What is a diploma?
Educational accomplishments are very important. They are a way for students to analyze their performance. If someone works very hard at school, they can get good grades. And they will be able to get admission in the university of their choice based on those grades. A diploma is a certificate issued by an academic institute to testify that the recipient has successfully completed a course. Your original diploma is very important when you are going to apply for further education. In the United States, a school transcript and a certified diploma are equally important. A diploma may or may not have the personal information of the recipient. The rules regarding the document are different in every state.
A Certified Copy of Diploma, What is it?
A certified copy of your school transcript or high school diploma is a true copy of the original document that has been certified by the issuing academic institute or public school. A notary public can also certify the photocopy of your student records. However, if you can’t visit the office of a notary public, you can get in touch with your school. Nowadays, certified electronic diploma and electronic credentials are also being issued due to COVID. It is the best way to keep people safe and provide them a certified copy of their diploma that they need.
How to Get a Certified Copy of Diploma?
A lot of people think that in the United States, they can submit a written request to the Secretary of State and get a replacement diploma. But in truth, they don’t have to go to such lengths. Getting a certified copy of diploma is pretty simple. They can get a notarized copy from a notary public. They can also get diploma replacement or certified copies from their academic institute. Every academic institute charges a small fee for the certification of school diplomas. If you are playing your certification order online then you can pay via credit card. Provide them with your mailing address if you want to receive hard copies. The additional cost of postage will be added to your bill.
Whether you are in Ireland, India, Scotland, or the United States, getting in touch with the public school that you were a former student of is the best way to get a certified copy of your diploma. In the US, the state laws regarding this issue are the same everywhere from Washington to California and Texas to Illinois.
Studying Abroad, the Requirements:
So why do you need a true copy of your official transcript and diploma? Because the original documents are for you. You cannot share them with an academic institute. When you submit a notarized copy of your grades transcript, the institute you are applying to can keep it. Whether you are applying for a student grant or admission in a particular course, you will have to submit your previous degree. You might also have to share your federal tax return history to get the student grant.
If you are applying for the student grant based on your medical condition, then you will have to submit proof of that. If you are applying from a foreign country then you will have to bring certified translations of all of your personal and public documents. When you are submitting your application or giving an interview, make sure to provide all the general information about you truthfully. If you are asked for banking information, do not hide anything. Provide your correct address as well as your primary name. The former should be the diploma address, which means it should match the details mentioned in your documents.
You will have to submit your issued photo ID, duplicate diploma, and all of your previous degrees when applying for admission in the US. You should submit Notary certified copies instead of original degrees. If you have obtained any additional diploma after finishing high school, attach that with your application too. All of your documents must come with their certified translations. Some schools might also ask for the birth certificate of the applicant. But even if they don’t, you will have to submit your birth certificate‘s certified translation to USCIS when you apply for a student visa.
Does my Diploma Request Form have to be notarized?
If you are requesting a replacement diploma, the school will have to provide you with a certified or notarized copy. However, the request form itself does not have to be certified or notarized.
It is the academic record that must come with the embossed school seal. Degree verification is the only thing that matters to the institutes when they are going through admission applications. You can also submit the certified translation of an apostille to prove your identity or education if your homeland is a part of the Hague Apostille Convention. But when hiring a linguistic expert, it is important not to share something with them that is not a public record. Just provide access to your school records so they can carry out the translations that you need.
What a Certified Copy of a Diploma Can Be Used For?
Once you have submitted a request for your digital duplicate diploma, you will be asked to pay for it. You can do so via money order, direct deposit, or online banking. But what can you do with a certified true copy once you have received it? You can use it to apply for admission in a university. It doesn’t matter if the university you are applying to is in Nebraska, Montana, Florida, Kansas, or Texas, you will have to show your school diplomas to be eligible for further studies. You can fill your application form in the best way possible, but without proof of your previous official degree, you won’t get accepted. You will also have to submit identity documents like a birth certificate along with your application. You will be asked to provide your telephone number so you can be contacted regarding your application later.
