There are plenty of reasons to ask for a second official copy of your qualification: your original is with an employer, you need one copy for attestation and another for your files, or the original was damaged over the years. Whatever the reason, knowing how to request a duplicate academic certificate saves you from repeated trips to your old institution.
This guide explains what a duplicate academic certificate is, who issues it, the standard request procedure at schools, boards, and universities, and what UAE residents need to know about getting duplicates attested and recognized locally.
Quick Answer
To request a duplicate academic certificate, apply to the institution or examination board that issued the original — usually through their registrar’s office or online portal — providing your identity documents, enrollment details, and the reason for the request, then pay the duplicate-issuance fee. The duplicate is an official reprint with full legal validity and can be attested for UAE use like the original.
What a Duplicate Academic Certificate Is (and Isn’t)
A duplicate certificate is an official reprint of your original qualification, issued by the same authority, carrying the same grades and details, and stamped or marked “duplicate” so it can be distinguished from the first print. It is not a photocopy, not a transcript, and not a letter confirming your studies — each of those is a different document with different uses:
- Duplicate certificate: the qualification itself, reprinted — used for jobs, visas, and attestation.
- Transcript / mark sheet: a detailed breakdown of subjects and grades — often requested alongside the certificate.
- Certified copy: a photocopy stamped as a true copy by a notary or the institution — useful for records, but not accepted for attestation in place of an original or duplicate.
If what you actually need is the detailed grade record rather than the certificate itself, read how to request a student transcript — and if your original was lost rather than simply unavailable, our guide on replacing a lost educational certificate covers the loss-report steps that apply in that case.
How to Request a Duplicate Academic Certificate: The Standard Process
1. Identify the issuing authority
For university degrees and diplomas, this is the university’s registrar or examinations office. For school certificates, it is usually the examination board (for example, a national board or an international board’s regional office), not the school you attended — though your old school can tell you exactly where to apply. If your certificate came from a UAE private school, the regulator for your emirate (KHDA in Dubai, ADEK in Abu Dhabi, and the Ministry of Education elsewhere) is part of the chain, and the school can issue digital copies through integrated government channels.
2. Check whether the process is online
Many universities and several large boards now handle duplicate requests through online portals: you create an account, fill in the duplicate-certificate form, upload scans of your ID and any surviving documents, and pay by card. The UAE Ministry of Education has been digitizing certificate services aggressively — it launched an automated attestation e-service that verifies higher-education certificates in under an hour, and school certificate issuance for public education is similarly integrated with attestation through digital channels.
If there is no portal, apply by email or in person at the registrar’s office. A short, formal request letter stating your name, program, year of passing, and reason for the duplicate usually suffices.
3. Prepare your documents
Most institutions ask for:
- A completed duplicate-certificate application form
- Copy of your passport or national ID
- Your roll number, registration number, or student ID and year of passing
- A copy of the original certificate, if you have one
- A police report or affidavit of loss, if the original was lost or destroyed
- Fee payment receipt
4. Pay the fee and submit
Duplicate-issuance fees vary widely between institutions and countries — some charge a nominal administrative fee, others charge significantly more for urgent processing. Check the institution’s official website or fee schedule for current figures rather than relying on secondhand information. Submit the application, keep the reference or tracking number, and note the stated processing time.
5. Receive and verify the duplicate
When the duplicate arrives, check every detail immediately: your name spelling, program name, grades, and dates. Errors on reprints happen, and they are far easier to fix at issuance than after attestation. For what to do if something is wrong, see how to correct an error on an academic certificate. If your personal details have changed since graduation (for example, after marriage), read how to update personal details on academic records before the reprint is produced.
Typical Timelines and What Affects Them
| Issuing authority | Typical processing time | What speeds it up |
|---|---|---|
| University with online portal | 2–4 weeks | Complete uploads, correct roll number, online payment |
| University without portal (manual) | 4–8 weeks | Applying in person or via an authorized representative |
| National examination board | 6–12 weeks | Applying outside results season; complete loss report |
| UAE school (digital issuance) | Days | Requesting through the school’s digital service channels |
These are planning ranges, not guarantees — always confirm the current timeline with the issuing office.
