Graduation caps thrown in the air
Educational attestation

Degree certificate attestation in the UAE

Your university degree needs attesting before most UAE employers, licensing bodies and visa authorities will rely on it. We confirm the route for your university and country, prepare the paperwork and follow each stage through; the university or education ministry, the UAE embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) each decide on their own stamp.

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Overview

What degree attestation is for

An attested degree is how a UAE employer, regulator or visa authority knows your qualification is real. It's commonly requested when your employer applies for your work permit and the role depends on your qualification, when you apply for a professional license, and when you rely on your degree for a Golden Visa as a skilled professional, a route that asks for a bachelor's degree or higher.

For a degree awarded abroad, the attestation usually starts in the country where you studied. Many countries first want the qualification confirmed by the university, the education ministry or both, before the foreign ministry adds its stamp. The UAE embassy or consulate in that country attests next, and MOFA completes the chain in the UAE. These early stages differ between countries, so we confirm them for yours.

A degree from a UAE university follows the local route: the issuing body attests it, then MOFA.

Who it's for

Who it's for

  • 01

    New hires in the UAE

    Your employer needs an attested degree to complete your work permit or HR file.

  • 02

    Professionals seeking a license

    Your field is regulated and the licensing body wants proof of your qualification.

  • 03

    Golden Visa applicants

    You plan to apply as a skilled professional and your degree is part of the evidence.

  • 04

    Postgraduate applicants

    A UAE university wants your earlier degree attested before it confirms your place.

Our part

What we do, and what we don't

Clear boundaries, so you know exactly what you're paying for and who decides each step.

Included

  • Checking the degree, transcript and passport for name and date mismatches
  • Confirming the verification and attestation route for your university and country
  • Telling you whether your employer or licensing body needs the transcript too
  • Submitting at each stage and arranging courier of the originals
  • MOFA submission through its online channels
  • Arranging an Arabic legal translation if a receiving authority asks for one

Not included

  • Issuing replacement degrees or transcripts, which only the university can do
  • Equivalency or professional license decisions, which rest with the relevant UAE authority
  • Attesting qualifications the issuing country's authorities cannot confirm
  • Fixed timelines for university, ministry or embassy stages
Documents

Documents you'll need

  • The original degree certificate, not laminated
  • The original transcript or mark sheets, if they need attesting too
  • A clear copy of your passport
  • Any earlier verification or attestation stamps already on the documents
  • An authorisation letter if your university or education ministry asks for one

Some universities and education ministries ask for their own forms or a separate verification request; we confirm this for your country first.

Fees and timing

Two fees, shown separately

  • Government fees, paid at cost

    MOFA charges AED 150 per educational document, and a degree and its transcript count as two documents. University, ministry and UAE embassy fees vary by country and are paid at cost.

  • Global Sky PRO service fee

    Quoted in writing before we start, so you know the full cost up front.

  • Timing

    Most of the waiting happens in the issuing country, where universities and ministries work to their own schedules. We confirm a realistic estimate for your route before you start and keep you updated throughout.

Process

How it works, step by step

Each step shows who does what, so you always know where things stand.

  • You
  • Global Sky PRO
  • Authority

  1. Step 1: Share your documents

    You

    Send photos of the degree, transcript and passport, and tell us who in the UAE needs the attested degree.

  2. Step 2: Confirm the route

    Global Sky PRO

    We check the stages your country and university require and quote our service fee in writing, with every government fee itemised separately.

  3. Step 3: University or education authority

    Authority

    Where the issuing country requires it, the university or education ministry confirms that the degree was awarded.

  4. Step 4: Foreign ministry and UAE embassy

    Authority

    The foreign ministry in the issuing country attests the degree, followed by the UAE embassy or consulate there.

  5. Step 5: MOFA

    Authority

    MOFA completes the UAE attestation. If the transcript needs attesting too, it goes through as a second document.

  6. Step 6: Return the originals

    Global Sky PRO

    We return your attested documents and tell you if the employer or licensing body needs anything more.

