Apostille for Educational Transcripts: Study Abroad Made Easy

Validating Your Degree for the World

South Bay students are increasingly looking abroad for graduate programs, and professionals are seeking employment in Europe and Asia. To get accepted or hired, you need to prove your education is real. Foreign institutions require an Apostille on your diploma and transcripts to prevent fraud.

The School Registrar's Role

You cannot simply notarize your original diploma (it's a unique document) or a photocopy yourself. The process must start at the school.

1. Contact the Registrar: You must ask your school (e.g., El Camino College, CSU Dominguez Hills, USC) to notarize a copy of your transcript or diploma. A school official signs a statement saying "This is a true copy" in front of a notary.
2. The Notarization: The notary notarizes the school official's signature—NOT yours.
3. The Apostille: Once we have that notarized school record, we take it to the Secretary of State for the Apostille.

Why DIY Fails

Many students try to just notarize a photocopy themselves. This is rejected by the Secretary of State because a notary cannot certify a copy of a vital or school record (only the issuer can). We guide you through the correct wording to give the Registrar so that the document we receive is valid for the Apostille process. We bridge the gap between the university bureaucracy and the state government.