How to Verify Pakistani Degrees and University Credentials

Key takeaway

Pakistani universities must be recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan to award valid degrees. The HEC publishes a complete list of recognized universities and also maintains a degree attestation service that verifies individual credentials. Degrees from HEC-unrecognized institutions are not legally valid and will be rejected by Pakistani employers, immigration authorities, and international credential evaluators. Always verify through the HEC database before accepting a Pakistani degree.

Pakistan's higher education system

Pakistan has one of South Asia's largest higher education systems, with over 200 universities recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The system includes federal and provincial universities, private universities, and degree-awarding institutes (DAIs). Universities are spread across four provinces — Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Balochistan — plus the federal territories.

The HEC was established in 2002 and has authority over all degree-awarding institutions in Pakistan. The HEC recognizes universities, approves new degree programs, and runs a national degree verification service called the HEC Degree Attestation Scheme. This scheme is the primary tool for verifying Pakistani degrees both domestically and internationally.

Pakistani credentials are frequently presented for immigration, employment, and professional licensing outside Pakistan — particularly in the UAE, UK, Saudi Arabia, Canada, and the United States. Credential fraud affecting these markets includes both entirely fake institutions and forged documents from real ones.

Which database to use by credential type

University Degrees (Bachelor's, Master's, PhD)

First confirm the institution is HEC-recognized at hec.gov.pk under the "Universities & DAIs" section. Then use the HEC Online Degree Attestation service to verify individual degrees. The attestation service confirms whether a specific degree was actually awarded by the named institution. Both free and paid verification options exist.

Databases: HEC recognized universities · HEC degree attestation

Professional Certificates and Diplomas

Technical and vocational certificates in Pakistan are regulated by the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) at the provincial level and the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) at the federal level. Verify through NAVTTC for nationally recognized vocational credentials.

Database: NAVTTC

Secondary and Higher Secondary (Matric / Intermediate)

Pakistani secondary school results (Matriculation / SSC) and higher secondary results (Intermediate / HSSC) are issued by provincial Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISEs). Each province has multiple BISEs. For verification, contact the relevant BISE directly. The Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) handles international equivalence certificates for Pakistani secondary credentials.

Database: IBCC (equivalence certificates)

Foreign Degree Attestation (Pakistan-issued)

Pakistanis who studied abroad and then seek employment in Pakistan must have their foreign degrees attested by the HEC's Foreign Degree Attestation (FDA) process. Candidates presenting foreign degrees attested by the HEC have gone through a verification step — but this doesn't fully prevent fraud, as attestation can be forged.

Database: HEC Foreign Degree Attestation

Step-by-step: verifying a Pakistani credential

1

Confirm the institution is HEC-recognized

Go to hec.gov.pk and find the institution in the recognized universities list. Confirm the exact institutional name — similar names may indicate a fraudulent institution.
2

Run through VerifyED's diploma mill database

VerifyED's database includes Pakistani diploma mills and institutions that have operated outside HEC recognition. Cross-check the institution name before proceeding.
3

Use HEC Degree Attestation to verify the individual degree

Submit verification through hecdapc.gov.pk. The attestation service confirms whether the specific degree was actually issued. This is the most reliable verification method for Pakistani university credentials.
4

Contact the institution directly

For high-stakes roles, contact the university's Controller of Examinations or Registrar using official contact details from the HEC directory — not from the certificate. Pakistani universities increasingly provide online verification portals.
5

Use a credential evaluation service for immigration or academic purposes

For U.S. or Canadian immigration, graduate school, or professional licensing, use a NACES-member service such as WES (World Education Services). WES evaluates Pakistani credentials against North American equivalents and performs its own institutional verification.

Red flags specific to Pakistani credentials

Names that mimic well-known Pakistani universities

Fraudulent institutions frequently use names similar to legitimate ones. "University of Karachi Institute" vs. the real "University of Karachi," or "Lahore University of Management Sciences" (the real LUMS) vs. confusingly similar names. Always confirm the exact legal name in the HEC directory.

Degrees from private institutions not on the HEC list

Pakistan's private university sector has grown rapidly, and some institutions have operated or marketed degree programs before receiving HEC recognition. A private institution not on the HEC list — regardless of how official its campus or website appears — cannot legally award recognized degrees.

Forged HEC attestation stickers

Physical HEC attestation stickers and stamps can be forged. Never rely on physical documents alone — always verify through the HEC's online attestation database using the attestation number on the certificate.

Purchased degrees from real universities

Unlike some countries where fraud is primarily about fake institutions, Pakistan also has documented cases of purchased degrees from real, HEC-recognized universities. HEC attestation verifies the document — direct verification with the university registrar provides the highest confidence for significant hiring decisions.

Major HEC-recognized universities in Pakistan

Institution	Type	Location
University of Karachi	Public University	Karachi, Sindh
University of the Punjab	Public University	Lahore, Punjab
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)	Private University	Lahore, Punjab
National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST)	Public University	Islamabad
Quaid-i-Azam University	Public University	Islamabad
COMSATS University Islamabad	Public University	Islamabad (+ campuses)
University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore	Public Technical University	Lahore, Punjab

Verify Pakistani credentials in seconds

VerifyED's database includes Pakistani diploma mills and institutions that have operated outside HEC recognition. Cross-check any institution against 912,000+ schools and 2,500+ known fraudulent institutions.

Search VerifyED →