Diploma and transcript apostille for study and work abroad
Your registrar, a notary and the right state office, in the right order. We check your state's rules before anything is filed.
Diploma apostille: the short answer
To apostille a U.S. diploma or transcript, the school's registrar usually signs a certified copy or a statement in front of a notary, and the Secretary of State of the school's state apostilles that notarization. A few states accept a notarized copy of the diploma, and a few accept records signed by certain school officials just as they are.
The apostille confirms the signatures on your school record so an office in another Hague Convention country can rely on it without embassy legalization. It does not grade, evaluate or translate your degree. How the record is prepared depends on the state where the school is, and that is the part people most often get wrong. There are two main routes.
Registrar certification
The most common route. The registrar certifies a copy of the diploma or transcript, or signs a statement about it, in front of a notary in the school's state, and that state apostilles the notarization. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New York all work this way, with a county clerk step in New York.
Notarized copy
Some states accept a notarized copy of the diploma instead. Georgia lets a Georgia notary make a certified copy of the original, and Washington, D.C. accepts a copy notarized by a D.C. notary. Others, such as Montana and Michigan, do not let notaries certify copies of school records.
Heading to a teaching job in Korea? See what EPIK asks U.S. teachers for
Transcript and diploma apostille rules by state
Every state decides which school signatures it will certify and how. These are the rules of the states our clients ask about most, taken from each apostille office's own guidance and checked in September 2026.
| State | What the apostille office needs for a school record |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | The registrar certifies the record in front of a notary, who then notarizes the registrar's signature. Massachusetts schools only. |
| Pennsylvania | Diplomas and transcripts must be notarized by a Pennsylvania notary before the request. |
| New York | A school official certifies that the record is official or a true copy and signs before a notary. The county clerk then certifies the notary. |
| New Jersey | Registrars are not on the state's list of officials, so the registrar signs a statement before a New Jersey notary. |
| Connecticut | Usually a registrar's certification signed before a Connecticut notary. Transcripts from schools in other states go to the school's state. |
| New Hampshire | Signed by a school official before a New Hampshire notary, whether the school is the University of New Hampshire, Dartmouth or another. |
| Rhode Island | URI, Rhode Island College and CCRI can issue an original record with an authorized official's signature and the school seal, with no notary. Other schools need a Rhode Island notary. |
| Vermont | The registrar attests that the record is authentic, in front of a Vermont notary. A plain transcript is not enough. |
| Maryland | Sealed records from the school, opened and notarized by a notary, then certified by the circuit court clerk where the notary is commissioned. |
| Virginia | Richmond does not certify school officials, so the registrar signs a statement before a Virginia notary. Records from other states are outside its authority. |
| Kentucky and Tennessee | Notarized in the state, then certified by the county clerk before the state office will act. |
| Georgia | Transcripts are signed by a school official in front of a notary. For a diploma, a Georgia notary may make a certified copy of the original. |
| Florida | Public schools and universities provide a transcript signed by the registrar or another official and notarized. Private school records use a copy the student or custodian attests before a notary. |
| Texas | Transcripts, diplomas, report cards and school letters, once notarized by a Texas notary. |
| California | A notarization the Secretary of State can verify, usually arranged through the registrar's office. |
| Michigan | Notaries cannot certify copies. A school official, the graduate or a parent of a student under 18 signs a true copy statement before a Michigan notary. |
| Montana | State law bars notaries from certifying copies of transcripts unless they work for the school. Use an original registrar-signed record or a registrar's statement notarized in Montana. |
| Louisiana | Records signed by the registrar, president or a dean of a Louisiana state-accredited university are accepted as issued. |
| Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin registrars and presidents are accepted as they are. Other schools need the registrar's certification plus a Wisconsin notary. |
| Indiana | A school official's certification, notarized. The state charges no fee for transcripts and diplomas from Indiana institutions. |
| Washington, D.C. | The original college degree or a copy notarized by a D.C. notary. High school diplomas and GED records come through the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. |
State offices change their procedures, so we confirm the current rule for your school in the free review. For any other state, see the apostille by state directory.
