1. What equivalence means
Educational equivalence (समकक्षता) is an official decision that a qualification issued by another board, technical institution or university corresponds to a recognised Nepali education level or award. It is commonly needed for admission, employment, professional registration and processes such as a study-abroad NOC.
3. Prepare the common documents
Your preparation
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Arrange scans with Image to PDF, combine files using Merge PDF, and reduce the final upload withCompress PDF. For TU, the final ordered PDF must be no larger than 5 MB.
4. Grade 10 and Grade 12 — Government CDC LOE
Apply through the official LOE portal. The online steps are registration/profile → document application → admin verification → online payment or electronic voucher → office collection.
Current government CDC LOE registration asks for name, email, mobile and password.
Enter the applicant name consistently with the foreign certificate and identity documents.
Use working contact details for account verification, application updates and recovery.
Complete the profile before starting the Grade 10/12 LOE application.
Payment and collection
- Approved board: NPR 1,000.
- New board: NPR 1,500.
- Pay only after the application is verified.
- Take all original documents, photocopies and the paid voucher/payment proof to CDC Sanothimi.
- The current official FAQ says the applicant must appear personally for verification and certificate collection.
5. Technical Diploma, PCL and Pre-Diploma — CTEVT
Use the official CTEVT equivalence portal. First search its list of foreign programmes. If your programme already has a decision, follow that recognised route; otherwise the qualification needs review.
Current CTEVT equivalence registration asks for name, email and password.
Register with your real name and a working email, then use the portal login for application tracking.
Search the public programme list before applying. A previously decided programme follows a simpler path than a new programme.
Fee and decision process
- Current online application fee: NPR 2,500.
- Current portal notice lists ConnectIPS and Khalti for online payment.
- Process: online application → documents → verification → committee decision → certificate issuance.
- CTEVT states that a normal case may finish within the published service time, while a new programme decision can take approximately two months.
6. Bachelor and higher degrees — TU CDC
Register through TU CDC’s official portal. Activate the email link, log in, create a new equivalence application and determine whether the degree is regular or procedural.
Current TU CDC registration asks for name, email, password and email-link activation.
Register using your real name and active email. Check Spam/Junk if the activation link is not in the inbox.
After activation and login, begin a new application and choose the foreign university, degree and level accurately.
Regular equivalence
Use this when TU CDC previously equated the same university and qualification. Current fee: NPR 1,000. TU states that a complete application can receive the equivalence letter within three working days.
Procedural equivalence
A new university or qualification is sent to the relevant dean for an academic opinion and then to the recognition/equivalence committee. Current fee: NPR 4,000. TU estimates roughly one month, depending on the dean’s response and committee decision.
These documents support dean review and the recognition/equivalence committee decision.
Provide full subject/module content, credit or hour structure and assessment—not only course titles.
Include the thesis, dissertation, research paper or project work relevant to the programme.
Provide official programme and institutional information.
Include proof that the university is recognised by the country's UGC, higher education council or responsible authority.
Prepare admission, registration, supervision, progress, proposal defence, viva and certified thesis evidence specified by TU CDC.
7. How to arrange the TU PDF
- Target degree certificate or valid provisional certificate.
- Target degree transcript and complete marksheets.
- Previous-level degree/certificate and transcript.
- Character certificate.
- Passport, visa and translation where applicable.
- Procedural-review documents such as syllabus and accreditation last.
Combine everything into one PDF, maximum 5 MB. TU says bachelor, master, MPhil and PhD applicants normally do not need SLC documents; use the immediate entry qualification instead. Older IA/IEd/ISc/ICom equivalence can be an exception.
8. Payment, verification and collection
- School LOE: pay after admin verification, then visit Sanothimi with originals, photocopies and proof of payment.
- CTEVT: pay through the portal and follow the application status/collection instruction after committee decision.
- TU CDC: send the application, pay the displayed fee online through eSewa or Khalti, and contact the Kirtipur office with identification to receive the certificate.
9. Common reasons for delay or rejection
- Applying to TU for Grade 12 or a technical Diploma/PCL.
- Selecting the teaching college instead of the awarding board/university.
- Missing the previous-level entry qualification or its equivalence.
- Uploading photocopy scans that are dark, cropped or unreadable.
- Submitting separate TU files instead of one ordered PDF under 5 MB.
- Providing only a short subject list instead of a detailed syllabus for a new programme.
- Missing accreditation, affiliation, passport/visa or authorised translation.
- Paying before confirming whether the board/programme is regular or new.
10. After you receive equivalence
Check your name, institution, qualification, level and decision immediately. Keep the original letter and a private digital scan. Use it with the relevant admission, employment, professional registration or Nepal NOC application.
Frequently asked questions
Which office issues educational equivalence in Nepal?
The authority depends on the level. Government Curriculum Development Centre handles Grade 10 and Grade 12 through the LOE portal; CTEVT handles technical Pre-Diploma, Diploma and PCL qualifications; Tribhuvan University Curriculum Development Centre handles bachelor, master, MPhil and PhD equivalence.
How much does Grade 10 or Grade 12 equivalence cost?
The current government CDC LOE FAQ lists NPR 1,000 for an approved board and NPR 1,500 for a new board. Pay only after application verification using the portal's payment or voucher instructions.
How much does CTEVT equivalence cost?
CTEVT's current official equivalence notice lists an online application fee of NPR 2,500, payable through ConnectIPS or Khalti. Use the live portal amount if it changes.
How much does TU equivalence cost?
TU CDC lists NPR 1,000 for regular equivalence where the university and qualification were previously equated, and NPR 4,000 for procedural equivalence involving a new university or qualification. The online system shows the payable amount before eSewa/Khalti payment, and paid fees are non-refundable.
How long does TU equivalence take?
TU CDC states that a complete regular application can receive the equivalence letter within three working days. A procedural application requiring dean and committee review takes approximately one month, but timing depends on receiving a positive review and complete documents.
Do I need notarized copies for TU equivalence?
TU CDC's current FAQ says applicants should scan clear original certificates and normally do not need notarization or a handwritten “true copy” statement. Follow a case-specific request if TU later asks for additional verification.
What is the entry qualification?
It is the academic level immediately below the degree being equated: Grade 12 for bachelor, bachelor for master, and master for MPhil or PhD. TU requires these lower-level records in the application.
Can I apply completely online and receive the certificate at home?
No universal home-delivery process is published. Government CDC requires the applicant to visit Sanothimi with originals, photocopies and payment proof. TU CDC asks applicants to contact its office with identification to receive the certificate. CTEVT's online process ends with certificate issuance, but follow the portal's current collection instruction.
What if my university, board or programme is not listed?
Use the new board/programme or procedural-equivalence route. It generally requires a detailed syllabus, institutional recognition/accreditation, prospectus and sometimes thesis/project evidence, followed by committee review.
Why is lower-level equivalence sometimes required?
If the entry qualification was earned from another foreign or non-TU/non-NEB institution, the higher-level authority may require that lower qualification to be equated first. This establishes the entry eligibility for the degree being reviewed.