Universities are not on the FCDO's list. GOV.UK names four kinds of issuer whose documents it legalises as they stand: courts, public registries, government departments and registered doctors. Everything else, "a qualification certificate" included, must first be "certified by a UK 'public official', such as a UK notary or solicitor". Skip that step, or do it badly, and the Legalisation Office sends the document back, without refunding the fee.
The certificate is often not the only paper a destination wants, either. Cambridge degree certificates show no classification at all: "such detail, where available, is recorded on academic transcripts and verification documents." An employer or ministry abroad that needs your degree class reads the transcript, which needs its own certification and apostille.
This guide covers why the notary step exists, who should do it, which documents to apostille, paper or electronic, what six destinations ask for, and how the translation should read.
Can the FCDO apostille a UK degree certificate directly?
No. The FCDO treats a degree certificate as a document that must be certified first: a UK notary or solicitor certifies it, and the FCDO apostilles the certification. The HCCH Apostille Handbook explains the logic: where an educational document is "considered a private document", it "will need to be certified before an Apostille is issued".
That has a consequence people miss. The apostille confirms the notary's or solicitor's signature, not your degree. The HCCH says an apostille "does not certify the content of the underlying public document and thus cannot lend legitimacy to fake credentials". Some destinations close that gap by asking the notary to check the award with the university, as Italy does.
Two shortcuts do not exist. British embassies and consulates "cannot certify copies of" education certificates, and a university cannot apostille its own awards: the Italian consulate calls the FCDO Legalisation Office "the only authority that issues apostille stamps for holders of UK degrees/certificates", and Cambridge, for example, "does not provide a legalisation or Apostille service". For the apostille in general, see what is an apostille.
Notary or solicitor: who should certify my degree?
For the FCDO, either. GOV.UK accepts a UK notary or solicitor and links to the official finders: the Faculty Office for notaries in England and Wales, the Law Society for solicitors in England and Wales, and the Law Societies of Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The destination may be stricter:
- Italy: for a Declaration of Value, the Italian consulate in London says "The verification and certification must be carried out only by a 'Notary Public'". The notary checks the award with the university, and the consulate gives sample wording: "I certify that the qualification is genuine and authentic and I have carried out the verification with the awarding body/Institution/University".
- Spain: the FCDO says UK educational documents for recognition in Spain "must be certified by a notary public in the UK". The notary must sign personally, in the UK, with an "original, hand-written signature", stating the action taken, the date, their name and company address. Otherwise "your document will be returned to you".
If the destination names a notary, use one. If it says nothing, ask before paying for either.
Which academic documents need an apostille?
Each document the destination lists, apostilled separately. The FCDO charges "for each document", unless the authority accepts one apostille for a group.
| Document | Why it is asked for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Degree certificate | Proof of the award | A certified copy or the original, as the destination specifies; Italy asks for a "verified and certified copy of the original" |
| Transcript or diploma supplement | Classification, modules, credits, length of study | Italy wants the name, date of birth, course length, mode of attendance, credits, and any year abroad or internship |
| Letter from the university | Details missing from the transcript | Italy accepts an "additional official letter from the University" |
| Teaching qualifications | Recognition of teacher training | Italy's consulate asks PGCE and BEd holders for their QTS and Induction certificates too, each certified and apostilled |
| A-level and other school certificates | School-level recognition | The Italian consulate lists A-level certificates among documents a notary certifies |
Check first that your university is recognised: GOV.UK's checker says a degree that is not "officially recognised" may not be accepted by employers or universities.
Paper apostille or e-Apostille for a degree?
Either, if the destination agrees. Because a degree needs a notary's or solicitor's certification anyway, it can go through the e-Apostille service, which takes "PDF files that have been electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor". It costs £35 and takes up to 2 working days, against £45 and usually up to 25 working days for paper (15 working days from receipt in October 2026), plus courier or postage.
GOV.UK tells applicants to check whether the recipient wants "a paper-based apostille, or whether it can be an e-Apostille". For educational documents going to Spain, the FCDO adds that the notary must sign by hand and the Legalisation Office "cannot accept a photocopy or scan of a signature", which points to the paper service. Our apostille turnaround guide has the full timings.
What do destination countries ask for?
Six examples from official sources:
| Destination and purpose | Certification and apostille | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Spain: educational or professional recognition | Certified by a UK notary public, then FCDO legalisation (rule in force since 31 October 2021) | For documents presented in Spain, a sworn translator recognised by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Italy: Declaration of Value from the consulate covering your area | Notary-verified certified copy with an FCDO apostille, plus transcript or diploma supplement | By "the applicant or by a third party"; to authenticate a translation in Italy, the FCDO suggests a sworn translation (traduzione giurata) |
| Portugal: recognition of qualifications | Legalised by the Legalisation Office | A notary in Portugal can authenticate the translation |
| South Korea: jobs | "a legalised and apostilled university degree" | Ask the employer |
| China: work or study | An apostille alone since 7 November 2023, with no consular legalisation | The Chinese missions tell applicants to check "format, content, time limit, translation and other specific requirements" |
| Qatar and Kuwait: jobs | Outside the Convention: FCDO, the embassy in London, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Qatar adds rules for educational documents | Ask the employer or ministry |
Viet Nam is a recent change. The Convention entered into force there on 11 September 2026, and the UK is not among the states that objected (Germany, Austria and Czechia did), so an apostille should replace embassy legalisation for UK degrees. The FCDO's Living in Vietnam guide still describes legalisation, so confirm with the employer or authority.
