Qualification Translation and UK ENIC for UK Visa Applications

TL;DR

UK visas accept most foreign qualifications if you submit (a) the original certificate, (b) certified English translation if not in English, and (c) for some routes, a UK ENIC (formerly Ecctis) statement of comparability confirming UK-equivalence and English-medium teaching. Standard UK ENIC turnaround is 7-10 working days at £210.

When you need UK ENIC

You need a UK ENIC statement when:

• Skilled Worker with a non-UK degree being relied on for the role's qualification requirement
• Student with a non-UK qualification on the CAS as your admission credential, where the university hasn't confirmed equivalence
• Spouse / Family if relying on a non-UK degree for English-language exemption (degree-taught-in-English route)
• ILR if the English-language exemption is based on a non-UK degree

You don't need UK ENIC if:

• Your qualification is UK
• Your qualification is from a country with automatic recognition (USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, Ireland, Caribbean states)
• You're using a SELT (e.g. IELTS for UKVI) for English-language evidence
• The receiving university (Student visa) has confirmed equivalence on the CAS

What UK ENIC provides

Three statement types relevant for visa purposes:

For most UK visa purposes the £210 statement with English confirmation is what you need.

How to order

1. Visit the UK ENIC website
2. Create an account, fill in personal details
3. Choose the statement type
4. Upload high-quality colour scans of your degree certificate, transcript, and (if relevant) your medium-of-instruction letter
5. Pay the fee (card)
6. Wait — standard 7-10 working days; express 3 days

The statement is delivered as a PDF download. Print and keep a copy; the digital PDF is what you submit with your visa.

Translation requirements

If your degree certificate or transcript is not in English:

• Get a certified English translation from a professional translator (see our marriage certificate translation guide — the same rules apply)
• Submit the original + the translation as a pair
• The translator's signed certification page must accompany the translation

UK ENIC themselves accept non-English documents — they have in-house translators for major languages. You don't need a separate translation just for ordering UK ENIC. But the translation is required for the visa application itself.

Common issues

• Late ordering — UK ENIC takes a week minimum; many applicants discover the requirement at the last minute
• Wrong statement type — ordering Statement of Comparability without English confirmation, then needing to re-order with English
• Old qualification — UK ENIC will assess any qualification but very old or unusual ones (older than 30 years, from now-defunct institutions) may need additional documentation
• Mismatched name — your name on the qualification must match your passport. If different (e.g. married name vs maiden), include legal name-change documentation
• Photocopy quality — UK ENIC needs high-quality colour scans; black-and-white photocopies are sometimes refused

Sample bundle for the qualification

For a Skilled Worker applicant relying on an Indian Master's degree:

1. Original Master's degree certificate (Hindi/regional language + English in many cases — confirms English suffices) → no translation if bilingual
2. Original transcript / mark sheets → certified translation if not in English
3. Medium of instruction letter from the university → certified translation if not in English
4. UK ENIC Statement of Comparability with English confirmation
5. Bachelor's degree certificate → if listed on CoS as a prior credential

Use our Bundler to merge these in the canonical UKVI order — qualifications go in the "Qualifications & English" category. Run the Checklist generator for your specific route to confirm what qualification evidence is needed.