The Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, through the Student Affairs Organization and the General Directorate of Graduate Affairs, is responsible for evaluating the academic credentials of individuals who have studied at universities abroad. Evaluation of academic credentials means determining the equivalence and matching of graduates’ credentials with equivalent academic levels in domestic universities. This process is essential for graduates from foreign universities who intend to continue their education or work in the country. Reference:
File of the directive for the evaluation of foreign academic credentials
File of the guide for the evaluation of foreign academic credentials in the SAJAD system
Note: Graduates and students of medical fields should consult the Ministry of Health’s guide for evaluating credentials.
Credentials That Are Not Evaluated and Are Not Accepted
The evaluation of foreign academic credentials is possible for in-person courses at all academic levels, except for credentials that fall into one of the following categories. This group of credentials is not approved or evaluated. Also, all credentials must be officially authenticated, and if the credentials are incomplete, no action will be taken regarding their evaluation. To finalize the evaluation process, the graduate must sign a commitment letter and, if necessary, pay the relevant fees. Finally, after completing the evaluation and credentialing process, an official evaluation certificate is issued, which is equivalent to the academic credential obtained at domestic universities, and the individual can use it for further education or entering the job market.
Credentials obtained in non-attendance courses from foreign universities (only the evaluation of a foreign academic credential at the semi-attendance doctoral level is done, provided that other regulations are observed)
Credentials that are not issued by universities and institutions approved by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology
Credentials in master’s and doctoral levels from universities that are poorly ranked
Academic credential in fields related to “Persian language and literature” at the doctoral level
Note: If you have not completed your academic level, you cannot register a request for evaluation of the Ministry of Science academic credential. However, if you have the necessary conditions to transfer students from abroad to the country, this issue can be raised in student affairs.
Required In-Person Study Period for the Evaluation of Academic Credentials
Graduates of various fields should note that for the evaluation of academic credentials by the Ministry of Science, the minimum required student residency period for in-person education must be equal to or greater than the minimum set by the Ministry of Science. For example:
- In the associate’s degree level (24 months), at least 16 months of in-person study
- In the four-year bachelor’s degree level (48 months), at least 30 months of in-person study
- In the two-year master’s degree level (24 months), at least 12 months of in-person study
- In the doctoral level (36 to 48 months), at least 24 months of in-person study
Regarding doctoral courses, at least 24 months of attendance in the country of study is required for in-person courses, but if the graduate’s attendance period in the country of study is at least 21 months and they present a scientific research article, the evaluation can be reviewed as in-person. Also, for semi-attendance doctoral courses, at least 14 months of attendance in the country of study is required, and if a scientific research article is presented, this period is reduced to 12 months.
Inquiry of Foreign Academic Credentials
Inquiring about the validity of graduates’ academic credentials from foreign universities and higher education institutions is one of the necessary processes for credentialing and preventing forgery. In Iran, this process is done electronically through the SAJAD system of the Student Affairs Organization, and this system acts as the official reference for credentialing graduates of foreign universities. This process has many advantages, including a significant reduction in credential forgery, elimination of costs associated with placing security effects on credentials, shorter issuance time for diplomas and educational confirmations, reduction of current costs and in-person visits by graduates. Also, it is important to note that the only legal authority for credentialing foreign academic credentials is the General Directorate of Graduate Affairs of the Student Affairs Organization, and credentialing by the official representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran or credentialing in the MIKHAK system does not mean evaluation of academic credentials. Finally, with the implementation of the SAJAD system, all relevant authorities can easily and online inquire about and confirm the validity of domestic and foreign graduates’ academic credentials, which has helped to reduce the volume of visits and increase the speed of the credentialing process.
Process of Evaluating Foreign Academic Credentials
Credentialing foreign academic credentials in Iran is a complex and necessary process that is done to validate and confirm academic credentials from foreign universities. These steps must be followed accurately and systematically so that individuals can use their academic credentials in Iran for further education, employment, and obtaining professional licenses. The general steps for credentialing foreign academic credentials in 1403 are as follows (these steps include the general process of credentialing foreign academic credentials in Iran, and depending on the type of field or university, the details of these steps are different. These details are not included in this article): Note: To register a request for issuing a certificate of enrollment for students of foreign universities, before registering a request in the SAJAD system, you must have the approval of the MIKHAK system.
