Academy of Art University Apostille of Diploma or Transcript

Need an Academy of Art University apostille? SF Notary + Apostille explains how the process works.

What is an Academy of Art University apostille/legalization?

An Academy of Art University apostille of university records, such as a diploma and/or academic transcripts, is a certification process that validates your academic record for use abroad. AAU students and alumni applying to work or study in foreign countries may be asked to provide certified (a.k.a. authenticated, legalized, or apostilled) copies of their academic records. These may include diplomas, academic transcripts, or letters of enrollment or completion. Records are certified with a notarized letter of authenticity signed by a University official, such as the Registrar.

The California Secretary of State (CA SOS) apostille process begins with the submission of the notarized diploma or transcript from AAU. A CA SOS staff member first reviews the academic record to confirm that it is eligible for an apostille and verifies the signature of the notary public who signed and stamped the record. If the document meets all requirements, the Secretary of State issues a numbered apostille certificate, which is attached to the diploma or transcript. The apostille is then permanently bound to the document with the official red circular seal, stamped so that it appears partially on both the apostille certificate and the academic record. Our expedited apostille service completes this process in as little as one to two business days.

Countries that are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention (such as Thailand, the UAE, or Vietnam) require additional embassy or consulate authentication and often U.S. State Department legalization. We will detail the additional authentication services required and the timeline for obtaining them in our price quote. (See Step 3 below).

How do I get my Academy of Art University academic records apostilled or authenticated?

You do not need to be physically present during this process. Just follow the steps below.

Step 1: Find out exactly what you need

Sometimes a diploma is all that is requested. Other times, the requesting party wants to see both a diploma and academic transcripts. If you need both, Academy of Art University can provide either separate cover letters for your diploma and transcripts (which counts as two notarized and apostilled documents) or one cover letter for both documents (which counts as one notarized and apostilled document). Please specify which you prefer when placing your order.

Step 2: Place an order with the Academy of Art University Registrar

Once you confirm which academic records you need and if they can be combined into a single document or need to be notarized and apostilled separately, contact Academy of Art University to request they print a new copy of your diploma and/or transcripts and also give permission for SF Notary to meet with the registrar to notarize the cover letter(s). This step is critical, as the Secretary of State will not certify any academic record without a notarized cover letter. Suggested language:

I, [your full name], need to obtain an official copy of my [transcripts / diploma / transcripts and diploma] apostilled for use in [destination country]. I hereby grant SF Notary + Apostille permission to notarize the registrar's signature on one or more letters of authenticity and take possession of the document(s).

If you have any questions about this process, please contact the Office of the Registrar at +1 (415) 274-2222 or registrar@academyart.edu.

Step 3: Place an Academy of Art University apostille order with SF Notary + Apostille

Pricing depends on the type of authentication required and shipping costs. For a price quote, please email info@sfnotary.com with the following information:

  • A statement about what type of academic record you need notarized and apostilled

  • The country in which the apostilled document will be presented/submitted

  • Your name, address, and phone number

  • The name, address, company name (if shipping to a business), phone number, and email address of the person to whom we will ship the fully-authenticated document once it is ready to ship

We sill send you a price quote promptly, and once we receive your authorization to proceed, we will send you an invoice with several payment options by email and we will start the apostille/authentication process.

Step 4: We do the rest

The Academy of Art University Office of the Registrar will let us know when they are ready to schedule an appointment to notarize the registrar's signature.

After notarization, we will courier the transcript or diploma to Sacramento and get it apostilled by the Secretary of State. Some countries require additional processing, details of which we will provide in the price quote. Finally, once the document is apostilled (or apostilled and authenticated/legalized), we'll ship it via FedEx Priority Overnight Service (USA destinations) or FedEx International Priority Service (overseas destinations).

Contact us about an Academy of Art University apostille

For more information or to place your order, please email info@sfnotary.com or call +1 (415) 655-9455.

Disclaimer: Information on this website is for informational purposes only. These instructions are based on our knowledge and experience and are meant to be helpful; however, they might contain errors. Please let us know if you encounter mistakes so that we can promptly correct them. SF Notary + Apostille is not a law firm, and its agents are not attorneys. Please contact a licensed attorney or your local bar association for counsel on legal matters.