ISB · SCHOOL RECORDS APOSTILLE
International School of Boston Records Apostille
Moving abroad, or need your ISB records for study, work or a visa overseas? Here’s how International School of Boston releases transcripts and records, and how we get them notarized and apostilled so they’re accepted the first time.
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CAMBRIDGE · INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
Preschool–12 · IB Diploma and French Baccalauréat
Report cards, transcripts, diplomas and letters, ready for any country
- Report cards and transcripts
- Enrollment and withdrawal letters
- Diplomas
- Translations if needed
Which ISB records you can request
| Record | Who issues it | How to request |
|---|---|---|
| Transcripts (graduates and former students) | School office; alumni office for graduates | ISB doesn’t publish a transcript process. Contact the school; we can coordinate it for you. |
| Brevet, French Bac and IB results | Issued by the examining bodies (French Ministry of Education or the IB) | Ask us how your result documents should be authenticated for your destination |
| Enrollment or withdrawal letter | School office; alumni office for graduates | ISB doesn’t publish a process for these. We request them for you, worded the way your new school needs. |
| Current student report cards | School office; alumni office for graduates | Ask the school for official copies on letterhead before your child’s last day |
Offices and procedures change. Confirm with the school before you order, or let us confirm it for you.
How the ISB process works
The International School of Boston, at 45 Matignon Road in Cambridge, serves preschool through grade 12. It’s accredited by the French Ministry of Education and offers the French Baccalauréat and BFI as well as the IB Diploma. Many ISB families relocate to France and other countries.
Because ISB follows French programs from Pre-K, a child moving to France usually continues in the French system without recognition steps; the new school will still want report cards (livrets scolaires) and a certificate of attendance. Moving elsewhere, or to a non-French school, is when apostilles and translations come in.
What to request by grade level
| Grade level | What schools abroad usually want |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | The last one or two report cards, a letter confirming the last grade completed, and immunization records. Formal recognition is rarely needed at this age, but some countries and schools still ask for apostilled copies. |
| Grades 6 to 8 | Report cards for the last two or three years, an enrollment or withdrawal letter, and any testing or placement information. Some ministries compare middle school years to place a child in the right grade. |
| Grades 9 to 12 | An official transcript, course descriptions for the courses taken, and the diploma for graduates. Many countries run a formal recognition process for these years, and they’re the ones most likely to need an apostille and a translation. |
| Students with an IEP or 504 plan | A copy of the plan and recent evaluations, so the new school can plan support. These usually don’t need an apostille. |
Ask ISB for everything at once. A single request, made before your child’s last day, is far easier for the office than several requests after you’ve left the country.
How your ISB record gets notarized
Massachusetts will apostille a document notarized with any of its four notarial acts. What decides the right route is the country or school receiving it.
School official acknowledgment
A ISB official, such as the principal, registrar or guidance director, signs the record before our notary, confirming it’s the school’s official record.
School official affidavit
The official signs a sworn statement confirming enrollment or graduation and that the attached records match the school’s files. This is what Spain’s Ministry of Education asks for. See our Spain guide.
Certified copy, only if your recipient accepts it
You present the original record and our notary certifies the copy. Massachusetts will apostille it, but some countries reject it for school records.
Prepared right the first time
We prepare the notarial wording with what your country asks for: the official’s name, position and school.
Things ISB families should know
- Exam results like the French Bac or IB Diploma are issued by the examining body, not ISB. Their authentication can follow a different route.
- Moving to France? Ask the new school whether it needs apostilles at all; many don’t for French-program students.
- Plan around the school calendar. Offices that sign records are often thinly staffed in July and August, so request records in the spring if you’re moving in summer.
How we handle it
- 1
Tell us the country and deadline
Send us any instructions from the new school or ministry. We confirm which records each child needs and how they must be notarized.
- 2
We coordinate with ISB
We contact the right office, request the records, and prepare the notarial wording.
- 3
Notarization
Our notary meets the school official. With your letter of authorization, you don’t need to be there.
- 4
Massachusetts apostille
We file in person with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- 5
Translation and delivery
We add translations if needed and ship worldwide with tracking.
Frequently asked questions
Will the school sign before a notary for an apostille?
Most school offices will, once they understand what the receiving country needs. We contact ISB for you, explain the notarization, and prepare the wording so the official only has to review and sign.
Do I have to be there?
No. With a signed letter of authorization, we can pick up records and meet the school official without you. Many families are already abroad when the records are ready.
Is a certified copy enough?
Massachusetts will apostille a certified copy that you, as the parent or student, present to the notary. Some countries and schools don’t accept it for school records, so we only use that route once you’ve confirmed your recipient accepts it.
Can you add translations?
Yes. We arrange certified or sworn translations into the language your new school or ministry needs, in the same order.
Do Massachusetts student-record regulations apply to private schools?
603 CMR 23 applies to public schools. Private schools set their own records policies, so we follow each school’s own process and timeline.
Need ISB records for a move abroad?
Tell us the country, your children’s grades and your move date. We’ll handle the rest.