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NWAC: the American diploma

NWAC is an American school-accreditation body. In India its American High School Diploma is offered with SERI, its regional office in Delhi. It can suit a student who needs a different timetable, but because it is a foreign qualification, the equivalence certificate and the acceptance by your target college or exam must be checked first.

Ask a counsellor about this route

NWAC at a glance

Northwest Accreditation Commission (USA) high school diploma, offered in India with SERI. Checked on 26 October 2026.

What it isThe Northwest Accreditation Commission is a non-governmental body that accredits schools; it was formed in 1917, is based in Boise, Idaho and became part of AdvancED (now Cognia). It is an accreditor, not an Indian education board.
In IndiaWorks with SERI (School for e-Education Research and Innovation), which has a regional office in Delhi and publishes date sheets and results for the NWAC diploma
QualificationNWAC American High School Diploma (Grade 12 level)
Equivalence in IndiaSERI states that the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) letter of 4 April 2014 treats the NWAC High School Diploma as equivalent to Grade 12 or +2 of Indian boards. In September 2025 the Government of India moved equivalence of Class 10 and 12 certificates from AIU to NCERT (through PARAKH) for Indian boards, so ask which body issues the certificate you need today.
Exam dates and feesSet by SERI and the school or centre you join. We do not quote a fee. Ask the provider for a written fee, exam schedule and refund terms.
Our viewChoose NWAC only after your target college or exam has confirmed in writing that they accept it.

Who it suits

  • Students who need a Class 12 level qualification and have confirmed in writing that their target college accepts the NWAC diploma
  • Families who can complete the equivalence certificate steps and keep the papers ready
  • Students planning courses where the admitting university has already accepted NWAC candidates

How it works, step by step

  1. 1Confirm acceptance firstWrite to the college, university or exam body you are aiming for and ask: "Do you accept the NWAC American High School Diploma with an equivalence certificate for this course and this year?" Keep the reply.
  2. 2Check the subject requirementFor medical courses the subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology, English) and the minimum PCB marks in the NEET bulletin apply. Make sure your NWAC subjects match.
  3. 3Enrol with an authorised centreJoin through SERI or an authorised school or centre. Get the fee, exam schedule, syllabus and refund terms in writing.
  4. 4Prepare and sit the examsThe exam schedule is published by the provider, for example as a date sheet. Keep your admit card and results.
  5. 5Get the diploma and transcriptYou receive the NWAC diploma and the marks record issued by the provider.
  6. 6Apply for the equivalence certificateAsk the relevant authority (AIU in the past, now confirm whether NCERT or AIU handles foreign-board equivalence) for the exact form, documents and fee. Do not assume.
  7. 7Use it in admissionPresent the diploma, transcript and equivalence certificate at registration and counselling, in the format the authority asks.

Rules to know

  • The AIU equivalence letter of 2014 is a document the provider publishes. The September 2025 notification moved Class 10 and 12 equivalence to NCERT; it describes Indian boards and does not mention foreign boards, so confirm the current process.
  • Reports from families about acceptance differ by institution, state and exam, and some offices have asked for extra papers. That is why the written confirmation comes first.
  • We are not an agent of SERI or NWAC and we do not receive any fee from them.

Documents to keep ready

  • Class 10 marksheet and certificate
  • Birth certificate and identity proof
  • Previous year marksheets or the failed marksheet, as the provider asks
  • Passport-size photographs
  • NWAC diploma, transcript and admit cards
  • Equivalence certificate and the papers the authority asks for

Scan each one to PDF in your Padhaidekho.in student portal and keep it safe in the locker.

Acceptance: NEET, colleges and exams

  • NEET-UG: the bulletin asks for Class 12 or equivalent from a duly recognised board with Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology and English. Foreign-board candidates are generally asked for an equivalence certificate. Confirm with NTA and the counselling authority for your year, and in writing.
  • Colleges and universities decide their own admission rules, so ask each one.
  • Foreign-board certificates are checked by passport, visa and other offices separately, which can need further attestation.
  • If any answer is unclear, do not pay the enrolment fee yet.

Acceptance is decided by the exam body and the college, not by us and not by the board. Ask in writing, keep the reply, and only then pay a fee.

Tips from our counsellors

  • Take a screenshot or a letter of every written reply from the college or exam body.
  • Never pay a fee on the promise that "everything is accepted everywhere".
  • Compare with NIOS or BOSSE, which are Indian boards, before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

Is NWAC an Indian board?

No. NWAC is a US accreditation body. In India its diploma is offered with SERI. Indian authorities treat it as a foreign qualification that needs an equivalence certificate for admissions.

Is the NWAC diploma valid for NEET and MBBS?

It depends on the current NTA and NMC rules and on whether the equivalence certificate is accepted by the counselling authority. Do not rely on any website, including ours. Ask NTA, the counselling authority and the college in writing.

Who gives the equivalence certificate now?

AIU did it earlier. A September 2025 notification moved equivalence of Class 10 and 12 certificates to NCERT through PARAKH, and describes Indian boards. For a foreign board, confirm with AIU and NCERT which one handles your case and what they ask for.

Can I take the exam whenever I want?

The schedule comes from the provider and the school you join. Some providers publish date sheets; we do not say that every date is on demand. Ask for the next date in writing.

What does it cost?

Fees differ by provider and school. We do not publish a figure. Get a written fee, exam schedule and refund terms.

Do you recommend NWAC?

Only where the target college or exam has confirmed acceptance in writing. Otherwise an Indian open-school board such as NIOS or BOSSE is often easier to explain to a college.

Sources

Where a page could not be opened we have said so in the text. Facts are labelled as the provider's own statement where we could not check them independently.

Other routes

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NIOS

A national open-school board under the Ministry of Education, with an On Demand Examination system for Class 10 and Class 12.

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BOSSE

A state open-school board set up by the Government of Sikkim, for Class 10 and Class 12 level, with flexible subjects and exams.

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Compare all three

The table and the questions to ask before you choose.

We are a counselling service and are not part of NWAC. We do not guarantee a pass, an admission or the acceptance of any certificate.

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