Certificates and documentation for international use

There are several types of certificates for international use that we present on this page. Please check with the institution or company requesting the certificate to determine which type you need.

Type 1: Certificate of study with / without official stamp or with pre-certification

  • If you would like to obtain an apostille for a certificate of study (Studienbescheinigung), send a PDF of the document generated by QuiS/LSF to apostille@uni-frankfurt.de. It will be signed and officially sealed by the Academic Success and Integration team. Please then contact the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt (regional council) directly by regular mail or in person.

    The apostille from the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt costs €25 per document.

Type 2: Certified copy of transcipts or other documents

  • In many cases, an officially certified copy of your transcript (Zeugniss) is sufficient. Such a copy can only be certified by a public authority with an official seal. You will need to take your original transcript to this office. In Germany, for example, the following agencies are authorized to issue certified copies:

    • Citizens' registration office (Bürgeramt/Einwohnermeldeamt)
    • Registry office (Standesamt)
    • Notary public (Notar)
    • District court (Ortsgericht)

    Typically, you will be charged between €3 and €10 for this service.

    In other countries, official certifications are also carried out by the responsible German diplomatic missions.

Type 3: Legalization and apostille of Goethe University certificates and documents for international use

  • Legalization is the formal certification of documents for presentation abroad (consulate or embassy). This involves confirming the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the signatory acted and, if applicable, the authenticity of the affixed seal. The  Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt (regional council) is responsible for the legalization process.

    A number of countries have joined the "Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents" of October 5, 1961. For these countries, it is sufficient that the required document be provided with an apostille by a competent German authority - in this case the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt. With this apostille, the German document is officially recognized abroad.

    A prerequisite for formal certification by the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt is that the authenticity and signature on the document have been confirmed by the university ("pre-certification"). This pre-certification is provided free of charge by the Academic Success and Integration team at Studium Lehre Internationales.

  • A certified copy is made of the original document. This type of copy is provided exclusively by the Academic Success and Integration team. (Note: This form of certified copy can only be used for the purpose of legalization or apostille and will otherwise not be accepted). In all cases, the original certificate must be submitted to us. You will then submit the certified copy to the Darmstadt Regierungspräsidium (regional council) for the purpose of legalization or apostille (authentication) by regular mail or in person. The corresponding certification form will then be attached to the certified copy.

    Legalization by the Darmstadt Regierungspräsidium costs €25 per document.

  • The original certificate will be checked for authenticity and confirmed in a separate document. With this document and the original certificate, you contact the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt by regular mail or in person. The respective form of certification will then be attached to the original document.

    The certification by the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt costs 25 euros per document.

  • To obtain a pre-certification/authenticated copy from Goethe University, please send the documents (in PDF format) for which you need a pre-certification/authenticated copy in advance to apostille@uni-frankfurt.de. You will be notified once the process is complete.

    You can either present the original documents for verification when you pick up your pre-certification/certified copy in person, or you can mail the originals to us. Please note that all documents are to be sent via regular mail. Unfortunately, registered mail is not an option. If you choose to send your documents by mail, you are responsible for the possible loss of your documents.

    Please allow up to 5 business days for processing.

    If you designate someone to submit or pick up a pre-certification/certified copy for you, you must provide that person with the appropriate authorization and the person must be able to prove their identity.

Contact

Barbara Budzisz
Susen Wessely
 

Department:
Studium Lehre Internationales/Global Affairs Study and Teaching

Division: 
Student Advisory and Counselling Services

Group
Academic Success and Integration

 
Westend Campus 
PEG building
 
Phone: (069) 798 79031

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