Check Your IBCC QR Equivalence Certificate: No Extra Attestation Needed in Pakistan
IBCC says QR-coded equivalence certificates issued from 2023 need no further attestation. See how to verify yours on the IBCC page and what to tell a university
Short answer: An IBCC equivalence certificate with a QR code, issued from 2023 onwards, needs no further attestation from IBCC. Anyone who wants to confirm it can scan the QR code or enter the sticker code at IBCC's own verification page. IBCC notified this on 30 March 2026.
A student gets an equivalence certificate for A Levels, then a university clerk says "bring it back for attestation". The student loses a week and pays again. IBCC has now put in writing that this should not happen for QR-coded certificates.
We read the IBCC notice on its website and then opened its digital verification page. The rule is short, and it helps students applying to universities, to PMDC and to PEC.
IBCC says QR-coded certificates from 2023 need no more attestation
IBCC notified on 30 March 2026 that QR-coded equivalence certificates issued since 2023 do not require any further attestation by IBCC. Institutions may accept them, and confirm them by scanning the QR code. No extra IBCC verification can be demanded from the student.
The notification is addressed to the Higher Education Commission, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and the Pakistan Engineering Council. IBCC asked HEC to pass it on to all public and private universities and degree-awarding institutions.
IBCC gave a reason. A Senate standing committee on national health services, regulations and coordination met on 5 January 2026 and recommended that IBCC tell all stakeholders this in writing. The notice follows that recommendation.
| Question | What the IBCC notification says |
|---|---|
| Which certificates | QR-coded equivalence certificates issued by IBCC from 2023 onwards |
| Is extra attestation needed | No, none from IBCC |
| How is it confirmed | By scanning the QR code, which opens the official IBCC verification page |
| Who must follow it | All concerned authorities, including universities, PMDC and PEC |
| Date of notification | 30 March 2026 |
How to check a certificate on the IBCC verification page
Open the IBCC digital equivalence verification page, enter the sticker code or the application ID printed on the certificate, and press Verify. You can also scan the QR code with a phone camera. The page then shows the document details held by IBCC.
- Find the QR code, the sticker code or the application ID on your certificate.
- Open equivalence.ibcc.edu.pk/verification.php in a browser, or scan the QR code with your phone.
- Type the sticker code or the application ID into the box and press Verify.
- Read the record that appears. The page is built to show the serial number and the type of document, SSC or HSSC.
- Compare the name and the details with your paper certificate.
We opened the page ourselves. It asks for a sticker code or application ID, or a QR scan, and it prints "Record Not Found" when nothing matches. We did not run a real record, because we hold no certificate to test, so we cannot describe the full result screen.
What to say when a university asks for attestation anyway
Show the clerk the IBCC notification dated 30 March 2026 and let them scan the QR code. If the record opens on IBCC's page, the certificate is verified. Ask for the request in writing if they still insist, then write to IBCC.
Be calm and specific. The notification says no additional attestation or verification from IBCC shall be required from applicants or students for such certificates. It asks all concerned authorities to follow it "in letter and spirit". That wording is IBCC's, and the university can test it in seconds by scanning the code.
Keep a printout of the notice with your admission file. Admission offices change staff often, and the paper settles the argument faster than a phone call.
Certificates without a QR code still follow the older route
The notification covers QR-coded certificates issued from 2023 onwards. A certificate from before 2023, or one with no QR code, is not covered by this sentence. IBCC's own attestation service and equivalence service are separate and still operate.
If your certificate is older, read how equivalence and the grade conversion work in how IBCC converts O and A Level grades. For a matric or inter certificate from a Pakistani board, the process is in attesting matric and inter certificates at IBCC.
Note one more limit. The notice speaks about IBCC attestation only. It does not say what an embassy, a foreign university or another country's office will accept. Those bodies set their own rules, and we have not read them.
| Your document | Is extra IBCC attestation needed |
|---|---|
| QR-coded equivalence certificate issued 2023 or later | No, per the 30 March 2026 notification |
| Equivalence certificate issued before 2023 | The notification does not cover it, ask IBCC |
| Certificate with no QR code | The notification does not cover it, ask IBCC |
| Use abroad, at an embassy | Not covered, check the receiving office |
Who to contact if the record is not found
If the page shows "Record Not Found", check each digit of the code first. Then write to IBCC at the verification email shown on the page, or call the number on its website. A real certificate should be found.
The verification page lists the email verification@ibcc.edu.pk and the head office address at Plot 25, Street 38, G-10/4, Islamabad. The IBCC website shows its help line as (051) 111 114 222. The site lists office hours in two different ways on different pages, so call ahead before you travel.
A fake certificate will not open a record. If a university or an agent hands you a paper that fails the check, do not use it. Report it to IBCC. For safety around agents more generally, see how to check a study abroad agent in Pakistan.
Common questions
Does a QR-coded IBCC equivalence certificate need attestation?
No. IBCC's notification of 30 March 2026 says QR-coded certificates issued from 2023 onwards need no further attestation by IBCC.
Where do I verify an IBCC equivalence certificate?
Use IBCC's digital equivalence verification page at equivalence.ibcc.edu.pk/verification.php. Enter the sticker code or application ID, or scan the QR code.
Is a certificate issued in 2022 covered?
The notification names certificates issued from 2023 onwards. A 2022 certificate is not covered by its wording, so ask IBCC what applies.
Can a university refuse the QR certificate?
IBCC asked all concerned authorities to comply with its notification. If a university refuses, ask for the refusal in writing and take it to IBCC.
Will a foreign embassy accept it without attestation?
We do not know. The notification covers IBCC's own attestation only, and an embassy sets its own rules.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on Sunday 11 October 2026. We read the IBCC public notice on verification of QR-coded equivalence certificates, posted on its website on 23 June 2026 and dated 30 March 2026, and opened the IBCC digital verification page. We did not run a live record. Rules and contacts may change, so confirm with IBCC.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
