If a foreign institution or organisation outside of the UK requires your degree to be verified as an official document from the UK, you can legalise your degree certificate.
Your degree certificate becomes a legalised document from the UK once an Apostille stamp is attached to it.
What’s an Apostille stamp?
The Apostille stamp - or Apostille seal - is used to imprint the document with a government crest.
An official certificate is attached and accompanies the degree certificate, allowing it to be recognised as a legalised document from the UK. When a document is legalised, this confirms that the original signature, seal and stamp on the document is genuine.
How do I turn my degree into a legalised document?
- It’s very important that you thoroughly read, understand and follow the instructions on the government's website for getting your document legalised.
Before you submit your application, make sure that your document is eligible for legalisation and meets all of the specified requirements.
- Complete an application to legalise your document with the Legalisation Office.
When making an application, you’ll need the following:
- The documents you want to legalise
- A credit or debit card
- The full address that you want your documents returned to
- Access to a printer.
- The Legalisation Office will review the document to check the authenticity of the signature, stamp and seal.
- Once they’ve confirmed that the signature, stamp and seal are genuine, they’ll attach an Apostille stamp to the document and it will become legalised.
Guidance on how to apply and the cost of legalising your documents is available on the government's website.
Your recipient can check if an Apostille was issued by either the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office or the Legalisation Office through the government's website.
Important to know:
- The Apostille stamp is not supplied by the university.
- The only competent authority is the Legalisation Office.
- Legalisation is not required for purposes of UK documents within the UK.