HARVARD UNIVERSITY · HARVARD GRIFFIN GSAS
Harvard Griffin GSAS Diploma and Transcript Apostilles
If you earned a Ph.D. or master’s degree through the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, your records are kept by the FAS Registrar’s Office, not GSAS itself. We help GSAS graduates get diplomas and transcripts apostilled for faculty jobs, postdocs and residency abroad.
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ACADEMIC APOSTILLE
1–2 business days
Once your notarized document is ready
- Coordination with the Harvard Griffin GSAS Registrar
- The right notarization for your recipient
- Certified translation if required
- Worldwide shipping with tracking
Harvard Griffin GSAS’s process, explained
The FAS Registrar holds your record
Transcripts, diplomas, certificates of enrollment and degree verifications for GSAS graduates are processed by the FAS Registrar’s Office.
Notarization through the Registrar
The FAS Registrar notarizes and helps with apostilles, but requests can take weeks, especially around Commencement.
Certified Electronic Diplomas
The FAS Registrar issues Certified Electronic Diplomas. They’re useful for online verification, but an apostille needs a notarized paper document.
Degree and enrollment verification
Verification letters can be a faster option when your recipient accepts one, and they can be notarized and apostilled too.
Joint and SEAS degrees
If your degree was awarded jointly with another Harvard school, confirm which office issues the document you need.
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 GSAS documents are requested, notarized and authenticated correctly the first time.
How Harvard Griffin GSAS 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. The FAS Registrar’s Office keeps academic records for Harvard Griffin GSAS students. It’s in the Smith Campus Center, 1350 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 450, in Cambridge.
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 Griffin GSAS 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 Griffin GSAS 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 Griffin GSAS 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 Griffin GSAS 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
When your deadline is close, tell us what you need. We coordinate with the FAS Registrar, file the notarized documents in person with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, usually in 1–2 business days, and add translation or embassy legalization in the same order.
Harvard Griffin GSAS graduates we help most
Faculty and postdoctoral appointments
Ph.D. diplomas and transcripts for universities and research institutes abroad.
Research visas and residency
Degree proof for researcher visas, residence permits and points-based immigration.
Industry roles abroad
Ph.D. and master’s degrees for employers and work permits overseas.
Doctoral degree recognition
Recognition of a Harvard doctorate by ministries and academic councils, often with a translation.
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 Harvard Griffin GSAS graduates avoid
Contacting GSAS instead of the FAS Registrar
The FAS Registrar’s Office issues GSAS records.
Using the electronic diploma for an apostille
A Certified Electronic Diploma isn’t a notarized paper document. Ask about a notarized copy or verification letter.
Leaving it too late
FAS requests can take weeks. Tell us your deadline early.
Assuming the recipient accepts any notarization
Some academic councils want a school official’s certification. Confirm before ordering.
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 Law School
- Harvard Medical School
- Harvard Business School
- Harvard Kennedy School
- Harvard Graduate School of Education
- Harvard Chan School of Public Health
- Harvard Extension School
Official sources
- Harvard Griffin GSAS: FAS Registrar’s Office
- Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth: apostilles and certifications
Registrar processes, fees and timelines can change. Check with the Harvard Griffin GSAS Registrar for its current process. We are not affiliated with Harvard University.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues Harvard Griffin GSAS diplomas and transcripts?
The FAS Registrar’s Office, which keeps academic records for GSAS students and alumni.
Can I apostille my Certified Electronic Diploma?
Not on its own. An apostille needs a notarized paper document, such as a notarized copy of your diploma or a notarized verification letter. Some recipients accept the electronic diploma directly, so ask them first.
How long does the FAS Registrar take?
It varies and can take weeks around Commencement. Once we have the notarized document, the apostille usually takes 1–2 business days.
Do I need to be in Boston?
No. We coordinate with the Registrar and ship the finished apostille to you anywhere in the world.
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 Harvard Griffin GSAS documents apostilled?
Tell us the documents, the country and your deadline. We’ll confirm what your recipient needs.