The Italian Declaration of Value is not an equivalence: the consulate says it is "neither an equivalent of an Italian qualification nor a comparability certificate". Italian universities also accept statements from CIMEA, Italy's recognition centre.
How should a UK degree be translated for use abroad?
Faithfully, without converting anything:
- The award and classification exactly as printed, such as Bachelor of Science with Upper Second Class Honours, never converted into a local grade or "equivalent".
- Module titles, credits and marks as stated, with the university's own grading scale explained in a translator's note if the transcript includes one.
- Names as on the certificate. The FCDO warns that "middle names are often not shown on degree or qualification documents"; the translation keeps the certificate's version, and you explain the difference with your passport.
- The notary's certificate and the apostille, translated when the authority wants every page in its language.
Our academic transcript translation guide covers grading scales and course titles in more detail.
Where does Official Translations fit?
We translate degree certificates, transcripts and supporting letters as certified translations at £29.95 per page. If the destination wants the translation itself legalised, our apostille service supplies the certified translation notarised and then apostilled, with that apostille attached to our translation, not to your degree: £149.95 per document as an e-apostille or £199.95 on paper, typically in 5 to 7 business days.
The certification and apostille of the degree itself are separate steps, with a UK notary or solicitor and then the Legalisation Office. Where a destination wants its own sworn translator or a local notary's authentication, as Spain, Portugal and Italian offices outside the consulate may, our translation does not replace that step. See translation and apostille: when you need both.
Common mistakes with UK degrees going abroad
- Sending the certificate to the FCDO uncertified, so it comes back unprocessed.
- A solicitor's certification where the destination wanted a notary, as Italy and Spain do.
- A certification missing what the FCDO checks: personal signature, the action taken, the date, name and address.
- Apostilling the certificate but not the transcript that shows the classification.
- An e-Apostille where the recipient wanted paper, or the reverse.
- A translation that "converts" the degree class instead of translating it.
- Unexplained name differences between the degree, the passport and the application.
Checklist: UK degree going abroad
Questions people ask
Can the FCDO apostille my degree certificate without a solicitor or notary?
No. GOV.UK legalises documents from courts, public registries, government departments and registered doctors as they stand; a qualification certificate must first be certified by a UK public official, such as a notary or solicitor. The apostille then confirms that person's signature.
Can I apostille a copy and keep my original degree certificate?
Yes, if the destination accepts it: a UK notary or solicitor certifies a copy, and that certified copy is apostilled. The Italian consulate in London actually asks for a "verified and certified copy" of the original, and GOV.UK tells applicants to check whether the authority wants originals or certified copies.
Does my transcript need an apostille too?
If the destination lists it. Some UK degree certificates show no classification, so offices abroad read the transcript or diploma supplement, and Italy's Declaration of Value requires one. Each document is certified and apostilled separately, at £45 each on paper or £35 as an e-Apostille.
Can I get an e-Apostille for a degree certificate?
Yes, if a UK notary or solicitor certifies it and signs a PDF electronically: degree certificates are not on GOV.UK's list of documents excluded from e-Apostilles. It costs £35 and takes up to 2 working days, but ask the recipient first whether it accepts an e-Apostille.
How much does it cost to apostille a UK degree, and how long does it take?
The FCDO charges £45 per document for a paper apostille, which usually takes up to 25 working days plus postage, or £35 for an e-Apostille, which takes up to 2 working days. Add the notary's or solicitor's fee for the certification, which they set themselves.
Does HEDD verification replace an apostille?
No. Prospects Hedd lets employers, universities, embassies and others verify UK degrees, but graduates cannot verify their own awards, and it does not produce an apostille. If an authority asks for an apostilled degree, you still need the certification and the FCDO apostille.
Can my university apostille my degree?
No. The apostille for a UK degree comes from the FCDO Legalisation Office after a UK notary or solicitor has certified it, because universities are not among the issuers it accepts directly. Cambridge, for example, states that it does not provide a legalisation or apostille service.
Do I need my degree translated, and can Official Translations do it?
Only if the destination wants it in its language, and it decides who translates: Italy's consulate accepts a translation by the applicant or a third party, while Spain wants a sworn translator. We provide certified translations at £29.95 per page, and notarised and apostilled translations where a destination accepts them.
