How do I get equivalence for a foreign degree?
विदेशको डिग्रीको समकक्षता कसरी लिने?
Since Shrawan 2083, Nepal's University Grants Commission issues equivalence for foreign degrees, not TU. How to apply online, documents and how long it takes.
- Cost
- Shown in the portal
- How long
- A few days to about a month
- Regular equivalence is faster than procedural.
- Where
- University Grants Commission
- Last checked
- 8 Oct 2026
- Against the official source
What it is
Until mid-2026, Tribhuvan University's Curriculum Development Centre decided equivalence for foreign degrees. An amendment to the University Grants Commission Act moved that job to the University Grants Commission (UGC), which took over from Shrawan 2083 (July 2026).
You now apply online at ugcequivalence.edu.np. UGC issues two kinds of equivalence. Regular equivalence is for degrees from universities and programmes it has already assessed. Procedural equivalence is for ones it's seeing for the first time, which go to a subject committee.
Who needs it
- Anyone with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree from a foreign university who needs it recognised in Nepal for jobs, further study or professional licensing.
- For school-level qualifications such as A levels, see the problems below.
What you need
- Official
Degree certificate and transcript from the foreign university
- Official
Certificate and transcript from the level below
Your +2 for a bachelor's, your bachelor's for a master's, your master's for an M.Phil. or PhD.
- Official
Passport, visa or residence permit for the study period
For study outside Nepal and India.
- Official
Internship or clinical records, where the degree includes them
How it works
- 1
Register on the UGC portal
Sign up at ugcequivalence.edu.np, verify your email and log in.
- 2
Fill in the form and upload documents
Under the Application menu, complete the equivalence form and upload your certificates and transcripts.
- 3
Pay the fee
Pay through the online payment options in the payment tab. Fees aren't refundable.
- 4
Wait for the decision
If UGC has already assessed your university and programme, you get regular equivalence, usually within a few working days of your documents being verified. If it's the first time, a subject committee reviews it, which takes about a month.
Where to go
University Grants Commission
Sanothimi, Bhaktapur. 01-6638548, equivalence@ugcnepal.edu.np
ugcequivalence.edu.np
Cost and time
- Official fee
- Shown in the portal
- Processing time
- A few days to about a month
- Regular equivalence is faster than procedural.
Common problems
I applied to TU before the change.
TU's Curriculum Development Centre stopped taking applications when the University Grants Commission took over in Shrawan 2083. Contact UGC about applications that were pending at TU.
The certificate is taking longer than promised.
In its first weeks UGC was reported to be issuing only temporary letters while its regulations and board were pending. Ask for a letter saying your application is in process if a college or employer needs proof.
I did A levels or another foreign +2. Where do I go?
School-level equivalence isn't handled on the UGC portal. Contact the Accreditation and Equivalence Branch of the Curriculum Development Centre in Sanothimi. For A levels you generally need at least three subjects at advanced level.
My documents aren't in English.
Get them translated into English by an official translation service before you apply.
Real experiences
Been through this recently? Tell the next person which office you went to and what they asked for. Reports are published as community notes, apart from the official information.
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