AIOU Degree Apply Online: Requirements, Fee and Application Process

AIOU degree application process

If you have completed your AIOU programme and need your degree or certificate, first make sure your final academic record is complete. AIOU requires a completed degree application, the applicable fee, an official PRC/final transcript and supporting educational documents before a degree case can be processed.

Students can use AIOU’s CMS Student Service Requests for degree-related online requests. AIOU also provides prescribed degree application forms, including separate forms for older and newer students and a 2026 Express Mode form.

Before starting, identify what you actually need:

Your task Correct route
Apply for your first degree/certificate Degree form or CMS Student Service Request
Request ordinary or urgent processing CMS Student Service Request / applicable degree procedure
Use the 2026 fast walk-in facility Express Mode degree form
Check a degree application already submitted Degree Tracking System
Verify an issued degree or transcript Degree Verification System
Obtain a lost degree again Duplicate degree procedure

This distinction matters because applying for a degree, tracking a submitted case and verifying an already issued qualification are separate AIOU services.

Which AIOU Degree Form Should You Use?

AIOU currently lists several degree-related forms on its official Downloads page.

Students up to Autumn 2020

AIOU provides a Degree Form Old specifically for students up to Autumn 2020.

Students from Spring 2021 onwards

Students from Spring 2021 onward should use the current Degree Form New listed by AIOU.

The university’s Help Desk also links to its revised degree application form as part of the official Certificate/Degree Processing Requirements.

Open AIOU Degree Forms and Downloads

Do not use an old form saved from another website simply because it still appears in search results. Check the official AIOU Downloads page before submitting your case.

AIOU Degree Processing Requirements

AIOU’s current Certificate/Degree Processing Requirements specify these core documents:

  • Duly completed degree form
  • Fee challan for the applicable degree fee
  • Reappear fee, if applicable
  • Official copy of the PRC/transcript for the qualification for which you need the degree
  • Attested copies of previously completed certificates or degrees

The copies of previous certificates/degrees are to be attested by a gazetted officer, with the officer’s name and designation shown on the stamp.

Do You Always Need a CNIC Copy and Photographs?

Do not treat every document mentioned on the internet as a universal requirement.

The general AIOU Certificate/Degree Processing Requirements list the degree form, challan, official PRC/transcript and attested previous qualifications.

The 2026 Express Mode form, however, specifically gives CNIC among the examples of documents that may be required and also mentions programme-dependent items such as an internship report and departmental letter.

Follow the requirements printed on the particular form and route you are using.

How to Apply for an AIOU Degree Online

For students looking specifically for AIOU degree apply online, the documented online route is through CMS Student Service Requests.

AIOU’s Help Desk states that Student Service Requests include options for:

  • Certificate/Diploma/Degree Fee – Ordinary
  • Certificate/Diploma/Degree Fee – Urgent
  • Duplicate degree/certificate fee
  • Triplicate degree/certificate fee
  • Correction in transcript/certificate/degree
  • Verification of transcript/certificate/diploma/degree

Step 1: Open Your CMS Student Account

Sign in to the AIOU CMS/student portal and go to Student Service Requests.

If you need help reaching or using CMS, see our [AIOU CMS Portal guide].

Step 2: Select the Relevant Degree Service

Choose the service that matches your case. For a first degree, do not select duplicate or verification merely because those options also mention degrees.

AIOU documents ordinary and urgent Certificate/Diploma/Degree fee options under its service requests.

Step 3: Generate the Fee Request or Challan

Complete the service request and generate the applicable challan or invoice.

The amount depends on the qualification and service being requested, so use the amount generated or stated in the current official form rather than an old fee figure copied from another website.

Step 4: Pay the Required Fee

Follow the payment instructions shown on the current challan/service request.

AIOU’s Help Desk instructions say that after payment, the student should return to the previously created service request and attach the paid challan copy for processing.

Step 5: Upload the Required Documents

Attach the documents required for your case. Make sure scans are readable and that your programme and academic record are complete.

Step 6: Save Your Service Request Number

Keep the generated service request/reference number. AIOU states that students can use the same request thread to view responses from university officials.

Applying Through the Prescribed Degree Form

CMS is not the only degree-related route documented by AIOU. The university continues to publish prescribed degree forms on its Downloads page.

If you use the degree form:

  1. Download the form applicable to your study period.
  2. Complete every required field.
  3. Arrange the official PRC/final transcript.
  4. Attach attested copies of the required previous qualifications.
  5. Pay the applicable degree fee and any outstanding reappear dues.
  6. Follow the submission instructions printed on the current form.

