MUSCAT – The Ministry highlighted the significance of ensuring that certificates submitted for equivalency meet international standards and are accredited by recognised educational authorities.
Requirements for the academic year 2025/2026.
According to the Ministry, the following conditions must be met for the equivalency of the High School Diploma for the 2025/2026 academic year:
- The school must obtain academic accreditation from an internationally accredited institution.
- The diploma must bear the official seal of the accrediting institution or, if issued in the United States, the seal of the State Board of Education.
- The original High School Diploma must be submitted along with the original grade transcripts for grades 9, 10, 11, and 12.
- Applicants must provide evidence of passing one of the approved standardised exams listed below:
o SAT I (Mathematics and English), with a minimum score of 400 points in each subject; or
o Advanced Placement (AP) exams in two subjects of the student’s choice, with a minimum score of 3 in each.
The Ministry clarified that this testing requirement does not apply to American schools operating inside or outside the Sultanate of Oman, but it does apply to private schools implementing the American High School Diploma system—both within Oman (with official authorisation) and abroad.
Updated requirements effective from the 2026/2027 academic year:
Starting from the 2026/2027 academic year, the Ministry announced that the process for equivalency will be updated in accordance with the Guidelines for Equivalency of International School Qualifications in the Sultanate of Oman, available through the Ministry’s Educational Portal.
Under the new regulations, only American high school diplomas issued within the United States or by U.S. embassies abroad will be recognised for equivalency purposes. Diplomas issued by private schools in all other countries will no longer be accepted.
