HARVARD UNIVERSITY · HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
Harvard Business School Diploma and Transcript Apostilles
Harvard Business School does it differently from most schools: the MBA Registrar notarizes a copy of your diploma, never the original. We help HBS alumni get those notarized copies, transcripts and certificates of attendance apostilled for work, residency and boards abroad.
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ACADEMIC APOSTILLE
1–2 business days
Once your notarized document is ready
- Coordination with the HBS Registrar
- The right notarization for your recipient
- Certified translation if required
- Worldwide shipping with tracking
Harvard Business School’s process, explained
Diploma copies, not originals
You email a color PDF or photo of your diploma to the MBA Registrar’s Office, and it mails back a notarized hard copy. HBS says notarizing an original diploma is not an option.
Transcripts and certificates of attendance
These can also be notarized by the MBA Registrar’s Office before they go to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Request from your HBS email
Requests go to the Registrar from your HBS alumni email account, for verification.
Turnaround
HBS says to allow up to seven business days for notarization, and one to two weeks for a notarized diploma copy to reach you.
Then the apostille
HBS notarizes; the apostille itself comes from the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. That’s where we come in.
FROM INSIDE HARVARD
Founded by a former Harvard leader
Our founder spent nearly two decades on Harvard’s administrative leadership team as Director of Administration and Operations and Assistant Director of Finance, overseeing academic units and international centers. That work meant supporting international students, visiting scholars and faculty working abroad, and managing the documentation, compliance and deadlines their programs depended on. She knows how each of Harvard’s decentralized offices handles its records, so your HBS documents are requested, notarized and authenticated correctly the first time.
How HBS documents work
Harvard is decentralized: each school keeps its own records, runs its own registrar’s office and sets its own rules for diplomas, transcripts and notarization. MBA records are handled by the MBA Registrar’s Office at Harvard Business School in Boston. Doctoral degrees from HBS are handled separately, so Ph.D. and D.B.A. graduates should start with the doctoral programs office.
Our founder spent nearly 20 years in academic and research administration at Harvard and MIT, so we know how these offices work and what they need from you.
How your Harvard Business School record gets notarized
Massachusetts will apostille an academic record notarized with any of its four notarial acts: acknowledgment, jurat (affidavit), signature witnessing or copy certification. Which one you need is usually set by whoever receives your documents, so we confirm their requirements before we start.
School official acknowledgment
A Harvard Business School official signs your diploma, transcript or verification letter before the notary, and the notarial certificate names the official, their title and the school. Ministries of education and universities abroad often require this.
School official affidavit
The Harvard Business School Registrar signs a separate sworn statement confirming your graduation and that the attached records match the school's files, and the notary notarizes it. Spain's Ministry of Education, for example, accepts only this or an acknowledgment. See our Spain guide.
Certified copy, only if your recipient accepts it
As the owner of your diploma, you present the original and we notarize a certified copy, then get the apostille in 1–2 business days. Many recipients won't accept a copy certification, so please confirm with yours first.
Prepared right the first time
We coordinate with the Harvard Business School Registrar, prepare the notarial certificate with the details your recipient requires, and file with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. For the school-certified routes, you don't need to come to Boston.
How we make it faster
Have the MBA Registrar mail your notarized documents straight to us, or forward them when they arrive. We file them in person with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, usually within 1–2 business days, and add translation or embassy legalization in the same order if your destination needs it.
HBS graduates we help most
Relocating executives
MBA diplomas for work permits, residency and executive visas abroad.
Board and regulatory appointments
Degree proof for financial regulators, bank boards and licensing bodies overseas.
Founders and investors
Credentials for company registration, investor visas and golden visa programs.
Executive Education alumni
Certificates of attendance for programs that need proof of completion abroad.
Which documents will you need?
| Document | When it’s asked for |
|---|---|
| Diploma | Employers, visa offices and degree recognition. Often the first thing asked for. |
| Transcript | Licensing bodies, universities and credential evaluators that want the full record. |
| Degree verification letter | Some recipients accept a signed Registrar letter in place of the diploma, and it can be notarized and apostilled. |
| Certificate of enrollment | Visas and programs that need proof of current or past enrollment. |
The receiving office decides. Send us its instructions and we’ll tell you exactly what to order.
Mistakes HBS graduates avoid
Mailing your original diploma
HBS notarizes a copy, not the original. Keep your diploma at home.
Assuming every recipient accepts a notarized copy
Some ministries want a school official’s certification of the original record. Check before ordering.
Requesting from a personal email
Use your HBS alumni email so the Registrar can verify you.
Mixing up MBA and doctoral offices
Ph.D. and D.B.A. records come from a different office.
What to have ready
- Your degree, graduation year and name as it appears on the record
- Which documents you need
- The destination country and who will receive the documents
- Their written instructions, if they gave you any
- Whether you need a certified translation
- Your deadline and where the finished documents should go
Other Harvard schools
Each Harvard school handles records its own way. See the page for your school, or our Harvard overview.
- Harvard College and FAS
- Harvard Griffin GSAS
- Harvard Law School
- Harvard Medical School
- Harvard Kennedy School
- Harvard Graduate School of Education
- Harvard Chan School of Public Health
- Harvard Extension School
Official sources
- HBS MBA Registrar: Apostille and certification support
- Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth: apostilles and certifications
Registrar processes, fees and timelines can change. Check with the HBS Registrar for its current process. We are not affiliated with Harvard University.
Frequently asked questions
Can HBS notarize my original diploma?
No. The MBA Registrar’s Office notarizes a copy of your diploma made from a color PDF or photo you send, and mails the notarized copy back to you.
Will a notarized diploma copy be accepted abroad?
Many recipients accept it, but some ministries and universities require a school official’s certification of the original record. Confirm with your recipient first, and we’ll help you ask the right question.
Can HBS send the notarized documents to you?
The Registrar mails to the address you give it, so you can have it sent to us or forward it when it arrives.
How long does the whole process take?
About one to two weeks at HBS for the notarized document, then usually 1–2 business days for the apostille once we have it.
Can my digital or electronic diploma be apostilled?
Usually not as it is. A certified electronic diploma is a secure file that the recipient verifies online, and some recipients accept it directly, so ask them first. For an apostille, Massachusetts needs a notarized paper document: usually a notarized copy of your diploma, a notarized transcript or a notarized degree verification letter. Tell us what your recipient asked for and we’ll confirm the right route.
What does it cost?
Every request is a little different, so we give a personalized quote that covers the apostille, return shipping and anything else your destination needs.
Need your HBS documents apostilled?
Tell us the documents, the country and your deadline. We’ll confirm what your recipient needs.