Diploma and transcript apostille, step by step
What the apostille does, how the registrar step works, which state files it, and what teachers, graduate students and job seekers abroad need.
Updated September 2026. Reviewed by Hanson Webb, founder of Apostille Depot.
What a diploma apostille is, and what it is not
A diploma apostille is a certificate from a U.S. state office, attached to your diploma or transcript, that confirms the signature and seal of the official who certified it, usually a notary or a school registrar. It removes the need for embassy legalization in countries where the Hague Apostille Convention is in force. It does not evaluate your degree.
The certificate comes from the Hague Apostille Convention of 5 October 1961. Every apostille carries the same 10 numbered fields, so a university admissions office in Madrid or an immigration officer in Seoul reads it the same way. According to the HCCH status table, the Convention was in force in 129 countries on September 28, 2026.
Three things an apostille does not do. It does not confirm that you earned the degree, because it only covers the signature of the person who certified the record. It does not translate anything. And it does not decide how your degree compares with local qualifications, which is a separate recognition step covered below. If the terms are new to you, our guide to what an apostille is explains the basics, and apostille vs authentication vs legalization covers the other routes.
Apostille Depot is a private document authentication service, not a school, a government office or a law firm. The apostille always comes from the state office. Our part is to check that your record is prepared the way that office wants, file it and get it back to you.
How the registrar and notary step works
Most state apostille offices cannot check a registrar's signature, but they can check a notary's. So the registrar signs a certified copy, or a statement that the record is genuine, in front of a notary commissioned in the school's state, and the state apostilles the notary's signature. Some universities arrange the notary themselves, so ask the registrar's office first.
When you contact the registrar's office, ask for:
- The right record. The diploma, the official transcript or both, whichever the office abroad listed. Each one gets its own apostille.
- A certification in front of a notary. A certified copy of the diploma, or a signed statement attached to the transcript, with the registrar's signature notarized. Say it is for an apostille, so the notary completes a full notarial certificate.
- A notary in the school's state. The notary's commission decides which state can issue the apostille, and for school records that needs to be the school's state.
- Paper with original signatures. An electronic transcript printed at home has no original signature for the state to certify. Massachusetts, for one, says photocopied signatures cannot be certified.
- A second, sealed set if you need one. Some programs want sealed transcripts as well as the apostilled copy. Order both at once.
Some states add a step after the notary. In New York, the county clerk where the notary is registered certifies the notary first. Maryland sends notarized school records to the circuit court clerk in the notary's county, Kentucky and Tennessee send them to the county clerk, and Hawaii has the notary's signature certified at the circuit court. We handle those steps for you.
If your name has changed since you graduated, the diploma and your passport will not match. Ask the office abroad whether it wants proof of the change, such as an apostilled marriage certificate, so you can send both together. For more on why the notary comes first, see apostille vs notary.
Which state apostilles your diploma or transcript
The state where your school is located. The registrar signs in that state, before a notary commissioned there, so that state's apostille office is the one that can certify it. Where you live now, where you logged in to online classes and where the degree will be used make no difference.
Several states say so outright. Massachusetts will not certify out-of-state transcripts and diplomas and sends people to the state of origin. Connecticut says transcripts from schools in other states must be authenticated where the school is. Virginia lists records from other states, including transcripts and diplomas, as outside its authority, and Wisconsin will not process records from schools outside Wisconsin.
That matters when your records come from more than one place. A teacher who finished high school in New Hampshire, earned a degree in Pennsylvania and now lives in Massachusetts deals with two state offices, and neither of them is Massachusetts. We file each record with its own state in one order, so you do not have to manage the offices one by one. Our Secretary of State apostille guide explains how the state offices work, and the apostille by state directory lists every one.
Sealed transcripts and apostilles
A sealed transcript and an apostilled transcript are two different things. The apostille goes on a record that a registrar or notary has signed, so that copy is handled and certified. A sealed transcript stays in the school's envelope, unopened. If an office abroad wants both, order two sets from the registrar and keep the sealed one closed.
EPIK, the English Program in Korea, is a good example. Its Spring 2026 document guide asks for sealed transcripts alongside each apostilled diploma, in envelopes marked across the seal to show they were never opened, and the transcripts have to show when the degree was completed or conferred.
