Are you planning to study abroad, for a term or for a full degree? Depending on the location of your programme and level of study, you may find you require document legalisation. In this article, we will outline a few of the most common documents that students may need in preparation for study abroad.
Document Legalisation
In accordance with the European Union’s Regulation on Public Documents (2016), many public documents originating from an EU Member State can be accepted as valid in other EU Member States without the need for legalisation [1]. However, because the UK left the EU effective January 2020, it is now necessary to validate certain documents for study abroad in Europe. The process of document legalisation for study abroad in an EU Member State is now identical to that of any other signatory country to the Hague Convention (1961). For more detailed information on the Hague Apostille Convention, check out our article The Apostille Process. It essentially means that you must obtain an international certificate named an Apostille for the documents in these cases.
Preparing Your Documents
One of the most common documents for study abroad applications is an ACRO police certificate. This is a document which ‘details whether or not you have a criminal record in the United Kingdom’ [2]. It forms part of the requirements for student visa applications in many countries and is increasingly being asked for in EU member states post-Brexit, meaning that if you intend to study abroad in the EU and your programme has a duration of longer than 90 days (the visa-free limit) [3], you will most likely have to apply for a police certificate. If you have your original, signed certificate, this document can be apostilled straight away. For other criminal record checks, such as DBS certificates, the document will require certification. For more information on document certification, see our article Solicitor Certification vs Notarisation.
Another document which is often a requirement for a student visa is a medical report/certificate. The content of the report may vary depending on the destination country, but it is generally a statement of any health issues and an attestation of fitness to travel. UK doctor registered with the General Medical Council must issue the medical report. This document will not require certification and should be ready for the Hague Apostille legalisation.
Depending on your level of study, your host university may also ask you for your transcript or previous degree certificate(s). If you are asked to have these legalised, your transcript or degree certificate (original or copy) must first be certified. For certification, you would need the help of a solicitor, notary public, or an official of the British Council.
Help with Document Legalisation
Your host institution should inform you of any specific requirements in preparation for your time abroad. If you have any questions regarding the process of legalising documents, please do not hesitate to contact us! Thanks to our network of professionals, we can arrange every step of the process, from initial certification to legalisation. We can also arrange legal translation if needed. Please do get in touch if you would like to know more about this service.
[2] Source: http://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx
[3] For more detailed information per location, see: http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/overseas-living-in-guides