Kuwait warns: Expats and Kuwaitis must verify degrees by September 30 or face penalties

The Ministry of Higher Education in Kuwait has issued a strict deadline for Kuwaiti nationals and expatriates to verify their academic degrees by uploading the required documents on the official Ministry website. Acting Undersecretary Mohammad Al-Khalidi has called on all employees to complete this verification within one month from the circular's issuance date, with a final deadline set for September 30, 2025 for teaching and administrative staff in schools. Missing the deadline could lead to disciplinary actions.

TL;DR:

• All Kuwaiti and expat employees must upload copies of their academic qualifications plus Ministry of Higher Education equivalency certificates (if degrees are from abroad) by September 30, 2025.
  
  
  
• The verification process is completed electronically via the Ministry’s e-services portal, under the ‘My Academic Certificates’ section.
  
  
• Failure to meet the deadline may result in penalties or disciplinary measures as determined by relevant authorities.
  
  
  

Verification process and requirements
The Ministry has provided clear steps for degree verification. Employees should:

• Log in to the official Ministry of Higher Education portal or the relevant government e-services platform.
  
• Access the ‘Administrative Services’ section, then select ‘My Academic Certificates.’
  
• Upload scanned copies of academic certificates. For qualifications obtained outside Kuwait, an equivalency certificate issued by the Ministry of Higher Education must also be uploaded.
  
• Verify that previously uploaded documents are correct and up to date by revisiting the same portal and section.
  

The Ministry emphasizes uploading documents in PDF format and adhering to the deadline to avoid consequences.

Who must comply and deadlines
This requirement applies to both Kuwaiti nationals and expatriate workers who hold post-secondary academic qualifications. Specifically, all teaching and administrative staff in educational institutions have until September 30, 2025, to complete the upload and verification process. For certain government employees, the deadline may be earlier, within one month following the issuance of the circular.
The measure is part of Kuwait’s commitment to uphold academic integrity and maintain a reliable system of credential verification among public and private sector employees.

Importance and implications
Degree verification is critical to ensure authenticity and qualification validity within Kuwait’s workforce. This initiative supports fair employment practices and the integrity of academic credentials. The Ministry warned that failure to meet verification requirements could lead to administrative investigations, withholding of salary increments, or other disciplinary actions. Employers and employees alike are urged to cooperate fully and complete the required procedures within the stipulated deadlines

FAQ

• 1. Who needs to verify their degrees in Kuwait?
  All Kuwaiti nationals and expatriate employees, including teaching and administrative staff, must verify their academic credentials.
  
• 2. What is the deadline for verification?
  The final date for school staff to complete degree verification is September 30, 2025.
  
• 3. How is the verification done?
  Degrees and, if applicable, Ministry equivalency certificates must be uploaded via the Ministry of Higher Education’s online portal.
  
• 4. What happens if I miss the deadline?
  Missing the deadline may lead to disciplinary action, salary delays, or other penalties as determined by authorities.