Maryland shows the other side. For an apostille, the state asks you to get sealed records from the school, then have a notary open and notarize them before the circuit court clerk certifies the notary. The envelope is opened as part of the apostille process, which is why a separate sealed set matters when the destination wants one.
If you are not sure which kind the office abroad wants, send us its checklist before you order transcripts, and we will tell you how many sets to request.
Degree recognition abroad: the step after the apostille
An apostille proves the signatures on your diploma are genuine. It does not decide what your degree counts for abroad. That decision, often called recognition or equivalence, belongs to a university, a ministry or a national recognition center in the destination country, and it usually starts with apostilled, translated copies of your diploma and transcript.
In Europe, national recognition centers work together in the ENIC-NARIC networks, a joint initiative of the European Commission, the Council of Europe and UNESCO. The centers publish information on each country's procedure for recognizing foreign qualifications, which makes them a good place to find out what a destination asks for.
Italy: the Declaration of Value
Italy shows how much paperwork recognition can take. The Italian Consulate General in Boston issues a Declaration of Value for degrees from schools in its consular district, so an Italian university can evaluate them. As published in September 2026, a bachelor's degree file includes:
- a copy of the diploma that the registrar signed before a notary, with the Secretary of State's apostille
- a copy of the transcript, prepared the same way
- the high school diploma and four-year high school transcript, each signed by the principal or registrar before a notary and apostilled
- Italian translations that keep your grades exactly as they appear on the originals
- the consulate's application form and a copy of your passport
A master's degree adds the bachelor's records, and a doctorate adds both. The consulate also suggests checking whether the Italian university wants course descriptions, and notes that the course catalog is often enough. Our apostille guide for Italy covers the destination side.
Other countries
Other destinations run their own processes through ministries, universities or recognition centers, and the documents they want differ. Some ask for the diploma only, some for the diploma and transcript, and some for records back to high school. Ask the institution that will evaluate your degree for its list before you order anything, then send it to us, and we will match each record to the right state office. See our pages for Spain, France and Germany.
Teaching English abroad: South Korea and other destinations
Many teaching jobs abroad ask for two apostilled documents: your degree and a national criminal record check. For South Korea's EPIK program, U.S. applicants send an apostilled copy of the bachelor's diploma, sealed transcripts and an FBI background check apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. A state-level check, or a state apostille on the FBI check, is not accepted.
What EPIK asks for
EPIK, the English Program in Korea, places teachers in Korean public schools. Its General Required Documents Guide for the Spring 2026 intake sets these rules for U.S. applicants:
- Diploma. An apostilled copy of your bachelor's diploma. A master's diploma cannot replace it, but an apostilled master's can support a higher pay level. EPIK recommends apostilling a notarized copy, because it cannot promise to return what you send.
- Transcripts. Sealed, alongside each apostilled diploma, showing when the degree was completed or conferred.
- Criminal record check. The FBI check, issued at the national level and apostilled by the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. EPIK sets its own window for how recent the check must be in each intake, so time your FBI request to its current guide.
- Format. Each document apostilled separately, not in a bundle.
- Not graduated yet. A letter of intent to graduate from the registrar's office can hold your place, but the apostilled diploma copy must reach EPIK by its deadline for the term.
For the check itself, see how to get an FBI background check, then our FBI report apostille. A state record such as a Massachusetts CORI does not meet EPIK's national-level rule. The U.S. Department of State's own authentication guidance covers the federal side.
Private academies
Private academies, often called hagwons, also hire foreign teachers on an E-2 visa. Before you can apply at a Korean consulate, you need a visa issuance number from Korea's Ministry of Justice, so ask your school or recruiter for the document list for that step and compare it with EPIK's rules above. Our apostille guide for South Korea has more.
Other teaching destinations
Check the destination's status first, because it changes the route. China has taken apostilles since November 7, 2023, as our China guide explains. The Convention entered into force for Vietnam on September 11, 2026, so U.S. documents for Vietnam now take an apostille too. Thailand has joined, but the Convention only takes effect there on February 28, 2027, and documents for Thailand still need legalization until then. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait are not members at all. For them your diploma goes through embassy legalization, and the UAE embassy, as published in September 2026, only handles degrees from U.S. schools accredited by one of the regional accreditors it names. The Hague apostille country list shows where each country stands.
