Now Apply for Foreign Degree Equivalence via UGC Portal

The University Grants Commission (UGC) of the Ministry of Education, Government of India, located at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, released the Regulations on Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications earned from Foreign Higher Education Institutions, 2025, on April 4.

They will not be applicable to professional qualifications granted by international educational institutions in fields like medicine, pharmacy, nursing, law, and architecture, as well as other qualifications governed by the standards of the relevant Statutory Councils in India.

A qualification obtained from an overseas educational institution will be acknowledged for the issuance of the equivalence certificate, provided that the following conditions are met:

(a) The credential has been granted by an overseas educational organization that is properly acknowledged under the applicable laws existing in its country of origin.

(b) The individual seeking equivalence has completed the course of study resulting in the qualification as per the guidelines and criteria set by the Foreign Educational Institution. The prerequisites for admission to that course are akin to those of a related program in India.

(C) The Standing Committee will determine if the conditions mentioned in the clause are alike or not, following the designated procedure established for that purpose, and will rely on various factors as outlined in the Regulations.

The requirements for issuing the equivalence certificate for (i) qualifications obtained from an Off-Shore Campus of a Foreign Educational Institution and (ii) qualifications obtained from a School located in a foreign nation for admission to undergraduate and equivalent programs in a higher educational institution in India are outlined in the regulations.

For Foreign Higher Educational Institutions with a strong academic or research reputation, as shown by their position in globally acknowledged rankings of higher education institutions, the Commission may ease one or more conditions for granting Equivalence.

A credential received from any campus or institution under a Franchising agreement will not be regarded for recognition in relation to the granting of equivalence. The regulations also outline the procedure for awarding equivalence.