Getting a Duplicate Attested for Use in the UAE
A duplicate issued abroad must go through the same legalization chain as an original before UAE employers and authorities accept it:
- Attestation by the education authority in the issuing country
- Attestation by that country’s foreign ministry
- Attestation by the UAE embassy or consulate there
- Final attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE
The UAE government confirms that educational certificates must be authenticated in the country of origin and then attested for employment and residency procedures — see the official preparing-to-work guidance on u.ae. Our step-by-step UAE document attestation process guide walks through each stage, and academic certificate attestation explained covers the education-specific details, including Ministry of Education attestation for degrees.
If the duplicate is in a language other than English or Arabic, it will need a certified legal translation before or during attestation — check the UAE legal translation requirements so the translation is done by an accepted translator the first time.
Finally, some jobs and university admissions require the qualification to be formally recognized through an equivalency certificate from the Ministry of Education. The MoE’s equivalency service page lists the documents, fees, and processing times for general education certificates.
Requesting From Abroad: Practical Tips
- Use an authorized representative. A signed authorization letter plus copies of both IDs usually lets a family member apply and collect on your behalf.
- Keep digital backups. Scan the duplicate at high resolution and store it in cloud storage and email — losing both the original and the duplicate is an avoidable problem.
- Verify before attesting. If you need the duplicate verified by an employer or regulator, learn how to verify a graduation certificate so you can confirm what the other side will check.
- Plan for shipping. Boards often post duplicates to home-country addresses only; budget time and cost for international courier to the UAE.
- Avoid unofficial “express” agents. Apply through the institution’s own channels — third-party promises of faster issuance are a common source of the common academic document problems applicants run into.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is a duplicate certificate as valid as the original?
Yes. A duplicate issued by the original authority is an official document with the same legal standing as the first print. Employers, universities, and attestation offices in the UAE accept duplicates, provided they are signed and sealed by the issuing body.
Can I get a duplicate if I still have the original?
Usually yes — most institutions issue duplicates on request for a fee, without requiring the original to be lost. Valid reasons include keeping one copy for attestation while submitting another to an employer, or maintaining a backup. A few boards ask you to state the reason in writing.
How long does it take to get a duplicate academic certificate?
Universities with online systems typically take two to four weeks; manual or board-level processes can take six to twelve weeks. Applying outside peak results periods and submitting complete documents keeps you at the faster end of the range.
Will the duplicate say “duplicate” on it?
Most institutions stamp or print “DUPLICATE” on reissued certificates. This does not reduce its validity — it is simply how issuing authorities distinguish reprints from first prints, and attestation offices expect to see it.
Can I request a duplicate online from outside the country?
Often yes. Many universities and some boards accept online applications with scanned documents and card payment from anywhere in the world. The main limitation is delivery: some offices only post to domestic addresses, in which case have it sent to family and couriered to the UAE.
Does a duplicate need fresh attestation if my original was already attested?
Yes. Attestation is tied to the physical document that was stamped — a new duplicate is a new document and needs its own attestation chain. Keep your attested original safe so you rarely need this.
The Bottom Line
Requesting a duplicate academic certificate is straightforward: apply to the issuing institution or board with your ID, enrollment details, and fee, then attest the duplicate for UAE use if it was issued abroad. The biggest delays come from applying to the wrong authority and submitting incomplete documents — get those two things right and the process is mostly waiting. For the bigger picture of managing all your qualifications, see our complete academic records guide.
Last Updated: 8 October 2026
About the author: Zaviyar Sultan is a UAE-focused writer at Paxi, covering driving, visas, banking, insurance and everyday UAE life. His guides are researched from official UAE government and regulator sources and updated regularly.
Paxi is an independent informational website, not affiliated with the UAE government or any agency mentioned; content is general information only, not legal, immigration or financial advice; verify critical details with official sources before acting.