Graduate study, work permits and professional licenses
Universities, employers and licensing boards abroad ask for apostilled school records at different points. A graduate program may want them with the application or only at enrollment, a work permit office with the visa file, and a licensing board before it assesses your qualifications. Ask each office which records it wants apostilled, and when.
- Graduate school. Many programs ask for the bachelor's diploma and transcript, and some want high school records as well, as the Italian example above shows. Applying to several universities? Ask whether they accept the same apostilled set, and order extra certified copies from the registrar at the start.
- Work permits. A degree is often part of the proof of qualification. Spain's remote-work visa, for example, accepts a university degree or proof of professional experience, according to the Spanish Consulate General in Boston. If an employer letter is part of the file, see our guide to employment verification letters.
- Professional licenses. Nurses, teachers, engineers and other licensed professionals may need their degree, transcript and license apostilled for a board abroad. A license is a state record, so it goes to the Secretary of State of the state that issued it, which may not be the state of your school.
- Residence and family files. Some residence programs ask for school records alongside birth certificates and other family documents. We file the whole set together.
Our page for students and teachers heading abroad covers study visas and the documents that usually travel with a degree.
How long a diploma or transcript apostille takes
Start with the school, because the registrar's office sets its own schedule for certified records and nothing can be filed until the record is ready. After that, our Express service takes 1 to 5 business days in most states and Economy takes 1 to 3 weeks. Massachusetts and New Hampshire records can go same-day, with guaranteed 24-hour turnaround.
| Stage | Who sets the time | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Certified record from the registrar | Your school | Ask the registrar's office when you order. Some schools arrange the notary themselves |
| Notarization | The notary | Minutes, once the registrar signs in front of the notary |
| County or court step | New York, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee and Hawaii | One more stop before the state office. We handle it |
| State apostille office | The Secretary of State | Varies by state. Massachusetts, for example, does up to three documents the same day at its Boston counter and takes two to three weeks by mail |
| Apostille Depot | Us, once the record reaches us | Express 1 to 5 business days in most states, Economy 1 to 3 weeks, same-day rush for Massachusetts and New Hampshire documents |
| FBI check for a teaching job | The FBI, then the U.S. Department of State | Our FBI report apostille takes 2 to 6 weeks, so start it first |
| Translation | Quoted with your order | Only if the destination requires it |
An apostille does not expire, but some offices abroad want recently issued records, and EPIK sets its own date rules for criminal record checks. Ask how recent each document must be before you order it. See whether apostilles expire, how long an apostille takes and our same-day apostille for Massachusetts and New Hampshire documents.
What a diploma apostille costs
Each record gets its own apostille, and our prices are per document with the state fee included: Economy is $149.95 and Express is $199.95. An FBI report apostille for a teaching job is $199.95. Your registrar may charge for certified copies, and translation is quoted separately.
Three example orders
- Teaching in Korea. An apostilled diploma copy on Economy ($149.95) plus an FBI report apostille ($199.95) comes to $349.90, government fees included.
- Graduate school in Italy. A bachelor's diploma, a college transcript, a high school diploma and a high school transcript are four documents, or $599.80 on Economy, plus Italian translations quoted with your order.
- A job offer with a close start date. A diploma and transcript on Express come to $399.90. If the school is in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, same-day rush is $385.95 per document, with guaranteed 24-hour turnaround.
State fees are small next to everything else. Massachusetts charges $6 per document, for example, and Indiana charges no state fee for transcripts and diplomas from Indiana institutions. Our prices already include the state fee and cover the free review, filing, the online order tracker and return mail. Sending records for several people, such as a group of teachers? Ask us about a volume discount.
Mistakes that send school records back
Most refused school records share a few causes: a transcript with only the registrar's signature and seal where the state wants a notary, a record sent to the wrong state, a notarized copy in a state that does not allow one, or a sealed transcript opened by mistake. Each one costs another round with the school.
