Foreign School Certificates in Saudi Arabia: How MOE Equivalency Works for Expat Students
If your child studied abroad and is joining a school in Saudi Arabia, the new school will want to know which grade fits. For that, the Ministry of Education (MOE) looks at the certificates you bring and may need to equate them with the Saudi system. This guide summarises what the MOE’s own pages say about requirements, attestation and who handles the paperwork.
Quick answer
Short answer: For school certificates issued abroad, the MOE says the documents must be original and fully authenticated, the school must be accredited in its country, and study must show regular attendance and clear progression. You submit them to the education department in your region or governorate, which forwards them electronically to the Ministry. Grade-transfer cases below the third year of secondary school are handled by the education departments themselves (MOE).
Key takeaways
- Who handles it: the regional or governorate education department.
- Route to the Ministry: electronic, through the Aamali system.
- Translation: certified translation if a document is not in Arabic or English.
- Names must match: the holder’s name must match previous academic documents and the national ID, family record, residence permit or passport.
- Fees and timing: the MOE pages we read state neither, so ask the education department.
What the MOE requires
The MOE page sets out conditions for the certificates and academic documents. Here they are in plain English.
Requirements (per the MOE)
- The school is accredited by the education authority in its country
- The secondary school certificate is recognised by universities in the issuing country
- The study was in regular attendance, with a clear progression, and previous grade completion documents are attached
- Documents are original and fully authenticated by the issuing country’s education ministry (or the authority supervising general education), its foreign ministry (or equivalent) and the Saudi embassy and Cultural Attaché, where available
- A certified translation for any language other than Arabic or English
- No erasures or modifications, and the holder’s name matches earlier documents and ID
Tip
Ask your child’s previous school for several originals and check each stamp before you travel. Attestation by the foreign ministry and the Saudi embassy usually has to happen in the country that issued the documents.
How the process works
From certificate to decision
1
Gather the originals: certificates, previous-grade documents, certified translations if needed, and proof of identity that matches the names.
2
Authenticate them: through the issuing country’s education and foreign authorities, and the Saudi embassy or Cultural Attaché where available.
3
Visit the education department: in your region or governorate, and submit the documents.
4
The department forwards them: electronically to the Ministry through the Aamali system.
5
Equivalency is processed: if the documents meet the requirements, the equivalency is issued and sent back through the system to the education department, which delivers it to you.
Younger students: transfer grades
For students moving between grades below the third year of secondary school, the MOE says the education departments carry out the equivalency of academic documents. The student is then placed directly in the appropriate grade based on that decision.
What admission asks for at each level
A separate MOE page on admitting foreign students says non-Saudi children living in the Kingdom can complete their schooling under set conditions, with each level asking for the previous stage’s certificate attested by the competent official authorities:
| Level | What the MOE asks for |
|---|---|
| Elementary | The most recent educational certificate, attested by official authorities |
| Intermediate | A passing certificate for the previous stage (primary sixth grade, or equivalent), attested; later intermediate years add the earlier intermediate passing certificate |
| Secondary | The original passing certificate for the previous stage, or equivalent, attested; later years add the secondary passing documents showing subjects and grades |
Note
Grade names on the MOE’s English page follow the Ministry’s own wording and may not match the system your child studied in. Ask the education department which Saudi grade your child’s documents correspond to.
Practical tips
- Start early. Attestation chains can involve three authorities, so allow time before the school term.
- Keep copies. Scan every page before you hand over originals.
- Check the ID side. Your documents must match your child’s name as it appears on the iqama or passport. Our guide to checking and renewing an iqama explains the resident ID.
- After enrolment, see how parents use Noor for follow-up in our guide to Noor parent services.
Warning
Only deal with the education department and official MOE channels. Never pay someone who promises to “speed up” an equivalency, and never share account passwords or one-time codes.
Frequently asked questions
Who handles certificate equivalency for school students?
The education departments in the regions and governorates, which forward secondary certificates to the Ministry through the Aamali system.
Do I need to translate my documents?
The MOE requires a certified translation for documents in languages other than Arabic or English.
What if my child is below the third year of secondary school?
The education departments carry out the equivalency of academic documents for transfer grades, and the student is placed in the appropriate grade.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
The MOE pages we read do not say. Ask the education department.
Last checked: 16 October 2026 against the two MOE pages cited above (neither shows a last-modified date). Requirements can change; confirm with your regional education department. Infosaudia is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the Ministry of Education or any government agency.
