The UK is one of the best destinations in the world for higher education. With a number of world-class universities, the oldest and most prestigious institutes for higher education that have always been at the forefront of mankind's evolution. As such, the UK presents itself as a beacon of academic excellence, offering degrees and programmes in a number of disciplines, all offering the same academic fidelity and the prestige of a British education. As far as education is concerned, the UK still upholds itself as an excellent example of academic gold-standard.
However, as for foreign degrees and their acceptance in Pakistan, this is something that is still very much a source of confusion for many students, since they don't seem to understand the concept of equivalence and struggle with the processes and the requirements needed for a foreign degree, especially from the UK, to be recognised by the premier higher education body in Pakistan. In this blog post, we will discuss UK degrees and their recognition by the Higher Education Commission or HEC in Pakistan, whether or not they are recognised in our country, and how does the process of equivalence goes for students wishing to pursue another academic journey in their home country.
As the number of students who go abroad for education increases considerably, Pakistani authorities, especially the HEC, in the more recent years, has been inundated with requests for degree recognition or equivalence. Therefore, HEC has now put in place a specific process that needs to be followed by students in order to get equivalence of HEC recognition for their UK degree. Whether it's for further education in Pakistan, an employment requirement or for any other purpose, it is crucial that your foreign-earned degree be recognised by HEC in Pakistan; failure to do so will make the applicant ineligible for admission in Pakistani varsities, and will also make them ineligible for government or private service within the country.
So, what exactly is this process? Well, for starters, it is important to note here that UK degrees from certain institutions are recognised by the HEC, however, it is important for graduates of certain universities of the UK to have their degrees recognised by HEC. Depending on the degree type, the institution or university and the criteria that HEC has for equivalence, the following recognition process can help students gain equivalence for their foreign-earned degree.
The first step involves the HEC in their assessment of the foreign degree, and for its equivalence with Pakistani degrees. It is important to note here that HEC actually has a list of recognised universities, including institutions that collaborate with local universities or colleges like Beaconhouse International College, which are already recognised as being equivalent to their Pakistani counterparts.
If your varsity is not on this list, you may apply online through the HEC website, submitting the necessary documentation as well as processing fee to cover the equivalence costs by HEC.
HEC will then verify the degree, attesting to its authenticity and its veracity, evaluating the equivalence of the degree to its corresponding programmes and degrees offered in universities across Pakistan.
Once the HEC has successfully verified and established equivalence for the degree, the HEC will issue an official certificate of equivalence, to be used by any public or private department within the country.
Several degree transfer programmes, like those offered by Beaconhouse International College, and professional degrees like ACCA and accounting are recognised by the HEC, under specific conditions, making it easier for students to work or study in Pakistan.
With its foreign-affiliated programmes and HEC recognition, Beaconhouse International College offers students the chance to earn globally respected degrees while studying in Pakistan, with the option to transfer abroad. Begin your journey toward academic success today.