Your degree certificate is one of the most important documents you will ever receive. It represents years of study and hard work, and it opens doors to opportunities both at home and around the world. When you need to use your degree internationally — whether for employment abroad, further studies at a foreign university, professional registration in another country, or an immigration application — it typically needs to be notarised and apostilled. This guide explains the entire process for getting your Irish degree certificate notarised for international use.
When You Need a Notarised Degree Certificate
The most common reasons people need a notarised degree certificate include:
- Employment abroad: Foreign employers frequently require notarised copies of academic qualifications, particularly for regulated professions such as engineering, medicine, law, accountancy, and education.
- Professional registration: Medical councils, engineering bodies, law societies, and other professional regulatory authorities abroad require authenticated evidence of your primary qualification before granting registration or a licence to practise.
- Postgraduate studies: Universities abroad often require notarised copies of your undergraduate degree as part of the admissions process for postgraduate programmes.
- Immigration: Points-based immigration systems (used by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK) award points for educational qualifications. Notarised copies are required as part of the credential assessment process.
- Credential evaluation: International credential evaluation services such as WES (World Education Services), NARIC, ECE, and anabin require authenticated copies of degree certificates to assess their equivalence to local qualifications.
- Government or public sector employment: Some foreign governments require notarised qualifications for public sector positions, teaching roles, or government contracts.
What the Notary Does
The Notary Public performs several important functions when notarising a degree certificate:
- Examines the original: The notary carefully inspects your original degree parchment to confirm it appears genuine — checking the university seal, signatures, paper quality, and other security features.
- Verifies your identity: You must present your passport and proof of address. The notary confirms that you are the person named on the certificate.
- Makes the certification: The notary prepares a notarial certificate attached to the copy, stating that the copy is a true and accurate reproduction of the original document. This certificate is in a specific legal format recognised internationally.
- Affixes the seal: The official notarial seal — unique to each Notary Public — is applied, along with the notary's signature. This seal is what foreign authorities recognise as the mark of authentication.
The Process in Cork
- Locate your original degree parchment: Find your original certificate. If you have lost it, contact your university's Academic Records or Registrar's office to request a replacement (see below).
- Make clear copies: Photocopy the degree certificate clearly. Colour copies are sometimes preferred by certain foreign authorities, particularly in the Middle East. Ask about the specific requirements for your destination.
- Book an appointment: Contact Hugh Phelan's office at 021-489-7134 or email info@phelansolicitors.com.
- Attend in person: Bring the original degree, your passport, proof of address, and clear copies of the certificate.
- Notarisation: The notary certifies and seals the copies. The appointment typically takes 15-20 minutes for a single certificate, longer for multiple documents.
- Apostille: After notarisation, submit the notarised copies to the Department of Foreign Affairs for apostille. This can be done same-day in person at Iveagh House, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, or by post (allow 5-10 working days).
- Translation: If the destination country requires documents in a language other than English, arrange certified or sworn translation of the apostilled document. Allow 3-7 working days for translation.
Irish University Degree Certificates
All major Irish universities and higher education institutions issue degree certificates that can be notarised. These include:
- University College Cork (UCC) — BCL, BSc, BA, BComm, MB BCh BAO, and postgraduate degrees
- University College Dublin (UCD)
- Trinity College Dublin (TCD)
- NUI Galway / University of Galway
- Dublin City University (DCU)
- University of Limerick (UL)
- Maynooth University
- Technological Universities: TU Dublin, Munster Technological University (MTU), Atlantic Technological University (ATU), South East Technological University (SETU), Technological University of the Shannon (TUS)
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)
- National College of Ireland (NCI)
Professional qualifications from bodies such as Chartered Accountants Ireland, the Law Society of Ireland, Engineers Ireland, and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries can also be notarised.
Lost or Damaged Certificates
If your original degree certificate has been lost, stolen, or damaged, you have several options:
- Replacement parchment: Contact the Academic Records or Registrar's office at your university. Most Irish universities can issue a replacement parchment. Fees typically range from €30 to €100, and processing takes 2-4 weeks.
- Official letter of confirmation: If a replacement parchment is not available quickly enough, the university can issue an official letter on headed paper, signed by the Registrar, confirming your qualification, classification, and date of award. This letter can be notarised.
- Digital credentials: Some universities now issue digital credentials that can be verified online. However, foreign authorities typically still require physical notarised documents.
Notarisation vs Solicitor Certification
It is important to understand the distinction:
- Solicitor certification: A solicitor or Commissioner for Oaths can certify a copy as a true copy. This is widely accepted within Ireland for domestic purposes.
- Notarisation: A Notary Public provides a higher level of authentication that is recognised internationally. The notarial seal and certificate carry specific legal weight under the Hague Apostille Convention. For documents intended for use abroad, notarisation is almost always required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Notary Public certify a copy of my degree certificate?
Yes. Bring your original degree parchment to the appointment. The notary compares the copy against the original, certifies it, and affixes the notarial seal. Your original is returned to you.
What if I have lost my original degree certificate?
Contact your university to request a replacement parchment or an official letter confirming your qualification. The notary can then certify the replacement document.
Is notarisation the same as certification by a solicitor?
No. Solicitor certification is a domestic Irish process. Notarisation by a Notary Public carries specific international recognition and is required for documents intended for use abroad.
Need Documents Notarised?
Contact Hugh Phelan's office today. Call 021-489-7134 or email info@phelansolicitors.com. We're located at East Douglas Street, Douglas, Co. Cork.