University of California Berkeley Apostille of Diploma or Transcript

Need a University of California Berkeley apostille? SF Notary + Apostille explains how the process works.

What is a University of California Berkeley apostille/legalization?

A University of California Berkeley apostille of university records, such as a  diploma and/or academic transcripts, is a certification process that validates your academic record for use abroad. UC Berkeley students and alumni applying to live, 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 records may include diplomas, academic transcripts, or letters of enrollment or completion which are certified by Cal with a notarized letter of authenticity signed by a University official, such as the Registrar or Assistant Registrar.

The California Secretary of State (CA SOS) apostille process begins with the submission of the notarized diploma or transcript. 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 academic records apostilled or legalized?

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. UC Berkeley notarizes cover letters for diplomas and transcripts separately. Therefore, if you need both, that will count as two apostilled documents.

Step 2: Request your document from Cal

If you already have an official copy of the academic record with a notarized letter, then you can ship it directly to our office. If not, you need to fill out the Request for Verification of Attendance and Degrees Form. (Scroll down to Get a Transcript or Diploma Notarized and click on the link.)

On the form, check the box that says Notarize a UC Berkeley: and the box(es) below for the type of document(s) you need. In the section titled Mail my document to:, write:

SF Notary + Apostille
459 Fulton Street #303
San Francisco, CA 94102

Sign the form. If you're requesting a diploma notarization, include a copy of your diploma. Calculate and include payment, and mail everything to the UC Berkeley Office of the Registrar. The registrar will process the request and send the notarized document directly to us.

For any questions about this process, please contact the Office of the Registrar at +1 (510) 642-6000 or transcripts@berkeley.edu or diplomas@berkeley.edu.

Note: UC Berkeley provides a notary twice a month, so processing times can be as long as 15 days. Cal does not allow mobile notaries, so we have no way of speeding this up. Please plan accordingly.

Step 3: Place an 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 apostilled

  • The destination country

  • Your name, address, and phone number

  • The name, address, phone number, and email address of the recipient (if you'd like us to ship it to a third party)

We will respond without delay with a price quote, estimated timing, and payment instructions. Once we receive payment, we will start the apostille/legalization process.

Step 4: We do the rest

Once we receive the notarized diploma or transcript from Cal, we will obtain an apostille from the California Secretary of State in Sacramento and ship it within one to two business days. If you need the certificate legalized for a non-Hague apostille country, we will obtain the consulate, embassy and/or US State Department authentications for you for an additional fee, then ship it as soon as it is fully apostilled and legalized. We use FedEx Priority Overnight Service for USA destinations and FedEx International Priority Service for overseas destinations. For any document shipped overseas, we will also send you a scan of the apostilled document for your records.

Contact us about a UC Berkeley 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.