Royal Veterinary College Degree Verification, Solicitor Certification, FCDO Apostille and Embassy Legalisation

Royal Veterinary College documents may need degree verification, solicitor certification, an FCDO apostille or further legalisation before overseas use.

Royal Veterinary College is a UK government-recognised university or college which currently gives degree awards.

Online degree data verification is available through HEDD. However, RVC can only confirm degree qualifications through this route.

If you need to check whether someone is registered as a Veterinary Surgeon or Veterinary Nurse, you should use the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons register instead.

Ginkgo Advisory helps clients check the document, prepare candidate consent, arrange HEDD verification, prepare solicitor certification and submit the document for apostille.

Royal Veterinary College verification and apostille route

A typical route follows this sequence:

Royal Veterinary College HEDD verification → enhanced solicitor certification → FCDO apostille → overseas use

Some receiving authorities also ask for embassy or consular legalisation after the FCDO apostille.

Therefore, you should check the receiving authority’s rules before starting. Some authorities only ask for the certificate. Others also ask for a transcript, confirmation of award letter, official letter or proof of professional registration.

Degree verification is different from professional registration

Royal Veterinary College can confirm degree qualifications.

This is different from checking whether a person can practise as a veterinary professional.

For example, RVC degree verification may confirm the academic award, grade and attendance dates.

By contrast, RCVS registration checks whether a Veterinary Surgeon or Veterinary Nurse appears on the professional register.

Therefore, the correct route depends on what the receiving authority wants.

HEDD verification route

Online degree data verification is available through HEDD.

HEDD verification can check:

• Whether the candidate is a current or past student
• The award given
• The grade attained
• Attendance dates

The candidate must provide signed consent. Usually, HEDD asks for the signed consent form as a PDF, JPG, PNG or TIF file.

Candidate consent

Candidate consent is required for HEDD verification.

A clear consent document should usually include:

• Candidate full name
• Name used during study
• Date of birth or student number, if available
• Course title
• Award title
• Year of award
• Permission to release academic information
• Name of the requesting organisation
• Candidate signature
• Date of consent

A missing signature, unclear scan, wrong file format or name mismatch can delay the HEDD request.

What RVC can confirm

Royal Veterinary College can confirm degree qualifications.

This may include:

• Award title
• Candidate status
• Grade or classification
• Attendance dates
• Current or past student status

However, this does not confirm professional registration.

If an overseas authority, employer or regulator asks whether the person is registered to practise, the RCVS register should be checked separately.

Veterinary Surgeon and Veterinary Nurse registration

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons keeps registers for Veterinary Surgeons and Registered Veterinary Nurses.

This matters because many overseas authorities ask for both academic evidence and professional status evidence.

For example, a veterinary regulator may ask for:

• Degree certificate
• Academic transcript
• Confirmation of award
• RCVS registration status
• Good standing evidence
• Certified copies
• Apostilled documents

Therefore, the academic and professional routes should not be confused.

Transcripts and confirmation of award letters

Former students may need more than HEDD verification.

For example, they may also need:

• Academic transcripts
• Confirmation of award letters
• Official letters
• Certified copies
• Historical student record checks
• Replacement document enquiries

RVC indicates that academic transcripts and confirmation of award letters can be requested through its transcript route.

A transcript can help when the receiving authority asks for module details, course details, grades or study information.

A confirmation of award letter may help when the authority needs written proof of the qualification before, alongside or instead of a certificate.

Degree certificates and academic records

A degree certificate confirms the award itself.

A transcript gives more detailed academic information.

A confirmation of award letter can provide written confirmation from RVC.

These documents do not serve the same purpose.

Therefore, before apostille work begins, the document type should be checked against the receiving authority’s requirements.

If the authority asks for both certificate and transcript, each document may need separate certification and apostille.

Veterinary and animal science documents

Royal Veterinary College qualifications may relate to veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing, biological sciences, animal science, veterinary epidemiology, wild animal biology, clinical training, research or related scientific fields.

Because of this, a receiving authority may ask for more than a certificate.

For example, it may request:

• Degree certificate
• Academic transcript
• Confirmation of award
• Attendance dates
• Course details
• Grade or classification
• Clinical study details
• RCVS registration status
• Certified copies of supporting documents

The correct document depends on the receiving authority.

Check the institution name before submission

Before starting verification, check the name printed on the certificate, transcript or official letter.

The document may refer to:

• Royal Veterinary College
• The Royal Veterinary College
• RVC
• University of London
• Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
• RCVS
• Another awarding or professional body

The verification route and solicitor certification should follow the document and the available evidence.

RVC and RCVS should not be confused

Royal Veterinary College and Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons are different bodies.

