Quick answer, verified 8 September 2026 against SAQA's tariff notices: most South Africans going abroad do not need a SAQA evaluation. Evaluation is for qualifications earned outside South Africa, and costs R2,361. Confirming that your South African qualification is genuine is verification, from R168.
| What you need | Which SAQA service | 2026/27 fee |
|---|---|---|
| Prove your SA qualification is genuine | Verification of national qualifications | from R168 |
| A formal SAQA letter confirming it | Verification letter | R713 |
| See your own NQF record | Extract from the NLRD | Free |
| Get a foreign qualification recognised in SA | Evaluation of foreign qualifications | R2,361 |
Verification or evaluation — which one do you need?
This is the part that saves money, and it is where most people go wrong.
SAQA evaluation assesses a qualification issued outside South Africa and compares it to the South African National Qualifications Framework, producing a SAQA Certificate of Evaluation. It exists for people bringing an overseas qualification into South Africa — for a work visa here, or to study here. If you studied in South Africa, there is nothing for SAQA to evaluate: your qualification is already on the NQF.
SAQA verification confirms that a South African qualification is genuine, by checking it against the National Learners' Records Database (NLRD). This is the service that applies when a foreign employer, regulator or immigration authority wants proof that your South African degree, diploma or matric is real.
SAQA takes the confusion seriously enough that its own tariff notice carries a refund clause for applicants who paid for the evaluation of a foreign qualification when they actually wanted a national verification. At a ~R2,200 difference, it is worth getting right first time.
SAQA verification fees (2026/27)
For a South African qualification. Individual records, effective 1 April 2026.
| Service | Turnaround | 2026/27 | 2027/28 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tertiary qualification, no fieldwork | Standard, 6–25 working days | R168 | R175 |
| Tertiary qualification, no fieldwork | Special, 3–5 working days | R328 | R340 |
| Tertiary qualification, no fieldwork | Extra, up to 2 working days | R655 | R681 |
| Tertiary qualification, with fieldwork | Standard, 6–25 working days | R526 | R547 |
| Senior Certificate (matric) after 1992 | Standard, 6–25 working days | R93 | R96 |
| Senior Certificate before 1992 (archived) | Standard, 6–25 working days | R177 | R184 |
| Verification letter from SAQA | Standard, 6–25 working days | R713 | R742 |
| Re-issue or confirmation of that letter | Standard, 6–25 working days | R116 | R121 |
| If your record is not found | — | R82 | R85 |
| Extract from the NLRD | Standard, 6–25 working days | No charge | No charge |
Two lines are worth knowing about. The R713 verification letter is usually the document a foreign body means when it asks for "SAQA confirmation" in writing. And an extract from the NLRD is free — if you only want to see what SAQA holds on you before deciding anything, that costs nothing. Request it from SAQA's verifications team with a certified copy of your ID and a consent form.
Appeals, if a verification result is wrong: R409 per record for a review, and R1,230 to appeal a decision after a review has been made.
SAQA evaluation fees (2026/27)
For a qualification earned outside South Africa. Effective 1 April 2026.
| Service | 2026/27 | 2027/28 |
|---|---|---|
| First qualification | R2,361 | R2,455 |
| Each additional qualification submitted with the first | R988 | R1,028 |
| Verification of a foreign qualification only | R1,038 (not implemented yet) | R1,080 |
| Appeal — stage 1, per qualification | R2,558 | R2,661 |
| Appeal — stage 2, per qualification | R3,838 | R3,991 |
| Correction to a SAQA Certificate of Evaluation | R114 | R119 |
| Re-issue of the certificate | R146 | R151 |
| Advice on the status of a foreign institution | R468 | R487 |
These fees are non-refundable, including where SAQA screens an application as non-compliant — you get 30 calendar days to fix a non-compliant application, but the fee is already spent. Foreign awarding bodies sometimes charge SAQA to confirm an award is authentic, and that cost is passed on to you.
When do South Africans actually need SAQA at all?
Often, they do not. Many destinations rely on their own recognition body rather than SAQA:
- Nursing — the destination's nursing council (e.g. NMBI in Ireland, the NMC in the UK).
- Engineering — a professional engineering body or skills assessor.
- Trades — a national trades-recognition or skills-assessment authority.
- General skilled migration — the country's own credential-evaluation service.
Most of these verify your qualification directly with the institution that issued it, or through their own approved credential service, and never involve SAQA. So before you apply and pay, check exactly what your target country and profession ask for. Sometimes it is a SAQA verification letter, often it is a foreign body, and sometimes it is both.
We cannot tell you which applies to your specific route from this page — requirements differ by country, profession and even by employer. Confirm it with the destination regulator in writing before spending anything.
How to apply
Both services run through the SAQA website, but they are separate application paths with separate forms — start from the right one. In outline you submit your qualification documents (often certified, sometimes authenticated), complete the application, and pay the fee. SAQA then processes it and issues the result. Confirm the current document list and turnaround on the official site, as these change.
The most common and most expensive mistakes:
- Paying R2,361 for an evaluation when you needed a R168 verification. This is the big one.
- Paying SAQA at all when the destination actually wanted a different body's check.
- Submitting uncertified or unauthenticated documents (see our apostille & DIRCO guide).
- Starting too late, so credential checks become the bottleneck in your timeline.
Where this fits in your work-abroad plan
Credential recognition sits at the heart of skilled routes — nursing, engineering, trades, accounting. Get the requirement right for your specific country before spending. Start with the relevant pathway guide and a free eligibility check to confirm your route is realistic, and keep certified copies of every qualification document.