University of San Francisco Apostille of Diploma or Transcript

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

What is a University of San Francisco apostille/legalization?

A University of San Francisco apostille of university records, such as a diploma and/or academic transcripts, is a certification process that validates your academic record for use abroad. USF 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 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 4 below).

How do I get my University of San Francisco 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. If you need both, USF can provide either separate cover letters for your diploma and transcripts (which counts as two apostilled documents) or one cover letter for both documents (which counts as one apostilled document). Please specify which you prefer when placing your order.

Step 2: Place an order with the University of San Francisco Registrar

Already have an official copy of the academic record? You can ship it directly to our office. If not, then you'll need to order one from USF. You can order an official copy of your transcript or diploma on USF's website. When placing your order, request that USF send the official document to our office:

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

If you have any questions about this process, please contact the USF Degree Audit & Graduation Center, Office of the University Registrar, at +1 (415) 422-7260 or gradcenter@usfca.edu.

Step 3: Give permission to the school to work with us

You will need to contact USF's Graduation Center and request permission for us to meet with the registrar to notarize the copy of your diploma or transcript. The Secretary of State will not legalize your school record until it is signed by the school in front of a notary. Suggested language:

I, [your full name], need an apostilled copy of my [transcript / diploma / transcript and diploma] for use in [destination country]. I hereby grant SF Notary + Apostille permission to notarize the registrar's signature and take possession of this document.

Step 4: Place a University of San Francisco 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 apostilled and whether the official copy will come from you or from USF

  • 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 5: We do the rest

When we receive the academic record, we will schedule an appointment to notarize the USF Registrar's signature. After notarization, 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 USF 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.