State of Connecticut Secretary of the State Legislation Administration AUTHENTICATION OF SCHOOL DIP

This memo was prepared to help Connecticut university and high school students obtain authentication of their student records for use in other countries. It specifies the policies and procedures that must be followed to enable this office to authenticate certified copies of student records. Although original diplomas and certified official transcripts issued by your school are sufficient for use within the United States, they are not sufficient for use in other countries. Student record documents to be used in another country must be prepared for use in all of the following ways:

1) The documents must be certified and signed with an original signature by an appropriate school official (or by the student, in the case of diplomas only)

2) The signature of the school official (or student, in the case of diplomas only) must be properly notarized by a Connecticut notary public

3) The notary's commission must be authenticated by the Connecticut Secretary of the State Certification, notarization, and authentication of school documents are requirements that other countries impose upon students. Failure to comply with each of these requirements may delay or deny a student's admission to education and job programs in the country to which the documents are sent. The remainder of this policy memo describes exactly how official student record documents must be certified and notarized so that this office can authenticate them. Diplomas may be school- or student-certified. Transcripts may be school-certified only. Procedures are listed under the headings "Transcripts" and "Diplomas." Visual examples follow each procedure description. Please note, a notary may never simply "sign and seal" a diploma, transcript or copies of student records. A proper certification and notarial act must appear on all student record documents to be authenticated. TRANSCRIPTS Requirements Copies of student transcripts must be certified by the school and properly notarized before they can be authenticated. Only the school registrar, or other authorized school official, may certify that a transcript is a true copy of the original record in the school's possession. Students may not make certified copies of their transcripts. A Connecticut notary may not make a certified copy of a school transcript. In fact, Connecticut state law does not give notaries the authority to make any certified copies. The school must be located in Connecticut in order for a transcript to be certified, notarized, and authenticated in Connecticut. Transcripts from schools outside of Connecticut must be certified, notarized, and authenticated in the state or country where the school is located. SCHOOL-CERTIFIED TRANSCRIPT Procedure (school must be located in Connecticut)

1. The school registrar, or other school official authorized by the school to make copies of transcripts, must print or type the following statement on the original certified official transcript, or photocopy of the certified official transcript: "I, (name of school official), (title of school official), certify that this is a true copy of the transcript of (name of student)."

2. The school registrar, or other school official named in number 1 above, must then personally appear before a Connecticut notary public, sign and date the certification statement made in number 1, and swear (or make oath) to the truth of the statement.

3. The notary must then type or print a jurat statement on the document, near the school official's signature. The form of the jurat statement is: "Subscribed and sworn to before me this _________ day of _____________, 199__."

4. The notary must then sign the jurat, and list the date his/her notary commission expires. After completion of these four steps, the certified and notarized transcript can be sent to the office of the Connecticut Secretary of the State, with the proper fee, for authentication. It will be returned to the student by mail after the authentication is completed. EXAMPLE School-Certified Copy of Transcript (School must be located in Connecticut) DIPLOMAS Requirements General Copies of student diplomas may be either student-certified or school-certified. Only the student who has the original diploma in his/her possession, or the school that issued the diploma can certify that a copy of a diploma is a true copy of the diploma issued to the student. A Connecticut notary may not make a certified copy of a school diploma. In fact, Connecticut state law does not give notaries the authority to make any certified copies. Certification of Diplomas by a Connecticut School If a copy of a diploma is to be certified by a school, the school must be located in Connecticut in order for the copy to be notarized and authenticated in Connecticut. Certification of Diplomas by Students If a student is physically present in Connecticut and has a diploma issued from a school either in Connecticut or outside of Connecticut, the student may make a copy of the diploma, certify that it is a true copy in front of a Connecticut notary public, and have the certified and notarized copy authenticated in Connecticut. Diplomas that Cannot be Certified and Authenticated in Connecticut If a student is not physically present in Connecticut, and his diploma was issued by a school outside of Connecticut, the diploma may not be certified, notarized, and authenticated in Connecticut. The student will have to contact the non-Connecticut school that issued the diploma, and the secretary of the state's office in the state where the school is located, and ask how to get an authenticated, certified copy of the diploma. please see next page STUDENT-CERTIFIED DIPLOMA Procedure (student must be physically present in Connecticut)

1. The student must make a photocopy of his/her diploma, and then print or type the following certification statement on the photocopy "I certify that this is a true copy of the original document (or diploma) in my possession."

2. The student must then personally appear before a Connecticut notary public, sign and date the certification statement made in number 1, and swear (or make oath) to the truth of the statement.

3. The notary must then type or print a jurat statement on the document, near the student's signature. The form of the jurat statement is: "Subscribed and sworn to before me this _________ day of _____________, 199__."

4. The notary must then sign the jurat, and list the date his/her notary commission expires. After completion of these four steps, the certified and notarized diploma can be sent to the office of the Connecticut Secretary of the State, with the proper fee, for authentication. It will be returned to the student by mail after the authentication is completed. EXAMPLE Student-Certified Copy of Diploma (School may be located anywhere) SCHOOL-CERTIFIED DIPLOMA Procedure ( School must be located in Connecticut)

1. An official of the school must make a photocopy of the diploma, and then print or type the following certification statement on the photocopy "I, (name of official), (title of official) certify that this is a true copy of the diploma issued to (name of student)."

2. The school official must then personally appear before a Connecticut notary public, sign and date the certification statement made in number 1, and swear (or make oath) to the truth of the statement.

4. The notary must then sign the jurat, and list the date his/her notary commission expires. After completion of these four steps, the certified and notarized diploma can be sent to the office of the Connecticut Secretary of the State, with the proper fee, for authentication. It will be returned to the student by mail after the authentication is completed. EXAMPLE School-Certified Copy of Diploma (School must be located in Connecticut) SCHOOL-CERTIFIED DIPLOMA Procedure ( School must be located in Connecticut)

4. The notary must then sign the jurat, and list the date his/her notary commission expires. After completion of these four steps, the certified and notarized diploma can be sent to the office of the Connecticut Secretary of the State, with the proper fee, for authentication. It will be returned to the student by mail after the authentication is completed. EXAMPLE School-Certified Copy of Diploma (School must be located in Connecticut)

Office of the Secretary of the State