To get an MOI certificate, request it in writing from the registrar or examinations office of the school/college/university that awarded your qualification. Provide your degree/transcripts and ID, ask for it on official letterhead, and make sure it states your course was taught and examined in English for the full duration — signed, dated, and sealed. Confirm each target university (and the destination’s visa rule) accepts it before you rely on it.
Getting an MOI certificate (medium of instruction certificate) means formally obtaining a signed letter from your awarding institution confirming the language your programme was delivered and assessed in. For study abroad, the goal is a registrar-issued letter stating the medium was English, usable as English-proficiency evidence in place of a test like IELTS where rules allow.
You have decided the MOI route is your alternative to IELTS — smart, if it is accepted for your shortlist. Now comes the part where Indian students lose weeks: actually getting a letter that admissions officers (and, sometimes, visa officers) will accept. Global Edge — a New Delhi (Green Park) study abroad consultancy that has counselled 57,000+ students across 21+ countries — has seen strong applications stall over a single missing word on an MOI letter. This guide gives you the exact steps, wording, and documents so you get it right the first time.
Before You Start: Confirm MOI Is Actually Accepted
The biggest mistake is chasing the letter before checking it will be accepted. Learn the difference between admission and visa acceptance first — our companion guide, What Is an MOI Certificate?, covers where it works and where it does not.
Before requesting an MOI certificate, confirm two things in writing: (1) each target university accepts an MOI letter for your programme and country, and (2) the destination’s student-visa rules accept it — some require an approved English test or an official equivalency check instead. Only then request the letter, so its wording matches what those institutions demand.
How to Get an MOI Certificate: Step by Step
- Check each university’s exact requirement. Read the English-language/entry page for every shortlisted course and note the precise wording they want (e.g., “taught and assessed in English,” a recency window, or an approved-university list). Save screenshots.
- Identify the correct issuing office. For a degree, that is usually the registrar or controller of examinations of your university; for school-level English, the principal’s office of your board-affiliated school.
- Write a formal request. Address the registrar/principal, state your name, enrolment/roll number, programme, and study dates, and ask specifically for a “Medium of Instruction certificate confirming the course was taught and examined in English.”
- Attach supporting documents. Include copies of your degree/provisional certificate, all mark sheets/transcripts, and a photo ID. Some universities require their own request form and a small fee.
- Specify the wording and format. Politely request that the letter be on official letterhead, dated, signed by an authorised signatory, sealed, and that it names the qualification and confirms English for the entire duration — teaching and assessment.
- Collect, verify, and scan. Once issued, check every detail against your records, then keep a signed hard copy plus a high-quality colour scan/PDF for uploads.
- Order any equivalency check early. If a destination needs an official comparison (e.g., the UK’s Ecctis service), start it well ahead — it verifies with your institution and takes time.
The UK’s Ecctis “English Proficiency and Qualification Comparison” (from 1 May 2025) costs £210, targets 20 working days, contacts your awarding institution to verify the degree, and issues a code you enter in the visa application. Start it early — a slow institutional reply can push you past the 20-day target.
Source: Ecctis — Qualification and Language Service
What the MOI Certificate Must Say (Format Checklist)
There is no single official MOI certificate format — each institution uses its own — but universities abroad reliably look for these elements. Use it as a checklist when you collect the letter.
| Must include | What to check |
|---|---|
| Official letterhead + institution details | Not a plain page; registrar/exam-cell letterhead |
| Your full name + enrolment/roll number | Matches degree and transcripts exactly |
| Qualification title + duration (from–to) | The specific degree, with start and end years |
| “Taught and examined in English” | Assessment covered, not just teaching |
| “For the entire duration” wording | Full course, not a single semester |
| Date, authorised signature + official seal | Registrar/controller/principal; stamped |
UK universities that run an MOI route are explicit about wording: an MOI letter must confirm the degree “was/is taught, assessed, and examined fully in English,” and only from a university on their approved list.
Source: University of Aberdeen — Approved MOI Universities | https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/english/approved-moi-universities/
“Applicants… may apply for an English language waiver if… their primary degree was undertaken through the medium of the English language.” Postgraduate applicants can request this exemption — evidence that many universities operate a formal MOI/exemption process, not an automatic pass.
