What Is an Apostille and Does My Student Need One?

If your student lives or plans to study, work, or attend college outside of the United States, you may hear the term Apostille during the admissions or graduation process. For many families, this is an unfamiliar term, so we want to help explain what it means and when it may be needed.

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What Is an Apostille?

The word Apostille is a French word and refers to a certification attached to a document that verifies its authenticity for international use.

An Apostille is an official certificate that verifies the authenticity of a public document so it can be legally recognized in another country. In simple terms, it confirms that the signature or seal on a document is valid.

Many countries require educational records or other public documents to be authenticated through the Apostille process before they can be recognized for official use.

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When Is an Apostille Needed?

Apostilles are generally issued for documents that will be presented in another country.

They are most commonly requested for:

• High school diplomas
• Official transcripts
• Other educational records

At Enlightium Academy, Apostilles are most often requested for graduating seniors who plan to attend a university outside of the United States.

Important Note:

If documents will only be used within the United States or U.S. territories, an Apostille is not required.

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Which Countries Accept Apostilles?

Apostilles are used between countries that participate in the Hague Apostille Convention, an international agreement that simplifies document authentication between member countries. Washington State offers document authentication services for international use. The type of certification issued depends on the requirements of the destination country.

If your student’s documents will be used in a country that is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, additional authentication or legalization steps may be required. These steps may involve:

• The U.S. Department of State, and/or
• The destination country’s embassy or consulate

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When Should Families Request an Apostille?

Families may request an Apostille for certain educational records at any grade level. However, final diplomas and final transcripts cannot be apostilled until they have been issued.

If your student lives outside of the United States or plans to use educational records internationally, it may be helpful to become familiar with Apostille requirements before those records are needed. Enlightium’s Admissions team can provide guidance on Apostille requirements and the process for obtaining authenticated educational records. To get started, review Enlightium’s Apostille Knowledge Base Page. 

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Since 2003, Enlightium faculty and staff have served partner schools, online, and homeschool K-12 students. With parental support, excellent instruction, and a personalized approach to learning, Enlightium equips students with the academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed in life. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288 or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.