Government confirmation of your South African post-school qualification — for international employers, work visas and registration bodies abroad
A DHET confirmation letter is an official letter from the South African Department of Higher Education and Training confirming that your qualification was issued by a registered, accredited institution. Foreign employers, work visa adjudicators and professional registration bodies often require it — especially when the qualification is not from a top-tier university and additional government verification is needed. We procure the letter from DHET and apostille it through DIRCO. Total time: 5–9 weeks. From R1,650 (apostille) + DHET procurement.
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) regulates post-school education in South Africa. It maintains the official register of accredited public and private higher education institutions, TVET colleges and Skills Development Providers.
A DHET confirmation letter is an official letter, issued under DHET seal and signature, that confirms one of the following:
It is the document foreign authorities ask for when they want South African government confirmation rather than just an institutional transcript or a third-party evaluation.
This is the most common question. The two are different documents serving different purposes:
Some foreign authorities ask for both. Others only one. WhatsApp us your destination and we’ll confirm what you need.
We need certified copies of your ID, your original qualification certificate, your academic transcript, and a signed authorisation form. We compile and submit to DHET on your behalf.
DHET cross-references your qualification against its institutional and NQF registers, contacts the issuing institution if needed, and issues the confirmation letter under official seal.
The DHET letter is submitted to DIRCO for apostille, making it valid in all Hague Convention countries.
We courier the apostilled letter to you or directly to your foreign authority.
Going to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, China or another non-Hague country? Replace the DIRCO apostille step with full embassy attestation. We handle that chain too.
We process DHET letters weekly — for nurses, teachers, engineers, IT professionals and skilled trades heading abroad. Same-day quote, end-to-end handling.
| Document | What It Confirms | Issued By | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| DHET Confirmation Letter | Institution accredited and qualification registered | Department of Higher Education and Training | Foreign employers, immigration, regulator confirmation |
| SAQA Evaluation | Foreign equivalence of SA qualification | South African Qualifications Authority | Skilled visa points systems, university entry |
| Umalusi Letter | School-level (NSC, Matric) certification | Umalusi Council | Pre-tertiary qualifications |
| Institutional Transcript | Subjects studied and grades | The university or college itself | Companion document; not government-confirmed |
An official letter from the South African Department of Higher Education and Training confirming that a post-school qualification was issued by a registered, accredited institution. Used by foreign employers, immigration authorities and registration bodies that need government confirmation, separate from SAQA evaluation.
No. SAQA evaluates the foreign equivalence of your SA qualification. DHET confirms the qualification’s South African accreditation. Some foreign authorities require both. Check the requirement of your specific destination before applying.
DHET typically issues within 4–8 weeks. Apostille at DIRCO adds ~1 week. Total: 5–9 weeks.
Yes — provided the private college was registered with DHET at the time you completed the qualification. We verify registration status before lodging the application. If the college was unregistered, DHET will not issue confirmation and you should explore alternative routes (RPL, foreign re-qualification).
They are separate authorities and require separate applications, but we can run them in parallel and bundle the apostille step at the end. Saves time and money. Ask for a bundled quote.
The Campus, Bryanston
Gauteng 2021, South Africa
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