To teach in a UAE school you usually need your degree and transcript attested, plus your teaching qualification, experience letters and a good conduct certificate. Your school then registers you with KHDA in Dubai, ADEK in Abu Dhabi or the Ministry of Education. Attest everything in one batch after you accept the offer, because each step needs the last.
Which teacher documents need attestation?
Most teachers attest more than one certificate. KHDA's faculty registration service, which the school files for you in Dubai, lists the documents it checks. ADEK and the Ministry of Education ask for a similar set.
| Document | Why the school needs it | Attested? |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | Proof of your minimum qualification and major | Yes, home country chain, UAE embassy and MOFA |
| Official transcript | Shows the subjects you studied | Asked for with the degree; often attested too |
| Teaching qualification (PGCE, B.Ed, PGDE) | Class teachers need a recognised teaching qualification | Yes, as its own document |
| Experience letters | Your teaching history and level of entry | Yes, from inside or outside the UAE |
| Good conduct certificate | Safeguarding check | Attested by the issuing authority |
| Marriage and birth certificates | Only if you sponsor family | Yes, for the family visa |
The degree route for your country is on degree certificate attestation. Transcripts follow their own rules, set out on transcript attestation.
Who checks your documents: KHDA, ADEK or MOE?
It depends on where the school is and who runs it.
| Where you teach | Body | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai private school | KHDA | The school files faculty registration. KHDA lists it as free, about 5 working days |
| Abu Dhabi school | ADEK | ADEK applies its own teacher licensing rules on qualifications, experience and good standing |
| Public schools and the national licence | Ministry of Education | Licence registration with UAE PASS, plus assessments |
A professional teaching licence has been mandatory in the UAE since 2021. The Ministry of Education's licensing system covers public and private schools, and teachers sit two assessments: one in teaching practice and one in their subject. KHDA's own role around school transfer certificates is different, and it is explained on KHDA attestation.
Does a teacher need an equivalency certificate?
Sometimes. Several school job adverts in the UAE ask for MoHESR recognition of both the degree and the teaching qualification before a teaching permit is issued. Other schools only ask for attested certificates. We have not found one published rule that applies to every school in every emirate, so treat this as case by case.
Ask the school's HR team one direct question: "Is an attested degree enough, or do you also need MoHESR recognition?" If recognition is needed, it comes after attestation and a Dataflow check, so it adds weeks. What recognition is and when it applies is set out in what an equivalency certificate means.
In what order should a teacher attest documents?
- Collect originals. Degree, teaching qualification and transcripts from your university, unlaminated, with your name as it appears in your passport.
- Request experience letters from each school you worked at, on letterhead, signed, with your dates and role.
- Order your police certificate from your home country. It is often the slowest document to arrive.
- Send the degree and teaching qualification together. They usually share a route, so one batch saves courier time and avoids two separate waits.
- Attest experience letters through the same chain. See experience certificate attestation.
- Hand the set to your school for KHDA, ADEK or MOE registration.
- Apply for recognition only if your school confirms it is needed.
Can you start attestation after you arrive?
Yes, but it is slower. A document issued abroad still has to go through the chain in the country that issued it, so the original travels back there by courier. MOFA allows anyone to submit an attestation application on someone else's behalf, which means a family member at home or a service in Dubai can handle it while you work. The easier plan is to start before you fly. If your originals are already with you in the UAE, keep good scans before they leave your hands.
How long and how much in 2026?
Our total prices include every official fee and courier, plus 5% VAT.
| Country of your certificates | Usual time | Our total price |
|---|---|---|
| UK, standard route | 22 to 24 working days | from AED 985 |
| UK, premium route | 12 to 14 working days | from AED 1,600 |
| USA | about 7 weeks | from AED 1,025 |
| Canada | 4 to 6 weeks | from AED 1,900 |
| Any other country | depends on the country | quoted after you share a copy |
Teachers from India, the Philippines, South Africa, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand all have their own routes. Send a copy and you get the total price before any work starts. Full fee details are on attestation fees.
What usually goes wrong for teachers?
- Online or distance PGCEs. Whether one is accepted depends on how the course was delivered and accredited. Read online and distance learning degrees before you pay for anything.
- A married name on the passport and a maiden name on the degree. Attest the marriage certificate too, and see name mismatch.
- Experience letters with no dates or no signature. The school or regulator cannot count the years, and you may be asked for new letters.
- Starting after the visa clock is running. Attestation from abroad takes weeks, so start the day you accept the job.
How we help
We take your degree, teaching qualification, transcripts and experience letters through the right chain for each country, in one batch where the routes match, and deliver them ready for your school. We do not issue licences or permits; KHDA, ADEK and the Ministry of Education do. Send photos of your documents on WhatsApp for the exact steps and the total price.
