A GED can be used in the UAE only after GED certificate attestation on the US route: state step, US Department of State, then the UAE Embassy and MOFA. For university entry the Ministry of Education (MOE) equalises school certificates, but no MOE page we have read names the GED, so ask first.
What is a GED, and who issues it?
The GED is a US high school equivalency credential. GED Testing Service runs the test. Who issues your diploma depends on where you sat the test:
| Where you took the GED | Credential | Where transcripts come from |
|---|---|---|
| Outside the US, including the UAE | District of Columbia High School Equivalency Diploma | GED Testing Service through Parchment |
| In a US state | That state's high school equivalency credential | The state's GED office, usually through GED.com and Parchment |
This matters for attestation, because the stamps in the US are added by the state that issued the document and then by the US Department of State.
Is a GED accepted in the UAE?
There is no simple yes. Two different offices may look at it.
- The Ministry of Education equalises high school certificates earned outside the UAE system. Its official guidance says certificates for equalisation must be attested by the MOE and/or the education authority of the issuing country, and certificates not in Arabic or English need a legal translation. We found no MOE page that mentions the GED by name.
- The university sets its own admission rules on top of MOE equivalency. UAE universities commonly ask students from other systems for MOE equivalency of their school certificate, and some give one semester to finish it.
For comparison, the MOE's published conditions for American-curriculum schools in the UAE ask for grades 10, 11 and 12 with at least five passed subjects per grade, a completion certificate and an English test. A GED has no grade 10 to 12 record, which is why it is assessed case by case. Before you pay for anything, ask the university admissions office and the MOE whether they will accept your GED, and in what form. Our guide on what an equivalency certificate means explains the terms.
How to get a GED certificate attested for the UAE
The UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille on its own is not accepted here. US documents follow the US chain set out on our USA certificate attestation page, and US high school diplomas have their own page, USA high school diploma attestation.
- Order the right document. Order your diploma and transcript through your GED account or Parchment. For attestation you need a paper document that US offices can stamp, so ask us which item to order before you pay.
- State step. For an international GED, GED Testing Service says it processes international apostilles only for transcripts it fulfilled through Parchment, by preparing an affidavit that goes to the Minnesota Secretary of State. For a state-issued GED, the state's own office and Secretary of State apply.
- US Department of State. The Office of Authentications adds the federal step that non-Hague countries such as the UAE need.
- UAE Embassy and MOFA. The UAE Embassy in Washington handles attestation through VFS Global, and on MOFA's digital route the embassy and MOFA stamps are added together, so there is no separate MOFA attestation step after the document arrives in the UAE.
- Translation, if asked. The GED is in English, which MOFA accepts. Some offices still want a legal Arabic translation.
Our total price for US personal documents starts from AED 1,025 plus VAT, all official fees and courier included, in about 7 weeks. Because the GED steps depend on where you tested, we confirm the price after seeing a copy. See attestation fees.
MOE equivalency for university or jobs
For university. After attestation, you apply for equivalency on the MOE system with your Emirates ID, passport and the attested certificate and transcript. Your university tells you the deadline. Our page on MOE attestation covers the ministry side, and attestation for school admission covers school-age children.
For jobs. A UAE employer or visa file normally asks for your highest qualification. If that is a GED, ask HR whether they need it attested at all, and whether they want the diploma, the transcript or both. Degrees go through a different process: a university degree from abroad is recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, not by MOE school equivalency. See equivalency certificate in the UAE.
Diploma or transcript: which one do you attest?
Offices in the UAE often want both: the diploma proves the award, the transcript shows the scores. When you order, ask for both together so they carry matching details. Transcript attestation follows the same chain as the diploma.
Common problems with GED papers
- Electronic only. A secure PDF is fine for a US college but cannot carry UAE Embassy stamps. Plan for a paper version.
- Name mismatch. Your GED name must match your passport. A married name may need a marriage certificate attested too.
- Apostille only. An apostille is a good first step but it is not the end of the US chain for the UAE.
- Assuming acceptance. Ask the university and the MOE first. It costs nothing and saves weeks.
How we help
We are a private attestation service in Dubai, not the MOE, MOFA or GED Testing Service. Send a photo of your GED diploma and transcript on WhatsApp and tell us where you tested and what the papers are for. We tell you which document to order, the attestation route and the total price before any work starts.
