Degree certificates

How to certify your degree certificate and apply for a replacement.

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Receiving your original certificate

Most students will receive their degree certificate at an in-person graduation ceremony. Once you’ve been awarded your degree, the Events team will contact you about your graduation and degree certificate. You can't collect your certificate from the Events team or request your certificate before your graduation ceremony.

If your degree is conferred at an in-absentia (not in-person) ceremony or you can't attend your graduation ceremony, the Events team will contact you to arrange postage of your certificate.

Our 'Cerificates' web page explains how to register your postal address and when you will receive your certificate.

The University does not issue electronic degree certificates. If you need proof of your degree before your certificate is available, your digital transcript in the Gradintelligence system confirms your final degree award and classification.


Certified copies

You can request certified copies of your degree certificate online for £10 (includes five copies).

You must:

  • upload a scanned colour copy of your degree certificate
  • specify if you'd like us to post your copies to multiple addresses 

Request certified copies online

Processing times

  • Certified copies can take up to 10-15 working days to prepare.
  • Certified copies produced from archive records can take up to six weeks if you graduated before 1998.

Restrictions

  • We can only certify degree or diploma certificates awarded by the University of Sheffield.
  • We can't certify copies of certificates that have already been marked, certified or notarised by a third party.

Replacement certificate

If you've lost or damaged your original degree certificate, you can request a replacement online for £35.

Request replacement certificate online

Processing times

  • Replacement degree certificates can take up to 15 working days to prepare.
  • If you graduated prior to 1995, your certificate may take up to six weeks to prepare from archive records.

Restrictions

  • You're only eligible for one original copy of your degree certificate.
  • We can only produce your request if your original certificate has been lost, damaged, or destroyed. 
  • If your original certificate has been damaged, you must send your damaged certificate back to us before we can provide a replacement. 

Unclaimed certificates

If you didn't collect your degree certificate at Graduation, you can collect this in person from the Student Services Information Desk or arrange to have it delivered to your home for a small fee. This does not apply for certificates from the January 2024 ceremonies - for these certificates, you will need to contact the Graduation team.

Request your unclaimed certificate

If you require your original postgraduate certificate (60 credits), there is a different form that you need to complete, which is available here:

PG Certificate/ UG Certificate of Higher Education request

If you don't use a tracked delivery method (Special Delivery or International Tracked and Signed) and your certificate is lost in the post, you'll have to order and pay for a replacement.

You cannot collect your certificate from the Events Team or request your certificate before your graduation ceremony.


PG Certificate /UG DLL Certificate in Higher Education/UG Certificate of Higher Education Request

If you require your original postgraduate certificate (60 credits), undergraduate Department for Lifelong Learning certificate, or undergraduate exit award, the Certificate of Higher Education, you need to request this certificate.

Request PG Certificate (60 credits), DLL UG Certificate in Higher Education or UG Certificate of Higher Education certificateIf you have any queries about your original PG or UG Certificates mentioned above, contact Student Registry.


Delivery and collection

We offer a range of delivery options for certificates and certified copies. 

Collection

If you would like to collect your documents, state this under the “Additional Requirements” section of the order form.

Once your documents have been produced, you can collect them from the SSiD front desk during our opening hours.

Once your documents are ready to collect, we will contact you to let you know. 

Tracked delivery

Special Delivery (UK)

If you're requesting your certificate for delivery in the UK, we recommend Royal Mail Special Delivery. This is a tracked delivery service that costs £6.50, with an estimated delivery time of two to three working days.

For overseas deliveries, we recommend using a tracked delivery service to ensure that your documents arrive safely and within a reasonable timeframe. 

Royal Mail International Tracked and Signed

This costs £15, with an estimated delivery time of five to ten working days. This will allow you to track your delivery up until it leaves the UK. Depending on your country's postal service, additional tracking may be available once your delivery reaches your country.

DHL courier delivery

If you're requesting your certificate for delivery overseas, we offer courier delivery via DHL. This is a door to door tracked delivery service, with an estimated delivery time of one to six working days. This costs £25 within Europe and £37.50 outside of Europe.

Standard delivery

We do offer standard delivery for no additional cost, but you will not be able to track the delivery. If you choose standard delivery, your document will be sent by:

  • Royal Mail 2nd Class (UK) - three to five working days
  • Royal Mail International Standard (overseas) - 10-15 working days (EU) or 15-30 days (worldwide)

The delivery times given above are estimates.  

Lost in transit

Depending on the delivery method, you can report your item as lost after the following timescale:

  • Royal Mail 2nd Class (UK) - 10 working days
  • Royal Mail Special Delivery (UK) - five working days
  • Royal Mail International Standard (EU) - one month
  • Royal Mail International Standard and International Tracked and Signed (worldwide) - six weeks

If your document has not arrived after waiting the time listed above, contact SSiD.


Contact SSiD

Contact SSiD

Email: Contact SSID about documents 

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Information for students

The Student Services Information Desk (SSiD) answers a range of general student related enquiries