Whether you’re heading overseas for work, applying for a study visa, or emigrating, foreign authorities will usually require your UK diploma to be officially legalised before they’ll accept it.

The process depends on where your diploma will be used and what the receiving authority requires — a paper apostille, an e-Apostille, or an apostille followed by embassy attestation.

We handle every step for you. Send us your diploma, and we will take care of the appropriate certification route (FCDO-registered solicitor or notary public), submit it directly to the FCDO Legalisation Office, and return your documents via tracked delivery.

Next-day and standard turnaround options are available, along with a faster e-Apostille route.

Diploma apostille — pricing at a glance

e-Apostille – Digital

from £97

Receive your apostille in as little as 5 hours. No physical document required.

  • From 5 hour processing

  • No postage required

  • Sent direct to your inbox

  • Check eligibility first

Standard – 3-4 Days

from £120

Our most popular service. Solicitor certification and FCDO apostille included.

  • FCDO certified processing

  • Solicitor certification included
  • Status updates by email

  • Free scanned copy included

Express – Next-Day

from £135

Submit by 9:30 am for next business day processing. Ideal when time is critical.

  • 9:30 am daily deadline
  • Next business day processing
  • Real-time order updates
  • No hidden fees or surprises

All prices include FCDO-registered solicitor certification, FCDO government fee, and VAT. For next-business-day service, we must receive your diploma by 9.30 am.

Notary certification available where required by your destination country — additional fee applies. Embassy attestation, document verification, courier upgrades, and multi-document orders with discounts quoted separately.

Which diplomas does this page cover?

This service covers the apostille and legalisation of UK-issued diploma qualifications, including:

  • Higher National Diploma (HND)
  • Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
  • Graduate Diploma
  • Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip)
  • College Diploma
  • Advanced Diploma

If your diploma was issued by a recognised UK institution, we can usually process it. If you’re unsure whether your qualification is eligible, send us the details and we’ll confirm before you order.

Need a different educational document apostilled?

We also offer apostille services for other UK educational documents:

  • Degree certificate
  • University transcripts
  • Foundation degree
  • Bachelor’s degree
  • GCSEs, A Levels, Edexcel
  • Letter of enrolment
  • ACCA certificates
  • Vocational qualifications
  • Certificate of attendance
  • School documents
  • Academic documents
  • TEFL / TESOL certificate

Which legalisation route do you need?

The correct route for your diploma depends on the country where it will be used and, in some cases, the specific purpose. Getting this wrong can mean rejected documents and wasted time — so we always confirm the route with you before processing.

General routes

Your situation Typical route
The destination is a Hague-Convention country Certification + FCDO apostille
The destination is a non-Hague Convention country Certification + FCDO apostille + embassy attestation
Digital submission accepted by the recipient Electronic certification + e-Apostille (PDF)

Country-specific examples

Country Purpose Typical route
Spain Student or study visa Notarisation + apostille
Spain Work visa, digital nomad visa, non-lucrative visa, or any non-academic purpose Solicitor certification + apostille
Italy General use Notarisation + apostille
UAE General use Solicitor certification + apostille + embassy attestation
Kuwait General use Solicitor certification + apostille + embassy attestation
Qatar General use Diploma + transcript — each individually solicitor-certified + apostilled + embassy attestation
Egypt General use Egyptian Cultural & Educational Bureau (ECEB) + embassy attestation (no apostille required)

These are examples based on the most common requirements we process.

Country and embassy rules can change — Algeria joins the Hague Convention on 9 July 2026, and Vietnam on 11 September 2026, meaning embassy attestation is still required for those countries until their respective dates.

We check the current requirements for your destination before anything is submitted.

Apostille or embassy attestation

– which do you need?

Hague Convention country (e.g. Spain, Italy, France, Germany, India, China)
Your diploma needs certification + FCDO apostille. That’s usually it.

Non-Hague country (e.g. UAE, Kuwait, Qatar)
Your diploma needs certification + FCDO apostille + embassy attestation. The apostille alone is not enough — the embassy must also stamp the document.

Countries with their own process (e.g. Egypt)
Some countries bypass the apostille entirely. Egypt, for example, requires documents to go through the Egyptian Cultural & Educational Bureau (ECEB) and then the embassy — no FCDO apostille is involved.

Not sure which route applies to you? Tell us the destination country, and we’ll confirm.

Original, copy, or digital diploma?

Which version of your diploma needs to be apostilled depends on the requirements of the receiving authority.

Some organisations or embassies will only accept an apostille on the original document, others are happy with a certified copy, and some will accept a digital e-Apostille.

  • Original diploma: You can send us the original, and we’ll have it certified and apostilled directly. The solicitor or notary will need to see the original to certify a copy, so even if the apostille is being attached to a copy, the original is usually required as part of the process.
  • Certified copy. This is the most common route. An FCDO-registered solicitor or notary certifies a photocopy of your diploma as a “true likeness” of the original, and then attaches the apostille to the certified copy. Your original is returned untouched.
  • Digital or electronic diploma. If your diploma was issued electronically — as a PDF download or via email — the qualification may need to be verified with the issuing institution before it can be certified. This is because the solicitor or notary needs to confirm the document is genuine before signing off on it.
  • Copy only — no original available. If you no longer have the original diploma, we may still be able to process it. The issuing institution will typically need to confirm the qualification’s authenticity directly, either by providing a replacement or by having our certifying solicitor verify the copy.

Certification options

Before the FCDO will issue an apostille for your diploma, the document must first be certified by an FCDO-registered professional. The type of certification you need depends on your destination country and the requirements of the receiving authority.