RVC is an academic institution.

RCVS is the professional regulator for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses in the UK.

This distinction matters in apostille work.

A degree certificate from RVC may prove an academic qualification. However, it does not by itself prove current registration with RCVS.

Therefore, if the receiving authority asks for professional registration, a separate RCVS document or register check may be needed.

Documents we can assist with

Ginkgo Advisory can assist with verification, certification, apostille and legalisation for:

• Royal Veterinary College degree certificates
• Royal Veterinary College academic transcripts
• RVC confirmation of award letters
• RVC official letters
• Veterinary medicine degree documents
• Veterinary nursing qualification documents
• Biological sciences academic documents
• Certified copies
• HEDD verification records
• RCVS registration document route checks
• Documents required by overseas authorities

An employer may accept a degree certificate. However, a veterinary regulator, university, hospital, employer or government authority may ask for both academic documents and professional registration evidence.

Solicitor certification and apostille

Verification checks the academic record with the correct source.

Solicitor certification then prepares the document for apostille or overseas use.

A basic certified copy only confirms that the copy matches the document shown to the solicitor.

Enhanced solicitor certification goes further. The solicitor reviews the verification evidence, checks the academic details and prepares wording that matches the available proof.

After solicitor certification, the document can usually proceed to the FCDO for an apostille.

The FCDO checks the relevant UK signature, stamp or seal. It does not verify the academic award itself.

Therefore, degree verification remains important.

FCDO apostille timeframe

For suitable documents, Ginkgo Advisory can arrange a 2 working day express FCDO apostille option after verification and solicitor certification are ready.

This 2 working day timeframe applies only to the apostille stage.

It does not include HEDD processing, RVC transcript processing, confirmation letter processing, RCVS document checks, consent correction, courier delivery, weekends, public holidays or embassy legalisation.

Further legalisation after apostille

Some receiving authorities also ask for embassy or consular legalisation after the FCDO apostille.

This extra stage depends on the destination, document type and receiving authority’s rules.

For example, if the authority asks for both a veterinary degree certificate and a transcript, each document may need separate preparation.

If the authority also asks for RCVS registration evidence, that document may need separate handling.

Common reasons for delay

Royal Veterinary College documents may face delay when:

• Candidate consent is missing
• The consent file uses the wrong format
• The consent wording is unclear
• The candidate studied under a different name
• The request confuses RVC with RCVS
• The receiving authority asks for professional registration status
• The receiving authority asks for both certificate and transcript
• The receiving authority needs clinical course details
• The receiving authority needs a confirmation of award letter
• The receiving authority needs RCVS registration evidence
• The apostille is treated as proof of the degree itself
• Further legalisation starts before the FCDO apostille is complete

A short review before submission can reduce these risks.

Frequently asked questions

Can Royal Veterinary College awards be verified through HEDD?

Yes. Online degree data verification is available through HEDD for Royal Veterinary College.

What can HEDD verification check?

HEDD can check whether the candidate is a current or past student, the award given, the grade attained and attendance dates.

Is candidate consent required?

Yes. The candidate must provide signed consent. Usually, HEDD asks for the signed consent form as a PDF, JPG, PNG or TIF file.

Can RVC confirm professional registration status?

No. RVC can only confirm degree qualifications. Veterinary Surgeon or Veterinary Nurse registration status should be checked through the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

What is the difference between RVC and RCVS?

RVC is the academic institution. RCVS is the professional regulator for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses in the UK.

Can former students request transcripts?

Yes. Former students may request academic transcripts through the RVC transcript route.

Can former students request confirmation of award letters?

Yes. RVC can provide confirmation of award letters through its transcript or records route.

Can a transcript be apostilled?

Yes, if the document is suitable for certification and apostille. The document should be reviewed before submission.

Can an RCVS registration document be apostilled?

Possibly, if the document is suitable for apostille and the receiving authority requires it. The RCVS document route should be checked first.

Does the apostille prove the veterinary qualification is genuine?

No. The apostille confirms the relevant UK signature, stamp or seal. Verification and solicitor certification address the academic record.

Can you arrange a 2 working day apostille?

For suitable documents, Ginkgo Advisory can arrange a 2 working day express FCDO apostille option after verification and solicitor certification are complete.

Start with the correct route

Before sending a Royal Veterinary College document for apostille, first check what the receiving authority wants.

If it wants academic degree confirmation, HEDD verification or an RVC academic document may be suitable.

If it wants professional registration status, the RCVS register or RCVS document route may be needed.

The candidate should also prepare signed consent in an accepted file format where HEDD verification is used.

Once the correct evidence is ready, the document can move through enhanced solicitor certification, FCDO apostille and, where required, further legalisation.