Do not assume that a form intended for a student before Autumn 2020 is suitable for someone who studied from Spring 2021 onward.

AIOU Degree Fee in 2026

There is no single AIOU degree fee for every programme.

The current 2026 Express Mode document publishes both an existing ordinary fee and an Express Mode fee by programme group.

Programme group Ordinary fee Express Mode fee
Elementary Arabic / Non-Credit / Middle Tech Rs. 500 Rs. 2,500
SSC / HSSC / PTC / ATTC / Certificate / Diploma Rs. 800 Rs. 4,000
BA / B.Com / old BBA / BLIS / BCS / 2-year Associate Degree and listed equivalents Rs. 1,000 Rs. 5,000
BS 4-year / B.Ed / MA / MSc / MBA / M.Ed / M.Com and listed equivalents Rs. 1,500 Rs. 7,500
PGD Rs. 1,200 Rs. 6,000
MPhil / MS / LLM / MSc (Hons) Rs. 2,500 Rs. 12,500
PhD Rs. 3,500 Rs. 17,500

These figures come from AIOU’s current Express Mode Degree Issuance document. Programme names and groupings matter, so check the official form before depositing a fee.

The Express Mode document also says the Express fee is non-refundable and is additional to any previous dues that may apply.

What About the Urgent Degree Fee?

AIOU’s CMS documentation confirms that Certificate/Diploma/Degree Fee – Urgent is an available service-request category.

Because fee tables and procedures can change, use the current CMS-generated challan or official degree instructions for the urgent amount rather than relying on an older fixed figure.

AIOU Express Mode Degree in 2026

AIOU now publishes a separate Express Mode Degree Application Form. This is not simply another name for the ordinary urgent application.

To qualify, AIOU says the student must have:

  • completed the programme in all respects
  • no pending objection or academic deficiency
  • a final transcript for the programme
  • a completely filled and signed degree application
  • required attested documents
  • payment of the prescribed Express Mode fee

For this route, AIOU also gives examples of supporting documents such as SSC/HSSC certificates, previous degrees and transcripts for BA-level and above programmes, CNIC and programme-specific documents such as an internship report or departmental letter where applicable.

The current Express Mode instructions require the complete application to be submitted at the Student Facilitation Center, Islamabad during the time stated in the official form.

AIOU describes this as a two-working-day facility for a complete and objection-free application, but the same document says issuance remains subject to conditions including resolution of objections and availability of the required signatory authorities.

For that reason, treat the published period as the condition-based Express Mode service standard, not an unconditional delivery promise.

Open the official 2026 Express Mode Degree Form

Check These Details Before Submitting

A few minutes spent checking the application can prevent a degree case from being returned or delayed.

Confirm that:

  • your programme has been completed in all respects
  • your final transcript/PRC is available
  • your name and other particulars match your academic record
  • required previous certificates and degrees are properly attested
  • any reappear dues or other applicable dues are cleared
  • the correct degree form has been used
  • the correct fee has been paid
  • all programme-specific documents have been attached

For Express Mode in particular, AIOU states that incomplete applications are not accepted or processed under that facility.

Already Applied? Use AIOU Degree Tracking

If you have already submitted the application, you usually do not need another degree application merely to find its status.

AIOU operates a separate Degree Tracking System (DTS). Its current landing page provides sections for:

  • Incomplete / Returned Applications
  • In Process Applications
  • Online Application

Open the official AIOU Degree Tracking System

You can also use our [AIOU Degree Tracking guide] for help understanding the status sections.

If your case appears under an incomplete or returned section, deal with the stated objection instead of submitting duplicate applications without checking the reason.

Degree Application and Degree Verification Are Different

Degree verification is for confirming an existing degree, certificate or transcript. It is not the normal first-degree application process.

AIOU maintains a separate Online Degree Verification System, and its verification application asks for details relating to the document being verified, including the degree/transcript serial number.

Open AIOU Online Degree Verification

For a detailed explanation, see our [AIOU Degree Verification guide].

If Your Application Has an Objection or Missing Document

First check the DTS status or the response inside your CMS Student Service Request. AIOU’s online service-request system allows students to view replies from officials in the same request thread.

If further assistance is required, use the official AIOU Help Desk rather than relying on an unofficial processing-time estimate or submitting the same degree request repeatedly.

The practical sequence is simple: complete your academic requirements → choose the correct degree form/service → prepare the required documents → pay the applicable fee → submit the case → keep the reference details → use DTS for tracking.