How to Verify University Degrees in Singapore and Indonesia
A degree is often the single fact that gets a candidate through the door, and it is also one of the most commonly falsified. In about 28% of VERIS screening cases since 2010, checks surfaced a discrepancy or material finding, and these can include fake or unverifiable qualifications.
The good news is that both Singapore and Indonesia now have official tools that make verification faster. Here is how to use them, and when you still need to go directly to the university.
Verifying degrees in Singapore
Singapore’s main tool is OpenCerts, a blockchain-based system for issuing and verifying digital certificates, built by SkillsFuture Singapore, the Ministry of Education and GovTech. It covers certificates from the autonomous universities, including NUS, NTU and SMU.
If a candidate provides an OpenCerts file, you can check it by dragging the file onto the OpenCerts website. A valid certificate confirms the issuer and that the document has not been changed. A PDF or photo of a certificate proves nothing on its own.
For Employment Pass applications, the Ministry of Manpower has required employers to verify diploma-level qualifications and above since 1 September 2023 for new applications, and since 1 September 2024 for renewals. For those applications, use the verification routes MOM accepts. For every other hire, the same standard of verification is simply good practice.
Verifying degrees in Indonesia
Indonesia’s national higher-education database, PDDikti, is run by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) at pddikti.kemdiktisaintek.go.id. It shows institutions, study programmes and each student’s study history and graduation status.
Diploma numbering has also moved to PISN (Penomoran Ijazah dan Sertifikat Nasional). A PISN number can be checked online to confirm that a diploma was registered. From November 2025, PISN validates accreditation, grades, credits and study length before issuing a number.
These tools confirm that a degree exists in the system. They do not always confirm that the person in front of you is the holder, or that a foreign or older qualification is genuine. That is where direct confirmation with the university comes in.
When to go directly to the university
- degrees awarded before online registration systems existed
- qualifications from overseas universities
- when the name, dates or programme on the certificate don’t match the database
- senior or regulated roles where you need written confirmation on file
Direct confirmation means contacting the university registrar with the candidate’s consent and asking them to confirm the degree, the programme and the dates of study. It takes longer, but it is the only way to be certain in these cases.
Warning signs of a fake degree
- an institution you cannot find on an official accreditation list
- a degree completed in far less time than the programme normally takes
- study dates that overlap with full-time employment elsewhere, unless the programme was part-time
- a certificate with no verification number, or one that doesn’t appear in PDDikti or OpenCerts
- reluctance to sign consent for verification
In Singapore, submitting false qualifications in a work pass application is an offence under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, and the Ministry of Manpower has prosecuted such cases. The risk is not only a bad hire but a legal problem for the employer too.
How VERIS verifies qualifications
For hiring decisions, VERIS verifies degrees directly with universities across 30 jurisdictions, including Singapore and Indonesia, using official databases where they exist and written confirmation from the institution where they don’t. Checks start with the candidate’s consent, and results are reported through VERISChecks with the source recorded for each finding.
Frequently asked questions
What is OpenCerts?
OpenCerts is Singapore’s official system for issuing and verifying digital education certificates, built by SkillsFuture Singapore, MOE and GovTech. Employers can verify a certificate file on the OpenCerts website.
How do I check if an Indonesian degree is real?
Start with PDDikti and the PISN diploma number. For older or unusual qualifications, confirm directly with the university registrar, with the candidate’s consent.
Is a certified copy enough to verify a degree?
No. A certified copy only shows that the copy matches a document someone presented. Verification means confirming with the issuing institution or an official database.
How long does degree verification take?
Online checks can take minutes. Direct confirmation with a university usually takes a few days, and longer for overseas or older qualifications.