Requesting an Apostille (Grade 12)

An Apostille is simply the name for a specialized certificate issued by the Secretary of State. The Apostille is attached to the original Enlightium document to verify it is legitimate and authentic so it will be accepted outside of the United States.

• An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the signature of a public official on a document for use in another country.
• Essentially, before a public document can be used in a country other than the one that issued it, its origin must often be authenticated (notarized).
• Apostilles are strictly for the use of public documents outside of the United States.
• Learn more about apostilles.

• Important Note: it is the family’s responsibility to identify if their student needs an Apostille and then to inform Enlightium’s team using the steps below. This is recommended to be completed during the first semester of the student’s senior year.

  • If the student is planning on continuing education in one of the countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. 

  • Some countries that are not members may request authentication in the form of an apostille but require additional authentication steps to be completed. We can complete the apostille process, but you will need to obtain additional information from that country’s embassy or college.

  • If the country is not a member of the Hague Apostille and only requests an Authentication certificate, you may find additional resources here.

• The apostille fee is $100 per document* plus the shipping cost if shipping outside of the United States. Processing time can take 4-6 weeks, depending on the speed of the postal service and how long it takes for the Secretary of State to process the Apostille request.

• The Secretary of State can expedite their processing for $100. This reduces the Secretary of State’s processing time to 1-2 weeks. Additional shipping charges may apply for expedited shipping.

How do I know what country I need an apostille for?

This will be the country that the student is applying to college for or the country that needs proof that the student has completed a grade level at Enlightium. See the “Who Needs an Apostille?” section for additional information.

I am applying to out-of-country colleges but am not yet sure which country I will be traveling to for college. May I request an apostille without the country being specified?

No, the Secretary of State needs the country information to issue an apostille, as there may be specific requirements for the country.

I lost my diploma but need an apostille for it. What are my options?

You may order a replacement diploma (an additional fee applies) or request an apostille to be completed for your diploma copy (no extra fee).

Can I request apostilles for multiple copies of the same diploma?

Yes. Enlightium’s team will apostille one original diploma and additional copies, unless specified otherwise.