FAQ – Conditional Admission on Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate
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What is meant by Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate?
It is a process through which the Ministry of Education (MoE) examines the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) issued by a private school inside the UAE or by a private or governmental school outside the UAE, in order to ensure that it is equivalent in level to the Secondary School Certificate issued by governmental schools in the UAE.
Why Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate is needed?
The UAE is host to private schools that follow different curricula and educational systems. In addition, students who have studied in different curricula and educational systems come to the country from different countries of the world. Thus, the process of equivalency makes sure that the Secondary School Certificates issued by these different curricula, systems and countries are equivalent in level to the Secondary School Certificate issued by governmental schools in the UAE.
Is Equivalency required for graduates of government schools in the UAE?
Equivalency is not required for graduates of government schools in the UAE.
What is the importance of Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate for admission to universities?
Providing Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate of students
(graduates of private schools inside the UAE and graduates of private or public schools outside the UAE) is a MANDATORY requirement for admission to diploma, higher diploma and bachelor degree programs in public and private universities licensed by the Ministry.
If a student does not satisfy the criteria for Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate, does he/she lose their opportunity of admission to universities?
A student who does not satisfy the criteria for Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate, DOES NOT lose their opportunity for admission to universities. In such cases, the university can grant the student conditional admission, provided that the student submits a Letter of No Objection to Conditional Admission issued by the Ministry.
What is Conditional Admission?
It is an admission granted by the University to study in one of its programs, and the admission is conditional on achieving certain conditions during a specific period. In the event that the student does not fulfill these conditions in the specified period, the University may cancel the conditional admission and not allow the student to progress further in their studies.
What is a No Objection Letter for Conditional Admission?
It is a letter issued by the Ministry to the student and addressed to the University. This letter indicates that the Ministry has no objection for the University to Conditionally Admit the student for a specific period, and that this Conditional Admission can be converted to Final Admission provided that the student fulfills certain conditions during or before the end of the Conditional Admission Period. The conditions are usually for the student to achieve one of the following:
Pass the Emirates Standard Test (EMSAT) in one or more subjects
Or pass Preparatory Courses at the University
How can the student get a No Objection Letter for Conditional Admission? and is there a specific time period for that?
The student needs to apply to the “General Education Certificate Equivalency Request (for the 12th grade)” service on the Ministry’s website.
The application is processed by the Ministry and the student is accordingly issued with:
Either an Equivalency in the event that all conditions of the Equivalency are met.
Or a Letter of No Objection for Conditional Admission in the event that one or more conditions of Equivalency are not met.
Note that there is no specific time period for application, and the student can apply at any time after completing secondary school studies (in private schools inside the UAE and private or government schools outside the UAE).
Does the possibility of Conditionally Admitting students provides exemption from EMSAT requirements for admission to Universities?
The possibility of Conditionally Admitting students does not mean that the EMSAT requirements for admission to universities are eliminated. It is to be emphasized that Letters of No Objection for Conditional Admission are only issued to exempt a student from providing Equivalency for Secondary School Certificate. Admission to universities has other criteria and requirements besides equivalency, and these may include EmSAT scores in certain subjects, according to the approved admission requirements of each university.
Is the Letter of No Objection for Conditional Admission, binding for University to admit a given student?
The main purpose of a Letter of No Objection for Conditional Admission is to temporarily exempt the student from providing an Equivalency for Secondary School Certificate. This letter DOES NOT oblige the University to admit the student, as each University has other admission requirements that may not apply to the student. In all cases, the decision to accept or reject the admission of a student is a decision for the University and the Ministry does not interfere in such decisions.
What are Preparatory Courses?
They are courses that the student registers at the University to fill any gaps he/she has in satisfying the criteria for Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate. Preparatory Courses should not be counted towards graduation from the University, and should not be included in calculating the student’s cumulative grade point average (CGPA).
Is it allowed for a student to register for courses other than Preparatory Courses during the Conditional Admission Period?
Yes, during the Conditional Admission Period, a student can register for courses other than Preparatory Courses, provided that the total credit hours of Preparatory and Non-Preparatory Courses do not exceed the maximum load allowed by the University.
What are the responsibilities of the University during the Conditional Admission Period?
In the case of Admission Conditional on Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate, the University is responsible for the following:
Registering the student in the specified Preparatory Courses during the Period stipulated in the Letter of No Objection for Conditional Admission issued by the Ministry.
Not counting Preparatory Courses towards graduation requirements and not including them in calculating the cumulative grade point average (CGPA).
Allowing the student to register for other (non-preparatory) courses within the maximum load allowed by the University.
Providing the Ministry at the beginning and end of each semester with a report on the students who have been granted Admission Conditional on Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate.
Does the University need to take approval from the Ministry before converting a student’s admission from Conditional Admission to Final Admission?
The university DOES NOT need to take approval from the Ministry before converting a student’s admission from a Conditional Admission to a Final Admission. However, the University must provide the Ministry with a report on this at the beginning and end of each semester.
Are conditional Admission procedures applicable to new or continuing University students?
Conditional Admission procedures and the procedures for converting Conditional Admission to Final Admission are applicable to both new university students as well as to continuing students from previous years.
Are the same Conditional Admission procedures applicable to students studying in Universities outside the UAE?
Yes. A Letter of No Objection for Conditional Admission can be issued to students planning to study at Universities outside the UAE. The student is then granted an Equivalency if he/she successfully passes the Preparatory Courses or passes the required credit hours in his/her major at a recognized University outside the UAE.