San Jose · Diploma & Transcript Apostille
You landed the spot — a master’s program in Madrid, a teaching post in Seoul, a job that starts overseas — and the offer letter ends with one line: your diploma must be apostilled. A degree that is perfectly valid at home does not automatically count abroad until it is authenticated. Here is how San Jose graduates get it done.
The short answer
To use a diploma or transcript overseas, a copy is notarized and then apostilled by the California Secretary of State, which certifies it for a foreign school, employer, or board. Many countries also want a certified translation, prepared alongside the authentication so the finished set is ready to hand over.
Why a foreign school or employer asks for it
Abroad, an admissions office or hiring manager cannot easily tell a real degree from a fake one. The apostille closes that gap:
Proof it is genuine
The authentication confirms the notarized document is real, so the receiving institution can trust the credential.
Ready to file
Once authenticated, the degree slots straight into a visa file, an enrollment packet, or a licensing application.
We handle the notarization and authentication so your credential is accepted the first time.
How San Jose graduates handle it
Prepare the copy
We notarize a copy of your diploma or transcript so the signature can be authenticated by the state.
Add the apostille
The notarized copy is submitted for its certification, often the same day it goes in.
Translate if required
If the country wants its own language, a certified translation is prepared alongside so nothing is missing.
Where graduates get tripped up
Two habits cause most of the delay. The first is trying to apostille the original diploma untouched — the authentication attaches to a notarized copy, so the piece on your wall is not what gets submitted. The second is leaving the translation for later, only to find the foreign office will not read an English degree, which means a second trip through the process. Notarizing the copy correctly and pairing the translation with the authentication from the start is what keeps a program start date or a job offer from slipping.
Diploma, transcript, or both
It is worth checking early which documents your destination actually wants, because programs differ. A university abroad often asks for the degree and the full academic transcript, while a work visa or a teaching post may need only the degree itself. A professional licensing board might want the degree plus proof of the specific coursework behind it. Since each item follows the same authentication path, the practical question is simply how many pieces to prepare, not whether the process changes. Confirming the list against your acceptance letter or visa checklist before you come in lets us prepare the full order at once, so a single visit covers everything the receiving office will ask for.
Diploma apostille: quick answers
Does a diploma need one?
Usually, for use abroad. It is notarized, then apostilled by the California Secretary of State.
How do I get one in San Jose?
We prepare a certified copy and submit it for the apostille, adding a translation if the country wants one.
Can a transcript be done too?
Yes. Transcripts follow the same path, and we can do the diploma and transcript together.
Why do teachers abroad need it?
Host countries verify a degree before issuing a work visa; the apostille is how they confirm it.
How long does it take?
Once the copy is notarized, it can be apostilled the same day when submitted early on a weekday.
Take your degree abroad, ready to be accepted.
Diploma and transcript notarized, apostilled, and translated in San Jose — so a foreign school, employer, or board accepts your credential the first time. Walk in or book ahead.