About evaluation of foreign qualifications

If you have foreign qualifications and wish to attend a South African educational institution or to work in South Africa, you might have to apply to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) to have your qualifications evaluated.

When you apply for either a quota or a general work permit in South Africa, immigration policy requires you to submit a SAQA certificate of evaluation as part of your application.

If you wish to attend a South African educational institution, you will need SAQA to evaluate your qualification if the institution you have applied to requires you to do so. Professional bodies may also require you to get a SAQA evaluation of your foreign qualification before you are allowed to practice your profession.

Other than that the evaluation service is not compulsory and serves to advice on the level that foreign qualifications should be recognised at.

This service is offered by the Directorate of Foreign Qualifications Evaluation and Advisory Services (DFQEAS) at SAQA.
  
Note: To apply for the evaluation of foreign qualifications, study the procedural guidelines and tariff structure contained in the application form.

What you should do

• Obtain the application form from SAQA offices, or download it from SAQA website or complete your application on-line (recommended).
• Complete all the sections of the application form.
• Ensure that proof of the necessary payment (always to be made in ZAR currency) accompanies the application.
• Provide legible and certified true copies of all documents required.
• Provide a copy of a legitimate identification document
  

Certificates in foreign languages must be accompanied by sworn translations into English.

Note: SAQA needs both the document in the original language and the sworn translation.

How long does it take

• Normal application: 30 working days.
• Urgent application: 20 working days.
• Priority application: 10 working days.
• Special application: 48 hours (send a notification to specialrequests@saqa.org.za)
  

How much does it cost

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES	NEW TARIIF
Application fee (first and further applications) - processing: 30 working days	R440
Fast-tracking for 20 working day turn around	+R220 (Total R660)
Fast-tracking for 10 working day turn around	+ R440 (Total R880)
Copies of certificates (requested with applications)	R50 each Only for third parties; postage included
Replacement certificate (issued once only; thereafter new application)	Issued before 1 June 2010: R200 Issued from 1 June 2010 onwards: R100
Certified statements (standard processing time: 10 working days)	R440
Fee for appeals (fully refundable in the of case of successful appeals)	R440
HANDLING FEES
Bank charges: currency conversion	Foreign currency no longer accepted
Admin cost refund:	R40
Bank charges: international refunds	R210
Cancellation fee	R145
Reactivation fee (to reactivate incomplete applications, or for special requests such as copies or changes not as a result of oversight by SAQA	R65
POSTAGE FEES (in line with Postnet fees as on 1 April)
Traceable mail: SA	R45
Traceable mail: SADC	R95 (Africa)
Traceable mail: international (other)	R115
Copies to third parties	Included in cost of copy (traceable)
VERIFICATION FEES
SAQA Certificates (verification agencies)	R10 admin fee per case + R65 for report
Qualification documents (Public Service: high level appointment)	R65 per information source contacted + fees charged by information source

Forms to complete

(Forms are provided in PDF format. To open PDF documents, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader 4 or higher installed on your computer.)

Evaluation of foreign qualifications

Alternatively you can follow the link to complete your application on-line (recommended).

Note, however, that a printout of the on-line application still needs to be submitted together with hard copies of the qualification documents, the id and proof of payment.

A paper based application is required due to the fact that scanned qualification documents cannot be accepted for evaluation purposes.

Who to contact

Contact Centre: 012 431 5070
Email: ceeq@saqa.org.za