The first step for evaluation of credentials is to register and upload documents into the Mikhak (MIKHAK) system of the Ministry of foreign affairs. After loading, the documents will be sent to the general directorate of graduate affairs and based on the type of document, and duration of residency in the country of education, it will be reviewed and evaluated. the Document Review must happen with the stamp and confirmation of formal authority, and all of the needed documents should be presented completely.
After recieving the documents, the general directorate is obligated to form the related specialized commision within the maximum time of one month, for document evaluation. In this stage, attention to the student residency duration and its adjustment with the current instructions, is very important.
1. Registration in the SAJAD System and Uploading Academic Credentials
In this step, the applicant must go to the SAJAD system and register in the “Electronic Services Desk” section. Then, enter your personal and educational information and upload the required documents.
2. Initial Review by an Expert
After receiving the documents, the experts review them. If there is a deficiency or problem, a request to correct or complete the documents is sent to the applicant.
3. Evaluation and Credentialing of Credentials
In this step, the scientific evaluation of the credentials begins. The level of the university and the matching of the field of study with Iranian standards are reviewed, and additional approvals from the university of study may be required.
4. Official Translation and Embassy Approval
For some credentials, official translation and approval by the Iranian embassy in the country of study are required. The translation must be done by reputable translation agencies with an approval stamp.
5. Payment of Fees
The applicant must pay the fees related to the evaluation and credentialing process. These fees are paid through the system, and the payment receipt will be presented as proof.
6. Receiving Approval from the Ministry of Science or the Ministry of Health
After evaluation and payment of fees, the final approval is issued by the Ministry of Science (for non-medical fields) or the Ministry of Health (for medical and paramedical fields).
7. Issuance of the Approved Credential
In this step, the applicant receives their approved credential. This credential may be delivered electronically or physically and is considered an official valid credential in Iran.
Required Documents for the Evaluation of Foreign Academic Credentials by the Ministry of Science
You must enter the required documents for the Ministry of Science in the relevant system, like the Ministry of Health, which we entered in the evaluation system for the credentials of foreign graduates of the Ministry of Health, which is described below:
- Scan of the diploma and complete transcripts of the course
- Letter of commencement of study
- Register documents in the MIKHAK system and receive a PDF file of the approval along with the tracking code
- Scan of all Iranian academic credentials (diploma, pre-university, bachelor’s, master’s)
- Register the thesis in the National Research Institute of Science and Technology Information of Iran (IRANDOC at پژوهشگاه علوم و فناوری اطلاعات ایران | ایرانداک irandoc.ac.ir) and receive IRANDOC acceptance approval along with the tracking code
- Scan of all pages of passports during study
- Scan of all pages of the national identity card and national card
- Scan of personal photo
- Important note: If the documents are incomplete, they will not be evaluated, so the student must take the necessary care in uploading the documents. It is recommended that students carefully study the regulations and list of documents from the system of the General Directorate of Graduates
Verification of Foreign Educational Credentials in the Mikhak System
- Applicant registration in the Integrated Consular Services Management System (Mikhak)
- Document upload (enrollment, transcripts, graduation, withdrawal, admission)
- Credential verification by the representative from the credential issuing authority
- Notification of credential verification result via email
- Printing of verification confirmation from the credential verification section (located on the system’s main page)
Steps to Verify Foreign Educational Documents
- Enter the Sajjad system.
- From the services tab, go to Graduate Affairs and select Educational Document Evaluation.
- In the pop-up window, enter the required information. Filling in the starred items is mandatory.
- If you have multiple foreign educational documents, you must register a request for each.
- Proceed to the next page and enter the documents you registered in Mikhak along with their tracking code.
- If you have a thesis, you must enter its details.
Register your travel information to your country of study and upload all pages of your passports during your study period.
By agreeing to the rules and regulations and entering the security code, enter the bank portal and continue until the message “Your request for evaluation of foreign educational documents has been successfully registered by the Ministry of Science” is displayed, and keep your tracking code for checking the status and progress of the work.