Good to know

Details that save time

Attestation, equivalency and licensing are different things

Attestation confirms that your degree is genuine. It doesn't tell a UAE body that your degree matches a local qualification, and it doesn't license you to practise. Some employers and regulators also ask for an equivalency or a professional assessment of their own, and those decisions rest with the relevant UAE authority.

We tell you at the start whether your situation is likely to involve more than attestation, so you can plan for it rather than discover it late.

Before you post your original degree

A few minutes of checking now can save a second round of fees later.

  • Check that your name matches your passport exactly, or gather proof of a name change
  • Find out whether your employer or regulator also wants the transcript attested
  • Look for stamps already on the back, which may mean part of the chain is done
  • Keep a full-colour scan of every page, front and back
  • Don't laminate the certificate, as MOFA won't attest a laminated document

If your university has changed

Universities merge, rename and occasionally close. When that has happened, verification is handled by whichever body now holds the records, often a successor institution or the education ministry. Finding the right office can take longer, so tell us early and we'll find out who confirms degrees from your institution.

FAQs

Degree certificate attestation: your questions

Short answers here. Your situation may differ, so ask us before you decide.

Still have a question?

An adviser replies during opening hours, Mon–Sat 10:00–21:00.

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Why does my employer need my degree attested?

Your employer needs to show that the qualification behind your role is genuine. An attested degree is often part of the work permit or HR file, particularly where the role or job title depends on your education level. It also protects the employer, who would otherwise be relying on a certificate nobody has verified.

What are the steps for degree attestation?

For a degree awarded abroad, the usual stages are confirmation by the university or education ministry where your country requires it, then the foreign ministry, then the UAE embassy or consulate in that country, then MOFA. A degree awarded in the UAE goes to the issuing body and then MOFA. We confirm the stages for your university.

Do I need my transcript attested too?

Only if the employer, licensing body or university receiving your degree asks for it, and many regulated professions do. MOFA counts the transcript as a separate document from the degree, so it is attested and charged separately. We check the requirement with you before you pay for both.

Will the UAE accept an apostille on my degree?

Not by itself. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille doesn't replace the UAE embassy and MOFA stages. In some countries the apostille serves as the home-country step before the UAE embassy attests. We'll confirm how it works for the country that awarded your degree.

Can you attest my degree while I'm outside the UAE?

In most cases, yes. MOFA allows someone else to submit an attestation on your behalf, and many home-country stages can be handled by post or through a representative. Some universities or ministries ask for the graduate's own signature or presence, and we'll tell you at the start if yours does.

Is degree attestation the same as UAE degree recognition?

No. Attestation confirms that the seals and signatures on your degree are genuine, ending with MOFA. Recognition is a separate process run by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) under Ministerial Decree No. 34 of 2025, which verifies a qualification from outside the UAE so it can be used for employment, career progression or further study. Your employer or regulator tells you whether it needs one, the other or both.

Source: MoHESR: Ministerial Decree No. 34 of 2025 on recognising qualifications from abroad

Do I need an attested degree for a Golden Visa as a skilled professional?

Yes. The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) lists an attested bachelor's degree or equivalent among the documents for the skilled professional Golden Visa. The other criteria include a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000 and a level 1 or 2 role under the occupational classification of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). The visa itself is decided by the UAE residence authorities, so attest your degree before you apply.

Source: ADDED: Golden Visa for skilled professionals

How much does degree certificate attestation cost in the UAE?

MOFA charges AED 150 per document, so a degree alone costs AED 150 at the UAE stage and a degree with its transcript costs AED 300. University, education ministry, foreign ministry and UAE embassy fees in the country that awarded the degree vary and are paid at cost. Courier delivery inside the UAE is charged separately. Our service fee is quoted in writing before we start and never mixed with government fees.

Source: MOFA: attestation FAQs

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Attestation is performed by the issuing authorities, the relevant embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We handle preparation, submission and collection. Last reviewed 31 October 2026 by the Global Sky PRO team.

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