  • FCDO-registered solicitor certification. This is the standard route for most diploma apostille requests. A solicitor certifies a copy of your diploma as a “true likeness” of the original, and the certified copy is then submitted to the FCDO for the apostille.

    Solicitor certification is included in all our standard pricing and is accepted by most Hague Convention countries.

  • FCDO-registered NOTARY certification. Some countries, embassies, or receiving authorities specifically require notarial certification rather than solicitor certification. For example, Spain and Italy typically require notarisation for educational documents.

    If the requesting organisation specifies a notary public, this is the route you need. Notary certification carries an additional fee above our standard pricing — contact us for a quote.

  • e-Apostille (electronic apostille): The fastest option. Your diploma is electronically certified by our solicitor or notary and submitted to the FCDO for a digital apostille, which is issued as a secure PDF. Turnaround is typically 5–48 hours. Learn more about our e-Apostille service.

    The e-Apostille is legally equivalent to a paper apostille, but not all countries and authorities accept the digital format — confirm with your receiving authority before selecting this option.

If you’re not sure which certification route is right for your situation, tell us the destination country and who is requesting the document. We’ll confirm the correct option before anything is processed.

How the process works

  • 1

    Tell us what you need. Let us know your diploma type, destination country, deadline, and whether you need the original or a copy apostilled. We’ll confirm the correct legalisation route and provide a quote before anything is submitted.

  • 2

    Send us your diploma. Post or courier your diploma to our Westminster office. If you’re using the e-Apostille route, you can upload a scan instead. We also accept walk-in drop-offs during office hours.

  • 3

    Certification and FCDO submission. Your diploma is certified by our FCDO-registered solicitor (or notary, where required) and submitted directly to the FCDO Legalisation Office for the apostille.

  • 4

    Return delivery. Once apostilled, we email you a scan of the documents for your records and return your documents via tracked delivery (Royal Mail or DHL). Collection from our London office is also available.

Common reasons for rejection or delay

Most diploma apostille requests are processed without issues, but the following can cause delays or rejection:

  • Issuing institution not recognised. The FCDO will only apostille a diploma if it was issued by a learning provider registered with the relevant UK authority to award that qualification. If the institution is not recognised, the apostille will be refused. You can check whether a qualification is regulated on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications .
  • Copy cannot be verified against the original. If you’re submitting a copy and the certifying solicitor or notary cannot verify it against the original, the certification — and therefore the apostille — cannot proceed.
  • Wrong certification route for the destination country. Some countries and embassies specifically require notary certification rather than solicitor certification. If the wrong type of certification is used, the document may be accepted by the FCDO but rejected by the receiving authority overseas.
  • The receiving authority does not accept an e-Apostille. Not all countries and organisations accept the digital format. If you select the e-Apostille route without confirming acceptance with the receiving authority, you may need to reprocess with a paper apostille.
  • The Embassy requires additional documents. Some embassies require supporting documents alongside the diploma — for example, Qatar requires an academic transcript, each individually apostilled. If these aren’t included, the embassy will reject the submission.
  • Distance learning qualification not accepted. Certain countries do not accept qualifications obtained through distance or online learning. Qatar, for example, will not attest distance learning diplomas. Always confirm with the destination country before ordering.

FAQs

There’s no time limit on when a diploma can be apostilled — it doesn’t matter when it was issued. But if you’re working to a visa deadline, employer start date, or university enrolment date, timing matters.

Our standard service takes 3–4 business days; next-day service is available if submitted by 9:30 am; and the e-Apostille route can be completed in as little as 5 hours.

If your diploma also needs embassy attestation, allow additional time — embassy processing varies by country and is outside our control. Let us know your deadline when you order, and we’ll recommend the best route.

Yes to both. You can post your diploma to our Westminster office from anywhere in the world — or, if you’re using the e-Apostille route, upload a scan without posting it.

Employers, relocation agents, family members, and solicitors regularly place orders on behalf of the diploma holder.

We just need the document and the destination details — the order doesn’t need to come from the person named on the diploma. Once apostilled, we return documents by DHL international tracked delivery.

A name change does not affect our ability to apostille your diploma — we can process it regardless.

However, the receiving authority overseas may require supporting documents such as an apostilled marriage certificate or deed poll to link the name on the diploma to your current name.

We recommend checking with the requesting organisation to confirm what they need alongside the diploma.

If the issuing institution has closed or merged with another body, the diploma may still be eligible for an apostille. The key factor is whether the institution was recognised at the time the qualification was awarded.

In some cases, a successor institution or the relevant awarding body may need to provide verification. Contact us with the details, and we’ll advise.

For a paper apostille, the FCDO attaches the apostille certificate to the back of whichever version was submitted — whether that’s the original diploma or a certified copy. For an e-Apostille, the certified diploma and the apostille are combined into a single secure PDF.

Yes. If you have several educational documents that need to be apostilled — such as multiple diplomas, transcripts, and certificates — they can be bundled to get a single apostille.

For larger bundles, the solicitor creates a cover sheet to certify the entire package as a single document rather than certifying each document separately. All documents in the bundle must be for the same person.

Bundling is a popular option for customers looking to reduce costs, but it’s not always accepted overseas. Countries such as the UAE, Qatar, and Italy typically require each document to be individually certified and apostilled.

If you bundle documents and the receiving authority doesn’t accept them, they’ll need to be reprocessed separately. Tell us the destination country before you order, and we’ll confirm whether bundling is an option.