Government verification of your South African Matric, NSC, IEB or Senior Certificate — for foreign universities, work visas and employment abroad
An Umalusi verification letter is an official letter from Umalusi confirming that your South African school-leaving certificate (Matric, NSC, Senior Certificate, IEB, NCV or N3) was issued by an Umalusi-registered assessment body and is genuine. We apostille your Umalusi verification letter through DIRCO so it is accepted abroad. From R1,650.
Don't have the original document yet? Ask us — we'll talk you through your options.
Umalusi (the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training) is the statutory South African body that quality-assures school-level qualifications. It is the equivalent of an exam board / school qualifications regulator.
Umalusi accredits the assessment bodies that issue Matric and other school-leaving certificates — the Department of Basic Education (DBE) for the National Senior Certificate (NSC), the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) for the IEB Senior Certificate, and SACAI for some private candidates. It also accredits private schools, TVET colleges (for NCV and N3) and ABET providers.
| Qualification | Years Issued | Issuing Body |
|---|---|---|
| National Senior Certificate (NSC) | 2008–present | Department of Basic Education (DBE) |
| IEB Senior Certificate | 2008–present | Independent Examinations Board |
| SACAI Senior Certificate | 2014–present | South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute |
| Senior Certificate (old Matric) | 1992–2007 | Provincial Departments of Education |
| NCV (National Certificate Vocational) Levels 2–4 | 2007–present | TVET colleges |
| GETC ABET Level 4 | 1995–present | Adult education centres |
| N3 (NATED) | Various | TVET colleges |
Send us your existing Umalusi verification letter along with a certified copy of your ID. We check it is in order for apostille and confirm your destination country's requirements.
Your Umalusi letter is submitted for apostille — DIRCO (~1 week) or the High Court (1-3 working days), both legally valid in Hague Convention countries.
The Umalusi 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.
Whether for a foreign university, work visa or trade qualification — an apostilled Umalusi verification letter is the missing piece many South Africans don’t realise they need until the application is rejected. We apostille Umalusi letters weekly. Same-day quote.
| Authority | Covers | Issued For |
|---|---|---|
| Umalusi | School-level (NSC, IEB, SC, NCV, N3, GETC) | NQF Level 1–4 qualifications |
| DHET | Post-school (degrees, diplomas, occupational) | NQF Level 4–10 |
| SAQA | Foreign equivalence of any qualification | Where foreign system needs equivalence comparison |
Need more than one? If you hold more than one of these letters, we apostille DHET, SAQA and Umalusi letters in a single submission to save time and money. Ask for a bundled quote.
An official letter from Umalusi confirming your South African school-leaving certificate is genuine and was issued by an Umalusi-registered assessment body (DBE for NSC, IEB for IEB SC, etc).
NSC (current Matric, post-2008), IEB and SACAI Senior Certificates, the older Senior Certificate (pre-2008), NCV Levels 2–4, GETC ABET Level 4, and N3. Umalusi does not cover post-school qualifications (those go to DHET).
Foreign universities, immigration authorities and employers often require government confirmation that your Matric is genuine. The certificate itself was issued by a provincial Department of Education or assessment body — the Umalusi letter is the national-level government confirmation foreign authorities understand.
Once we have your Umalusi verification letter, apostille at DIRCO takes ~1 week, or 1–3 working days via the High Court. We then courier the apostilled letter to you or directly to your foreign authority.
Yes — an Umalusi verification letter confirms the certificate, not the school, so it remains valid for apostille even where the original school has closed or merged. Ask us if you're unsure about your letter.
Umalusi was established in 2002 and primarily certifies post-1996 qualifications. For older certificates (pre-1996 or apartheid-era certificates from former homelands), an Umalusi confirmation letter is sometimes available through the historical archive, and we apostille any valid Umalusi letter you hold. WhatsApp us your situation.
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Gauteng 2021, South Africa
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