- Relying on the school seal. Alabama refuses a transcript with only the registrar's signature and school seal, and North Carolina says the school seal alone is not enough. Most states want a notary involved.
- Filing in your home state. The school's state decides. Massachusetts will not certify a diploma from a college in another state.
- A notarized copy where copies are not allowed. Montana bars notaries from certifying copies of transcripts, and Michigan notaries cannot certify copies at all.
- Printing an electronic transcript. A printout has no original signature to certify. Ask for a signed paper record.
- Opening the sealed set. If the destination wants sealed transcripts, keep one set closed.
- Skipping the county or court step in New York, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee or Hawaii.
- Apostilling for a non-Hague country. The UAE, Qatar and Kuwait need legalization instead.
- Sending the FBI check to a state. It goes to the U.S. Department of State only, and a notarized copy of it cannot be apostilled.
- Assuming a fixed shelf life. The apostille does not expire, but the office abroad may want recent records. Confirm with it first.
Our free document review checks each of these before anything is filed. Send us a photo of your diploma or transcript, or start your order, and see all our apostille services.
From registrar to apostille, handled by mail
Most of our clients never visit us. Order online, then have the registrar send the certified record to our office in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, or mail it yourself. We check it in a free document review against the state's rules and your destination's, file it with the right state office, handle any county clerk step and ship it back by the courier you choose, anywhere in the world. You can follow each stage in our online order tracker.
If your file also needs an FBI check, a birth certificate or a certified translation, we add it to the same order. If you are nearby, you can drop records off at 1215 Main St, Unit 115, Tewksbury, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern.
Apostille Depot has done this since 2012, for more than 2,200 clients and documents bound for more than 120 countries, with a 4.9 average rating from our Google reviews. Our founder, Hanson Webb, is a commissioned Massachusetts notary public.
How a diploma apostille order works
No lines at a state office and no guessing which form applies. Here is what happens after you order.
Tell us the school and the country
Send a photo of the diploma or transcript for a free review. We confirm your school's state rule, the route for your destination and the total price before you pay.
Get the record certified
Ask the registrar for a certified copy or statement signed before a notary in the school's state. We tell you exactly what to request.
We file it with the state
We check the notary block, handle any county clerk step and file with the Secretary of State of the school's state, plus the U.S. Department of State for an FBI check.
It comes back, tracked
Your apostilled records ship by the courier you choose, anywhere in the world, and you can follow every stage in your online order tracker.
Diploma and transcript apostille prices, state fee included
Each diploma or transcript is one document. Every package includes the government fee, a free check of your record and online tracking.
Economy
For deadlines a few weeks out
1 to 3 weeks
- State government fee included
- Free document review
- First-class mail return
- Online order tracker
Express
When the date is close
1 to 5 business days in most states
- State government fee included
- Free document review
- Priority mail return
- Online order tracker
FBI report
Federal apostille, fully remote
2 to 6 weeks
- U.S. Department of State fee included
- Email us your electronic FBI results
- Priority mail return worldwide
- Online order tracker
Certified translation, notary service and courier upgrades are optional add-ons. Ordering several documents? Ask us about a volume discount. See the full pricing and process.
Built around the reason you need it
Most orders start with a checklist from a lawyer, consulate or university abroad. We have worked through thousands of them.
American expats
Residency files, family records and driver's licenses, handled while you live overseas.
Golden Visa applicants
FBI reports, bank letters and vital records, timed to your lawyer's filing date.
Students abroad
Diplomas, transcripts and background checks for study visas and teaching jobs.
Couples marrying abroad
Birth certificates and single status affidavits for weddings in Italy, Mexico, Greece and beyond.
Businesses
Good standing certificates and corporate papers for foreign subsidiaries, banks and contracts.
Diploma and transcript apostille: common questions
Straight answers to what we hear most. Anything else, call us at (978) 424-4629.
How do I apostille a diploma?
Ask your school's registrar for a certified copy or a signed statement, notarized in the school's state, then send it to that state's apostille office. Most states apostille the notary's signature, not the diploma itself. A few, such as Georgia and Washington, D.C., also accept a notarized copy of the original. We check your state's rule in a free review, then file it and send the apostilled diploma back to you.
