Certified copy of U.S High School diploma?

[KLamb8]

So, I'm in the process of applying via uni-assist for a German Master's program which requires both a certified copy of my high school transcripts & a certified copy of my high school diploma as verification of secondary school. After contacting my high school, they informed me that it is not possible to obtain a copy of my diploma, just the transcripts. 

Does anyone know where I might be able to have my high school diploma copied & notarized? (That would be reletively quick & not expensive)

Thanks,

Katie

Edited May 4, 2017 by KLamb8
typo

[melvina]

I think this would depend where you are currently located.

Where I come from, I would just got to the office of a notary public and they would copy and notarize it for me.  Sometimes lawyers can both serve as lawyers and notary publics, so I would just google either of those your area and call to get a quote for copying and notarizing a diploma (it should not take more than 10 min, and while prices may vary it is a miniscule amount of work for them so it shouldnt be expensive at all).

Hope this helps.

[TakeruK]

It definitely depends on where you are. Notary publics where I come from have a lot more powers and are more like lawyers than in California, where I am now. In California, the notary doesn't actually certify that the copy is true, instead they are only able to certify that you presented yourself in front of a notary and their signature verifies that you are the person you say you are. You may also choose to make a signed statement such as "I certify that this document is a true copy of my diploma" and their signature simply states that you proved to them your identity and that you did make that statement in front of them. This may or may not be enough for whomever you are submitting this copy to.

In California, the UPS stores will do this for you for $15 per signature. There are tons of other notary services in the area as well---many are "mobile notaries" so you can call the service and set up an appointment and they will send someone to you. 

 

[KLamb8]

Thanks for the info. After doing some research, it appears the only way to get a certified copy would be to have it notarized ONLY by the school and then certified by the secretary of state office in Missouri (the state of my highschool). I contacted the university though and they are going to bring up my problem at a meeting with the international office & get back to me. So maybe there's something else I can do ..

[nobraintrain]

The procedure with the Secretary of State seems more like Apostille and may not be exactly what you need.

I would double check with the German school on what specifically they mean by "certified". In many codified law countries "certified copy" is simply a copy with a "True copy" stamp and a signature of the issuing authority's official (school's in this case) or the closest notary public.

[rehab-robotics]

Maybe too late, but I had a similar problem in Switzerland. I was mailing documents to the uni here from the US, and I just brought the diploma and transcript to my bank, the lady made a copy of both and typed a note saying that she certifies that it is a copy of the diploma I gave her. She then notarized everything. No problems from the uni. I sent them to Uni Stuttgart, and Hochschule Reutlingen as well.