In the international jobs market, one of the most common checks which employers make is to verify the authenticity of academic qualifications. Every country around the world has its own education and assessment system, and the sheer number of different certificates and exams means that employers simply cannot be familiar with them all. One of the most common ways of doing this is by requesting an Apostille on the document concerned. This is an official, government issued seal which is put onto the document and then signed. An international agreement to accept Apostille documents exists between 126 countries of the world, so any certificate with an Apostille attached from any of the 126 countries will be accepted as genuine in any of the other parties to the agreement.
Original Documents
Many universities or employers across the world will want to see original school or university certificates when offering you a place on an undergraduate or research degree. Understandably, most prospective students would prefer to send copies of their documents to preserve the originals. However, if the authorities overseas ask for legalisation of original documents only, a copy may not be acceptable. It’s always best to clarify exactly what documents a university wants to see before starting the process as this will save you both time and money.
Before documents can be legalised through the UK Apostille system, they must first be signed by someone of high legal standing and responsibility. Academic documents must be signed by a UK Solicitor or Notary Public. Most companies which offer an apostille service will have in-house solicitors who can look at the documents and sign them before taking them to be officially approved by the Apostille Service.
Academic Transcript
Depending on the course and university, they may also ask for a legalised copy of an academic transcript as well as the certificate. You may have to request a copy of your transcript from the university concerned if you were not given one when graduating or have lost it. The transcript is a print out of all the classes or modules you studied as part of your course, and gives a breakdown of the grades you earned for each. If you are applying for an undergraduate degree, the university might ask for Apostille copies of your school certificates instead.
Receiving University Offers
Universities all have their own timescales for making offers, so do not assume that the deadlines for application are the same everywhere. Always try to get any application in well before the closing date, as this leaves time to send further information or clarification if there is any issue with the documents which you have sent overseas. Most large overseas universities, and those in the UK which welcome a large number of students from outside the UK have specific departments aimed at smoothing the process for applicants. Get in touch with them by email or using social media if there is anything about the application process which is confusing or unclear.
Getting Your Academic Documents Verified
In the international jobs market, one of the most common checks which employers make is to verify the authenticity of academic qualifications. Every country around the world has its own education and assessment system, and the sheer number of different certificates and exams means that employers simply cannot be familiar with them all. One of the most common ways of doing this is by requesting an Apostille on the document concerned. This is an official, government issued seal which is put onto the document and then signed. An international agreement to accept Apostille documents exists between 126 countries of the world, so any certificate with an Apostille attached from any of the 126 countries will be accepted as genuine in any of the other parties to the agreement.
Original Documents
Many universities or employers across the world will want to see original school or university certificates when offering you a place on an undergraduate or research degree. Understandably, most prospective students would prefer to send copies of their documents to preserve the originals. However, if the authorities overseas ask for legalisation of original documents only, a copy may not be acceptable. It’s always best to clarify exactly what documents a university wants to see before starting the process as this will save you both time and money.
Before documents can be legalised through the UK Apostille system, they must first be signed by someone of high legal standing and responsibility. Academic documents must be signed by a UK Solicitor or Notary Public. Most companies which offer an apostille service will have in-house solicitors who can look at the documents and sign them before taking them to be officially approved by the Apostille Service.
Academic Transcript
Depending on the course and university, they may also ask for a legalised copy of an academic transcript as well as the certificate. You may have to request a copy of your transcript from the university concerned if you were not given one when graduating or have lost it. The transcript is a print out of all the classes or modules you studied as part of your course, and gives a breakdown of the grades you earned for each. If you are applying for an undergraduate degree, the university might ask for Apostille copies of your school certificates instead.
Receiving University Offers
Universities all have their own timescales for making offers, so do not assume that the deadlines for application are the same everywhere. Always try to get any application in well before the closing date, as this leaves time to send further information or clarification if there is any issue with the documents which you have sent overseas. Most large overseas universities, and those in the UK which welcome a large number of students from outside the UK have specific departments aimed at smoothing the process for applicants. Get in touch with them by email or using social media if there is anything about the application process which is confusing or unclear.
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