Which state apostilles my diploma or transcript?
The state where the school is, because the registrar signs there before a local notary. Where you live now does not matter. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia and Wisconsin all say they will not handle school records from other states, so a Rhode Island degree goes to Rhode Island even if you live in Boston. If your diploma and transcripts come from schools in two states, each goes to its own office.
Can I apostille my original diploma?
Usually you apostille a registrar-certified or notarized copy, and the original stays with you. Most state offices cannot check a registrar's signature on its own, which is why they want a notary involved. A few accept records signed by certain officials as they are, such as Louisiana state-accredited universities and University of Wisconsin registrars. EPIK, Korea's public school program, recommends a notarized copy because it cannot promise to return what you send.
Do I need to open a sealed transcript?
Not the one you send sealed. An apostille goes on a record that a registrar or notary has signed, so the copy you apostille is an open one. If the office abroad also wants a sealed transcript, as EPIK does for teachers in Korea, order two sets from the registrar: one to certify and apostille, and one that stays sealed. In Maryland, the notary opens the sealed record as part of the apostille process.
What documents do I need to teach English in South Korea?
For EPIK, Korea's public school program, a U.S. applicant needs an apostilled copy of the bachelor's diploma, sealed transcripts and an FBI background check apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, according to its Spring 2026 guide. State-level checks and state apostilles on the FBI check are not accepted. Private academies also hire on an E-2 visa and send their own lists. We can handle the diploma and the FBI check in one order.
Does an apostille mean my degree is recognized abroad?
No. An apostille confirms that the signature and seal on your document are genuine. Recognition, meaning what your degree counts for in the other country, is decided there by a university, a ministry or a recognition center. Italy, for example, uses a Declaration of Value from its consulates, which needs apostilled and translated diplomas and transcripts. Ask the institution abroad which process applies before you order.
How long does a diploma apostille take?
Start with the school, because the registrar's office sets its own time for certified records. After that, our Express service takes 1 to 5 business days in most states and Economy takes 1 to 3 weeks. Massachusetts and New Hampshire school records can go same-day, with guaranteed 24-hour turnaround. An FBI check for a teaching job goes to the U.S. Department of State and takes 2 to 6 weeks with us, so start it first.
How much does it cost to apostille a diploma and transcript?
Each document gets its own apostille. With us, Economy is $149.95 and Express is $199.95 per document, with the state fee included, so a diploma and a transcript on Economy come to $299.90. A teacher's set of a diploma and an FBI check is $149.95 plus $199.95, or $349.90. Translation is quoted separately, and if you are sending records for several people, ask us about a volume discount.
Can you apostille a high school diploma?
Yes. It follows the same rule as a college degree: a school official, usually the principal or registrar, signs a certified copy or statement before a notary in the school's state, and that state apostilles it. North Dakota uses a principal's notarized acknowledgment page, and in Washington, D.C., high school diplomas come through the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Italy's Boston consulate asks for high school records in degree recognition files.
Do I need a translation?
Often, when the destination does not use English. Ask the receiving office which language it wants, who may translate and whether the translation comes before or after the apostille. The Italian consulate in Boston, for example, asks for Italian translations that keep your grades exactly as they appear on the originals. We offer certified translation in more than 100 languages and can add it to the same order.
What if my destination is not in the Hague Convention?
Then the diploma needs legalization instead: a state certificate, usually the U.S. Department of State, then the embassy. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait are common examples, and the UAE embassy only handles degrees from U.S. schools with one of the regional accreditations it lists. China and Vietnam now take apostilles, and Thailand will from February 28, 2027. We quote legalization per country before you pay.
Can I get a diploma apostille while living abroad?
Yes. Most of our clients never visit us. Ask the registrar to certify the record in front of a notary and mail it to our Tewksbury office, or have it sent to you and forward it. We check it, file it in the school's state and ship the apostilled record to you anywhere in the world, with tracking. If the registrar cannot arrange a notary, tell us and we will look at the options for your state.
Your degree, apostilled for the next step
Send a photo of your diploma or transcript and tell us where it is going. We confirm the state rule, the route and the total price before you pay anything.