UAE introduces new policy for recognising foreign university degrees

Take note of the new process… 

According to Gulf News, under the new regulations, the ministry will grant conditional recognition to degrees obtained through distance learning, open education, online education, and correspondence education, provided they meet specific criteria set by a dedicated ministerial committee.

The ministry released a statement that highlighted the importance of abiding by the new regulations for students who have obtained their degree through non-traditional study modes.

Streamlining the process

The streamlined process now includes two stages: the verification of the degree authenticity by Dataflow or QuadraBay (two agencies officially appointed by the Ministry) who will authenticate the document. The official step-by-step procedure for Dataflow can be found here, and QuadraBay here.

The cost for initial degree verification will vary depending on the country, and fees required by the awarding institute.

Following the completion of the verification process, individuals will receive a document that will facilitate obtaining a Certificate of Recognition from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. This process usually takes two days if all the criteria are met.

The process is available online, and the entire process will take around 30 working days. You will be able to track your process during this time.

Each case is assessed individually, but should you need to appeal the recognition, you will have three months to do so.

As for the recognition criteria, the Ministry highlighted that one of the key requirements is that the educational institute must be officially recognised and approved by the relevant authorities in the country it is located in. Additionally, students must adhere to study methods approved by the university.

If studying online, the ministry urges to check if the university is recognized by the UAE’s Ministry of Higher Education for distance learning programs.

The ministry confirmed that vocational certificates that do not involve formal study, short-term training program certificates, and degrees obtained through specialised programs catering to specific student demographics will not be recognised. For medical and engineering degrees, applicants with a masters or doctoral degree must hold a bachelor’s degree in the same field.