There is no official list of recognized educational institutions located outside Canada. Therefore, your first step should be to confirm that your chosen institution and academic programs are recognized in the country¹ in which the institution is located.

To obtain this confirmation, you can contact the country's:

• government ministry/department responsible for education and/or quality-assurance/accrediting agency. These are often referred to as the “competent authority”;
• national information centre.²

CICIC's Directory of International Education Resources provides contact information for some countries.

If you might return to Canada after your studies abroad, either to work or to pursue further studies, we strongly recommend you consult CICIC's comprehensive section on academic credential recognition in Canada.

^1. Recognition by the competent authority in another country does not guarantee a reciprocal recognition in Canada for work or study purposes by various organizations.

^2. If you are unable to locate the national information centre in CICIC's Directory of International Education Resources, it is possible that none exists for that specific country.

What is the role of a competent authority?

Its role usually consists of:

• registering the educational institution and its academic programs according to domestic laws;
• reviewing the performance of educational institutions to ensure that acceptable standards and quality are met;
• ensuring consumer protection.

What is a national information centre?

The national information centre is usually an organization affiliated with/mandated by the competent authority to answer public inquiries and provide information on:

• mobility opportunities for study or work purposes;
• education systems, recognized educational institutions, and academic programs;
• assessment and recognition of international academic credentials to study or work.