Source: Trinity College Dublin — English Language Requirements | https://www.tcd.ie/study/english-language-requirements/
Documents You Usually Need
While each institution differs, most Indian universities ask for some combination of:
- A formal application letter or the university’s MOI request form
- Degree/provisional certificate (bachelor’s is the usual base for master’s abroad)
- Complete mark sheets / transcripts
- Photo ID (Aadhaar/passport) and, sometimes, address proof
- The applicable fee and, occasionally, a self-addressed process for dispatch
In Global Edge counselling, the fastest MOI approvals come from students who hand the registrar a ready draft in the exact wording their target universities want. The slowest come from generic “English medium” letters that trigger back-and-forth right at a deadline. A five-minute wording check up front routinely saves two weeks later.
Common Mistakes That Get an MOI Rejected
Myth: “Any letter saying ‘English medium’ will do.”
Reality: Letters that omit assessment, cover only part of the course, lack a registrar seal, or come from a non-approved institution get queried or rejected. Match the receiving university’s exact wording and recency rules — and remember MOI may not satisfy the visa at all in Ireland (approved test compulsory from India) or Germany (missions reject MOI/exemption letters for visas).
Other frequent errors: requesting MOI for the wrong qualification (Class 12 instead of the degree), a name mismatch between letter and passport, and leaving equivalency checks (like Ecctis) until the final week. If you would rather not risk it, Global Edge’s counsellors draft the wording, map it to each shortlist, and prepare the visa file — see our study abroad consultant services in Delhi.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an MOI certificate in India?
Request it in writing from the registrar or controller of examinations of the university that awarded your degree (or your school’s principal for school-level English). Submit a formal application with your degree, transcripts, and ID; pay any fee; and ask for the letter on official letterhead stating the course was taught and examined in English for the full duration, signed and sealed.
How long does it take to get an MOI certificate?
It varies by institution — from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the office’s workload and whether you supplied everything up front. If your destination also needs an equivalency check (for example, the UK’s Ecctis service targets 20 working days and must verify with your institution), start that process early to avoid missing intake or visa deadlines.
Is there a fixed MOI certificate format?
No. There is no universal MOI certificate format; each institution uses its own template. What matters is content: your name and enrolment number, the qualification and dates, an explicit “taught and examined in English” statement for the entire duration, and the registrar’s signature, seal, and date on official letterhead.
What documents are required for an MOI certificate?
Typically a formal request letter (or the university’s form), your degree/provisional certificate, complete mark sheets/transcripts, and a photo ID — sometimes address proof and a fee. Always check your institution’s published list, as requirements differ between universities and boards.
Can I write my own MOI certificate?
No. An MOI certificate must be issued by your institution to be credible abroad. You may provide a suggested draft or fill a template to speed things up, but it only counts once the registrar/authorised signatory puts it on official letterhead and signs and seals it.
The Bottom Line
- Takeaway 1: Confirm MOI acceptance (university and visa) before requesting the letter.
- Takeaway 2: Get it from the registrar/exam office with the exact wording: “taught and examined in English,” full duration, on letterhead, signed and sealed.
- Takeaway 3: Start any equivalency check (e.g., Ecctis) early — institutional verification takes time.
Follow these steps and your MOI certificate arrives in a form admissions and visa officers accept — no last-minute rewrites, no missed deadlines. When the stakes are a scholarship or a visa cutoff, getting the wording right the first time is everything.
Interested to Study Abroad?
Book a free counselling / SPEC9 profile evaluation with Global Edge — study abroad consultants in Delhi. Our team has counselled 57,000+ students across 21+ countries and assists with university shortlisting, applications, SOP & LOR, scholarships, education loans, visa file preparation, and pre-departure briefing.
- Phone: +91-11-48475000
- Email: office@globaledge.net.in
- Head Office: S-6, 2nd Floor, Green Park Extension Market, New Delhi – 110016
- Enquire / talk to us: https://globaledge.net.in/contact-us/
How do you get an MOI certificate that actually works?
Do these, in order:
- Confirm each university AND the visa rule accepts MOI
- Request it from your registrar/exam office in writing
- Attach degree, transcripts, and ID (pay any fee)
- Insist on “taught and examined in English,” full duration
- Get it on letterhead — signed, dated, sealed
- Start any Ecctis-style equivalency check early
Avoid:
- Generic “English medium” letters with no assessment line
- Using a Class 12 letter for a master’s
- Assuming MOI covers the visa (it may not — Ireland/Germany)
Sources
- Ecctis — English Proficiency and Qualification Comparison (price & timeframe)
- University of Aberdeen — Approved MOI Universities
- Trinity College Dublin — English Language Requirements
- GOV.UK — Student visa: Knowledge of English
- Irish Immigration Service Delivery — English language requirements for study visas
- IRCC — Study permit: Get the right documents
- Global Edge — Study Abroad Consultants in Delhi (Services)