Our solicitor can verify, certify, apostille & legalise
All UK recognised degree-awarding universities or colleges
471
recognised UK
institutions
About the Author
KH is a practising solicitor based in London, admitted in England & Wales and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. He is registered with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. KH has worked as legal counsel and in-house solicitor across leading firms and corporations. He personally oversees every case at Ginkgo Advisory, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and end-to-end quality control.
KH Lam, LLB, LLM
Legal Consultant of Ginkgo Advisory
Ginkgo Advisory provides Newcastle Polytechnic degree verification and apostille services for graduates who need to use their academic documents overseas.
Our solicitor-led service can include:
- HEDD degree verification;
- Northumbria University record checks;
- CNAA award verification through The Open University;
- solicitor verification;
- enhanced solicitor certification;
- authenticity confirmation;
- certified true copies;
- FCDO apostille;
- a 2-working-day express apostille option;
- embassy or consular legalisation; and
- international return delivery.
Newcastle Polytechnic awarded recognised UK qualifications between 1969 and 1992.
Northumbria University now manages its legacy records. However, The Open University may hold the award record where CNAA issued the qualification.
Quick answers
Who verifies a Newcastle Polytechnic degree?
Northumbria University verifies former Newcastle Polytechnic qualifications through HEDD.
However, HEDD directs pre-1992 CNAA awards to The Open University. The Open University now holds the CNAA award archive and can issue formal verification.
Can I verify the degree through HEDD?
Yes, where Northumbria University holds the relevant award record.
Northumbria is an exclusive HEDD partner. Therefore, third-party enquirers must normally use HEDD for a formal Northumbria verification.
What if CNAA awarded my degree?
The Open University should verify the award.
Its CNAA service can issue:
- a certificate-style pro forma;
- a verification letter; or
- verification by email.
The service confirms the award details held in the CNAA archive. However, it cannot verify transcript information.
Can a Newcastle Polytechnic certificate receive an apostille?
Yes.
A UK solicitor can usually certify a suitable copy before submitting it for an FCDO apostille. The FCDO can legalise qualification certificates after an eligible UK public official certifies them.
How quickly can Ginkgo Advisory obtain the apostille?
We offer a 2-working-day express FCDO apostille option for eligible documents.
However, the express period begins after the academic verification and solicitor certification are complete.
About Newcastle Polytechnic
Newcastle Polytechnic formed in 1969 through the merger of three regional colleges.
In 1992, the institution gained university status and became Northumbria University. Therefore, an older certificate may show Newcastle Polytechnic, while a current verification result refers to Northumbria University.
This change did not invalidate the earlier qualification.
Nevertheless, an overseas authority may not recognise the former institution. A HEDD result, CNAA verification or Northumbria letter can explain the connection.
Northumbria University or CNAA?
The correct route depends on the awarding body printed on the certificate.
Use Northumbria University and HEDD where:
- Northumbria holds the academic record;
- the certificate shows an award that Northumbria verifies;
- a third party needs attendance and award details; or
- HEDD accepts the qualification under the Northumbria record.
Use The Open University’s CNAA service where:
- the certificate names CNAA;
- the Council for National Academic Awards issued the degree;
- the applicant needs formal confirmation of a CNAA award; or
- Northumbria or HEDD directs the applicant to the CNAA archive.
The Open University warns that not every award taught at a former polytechnic came under CNAA. Therefore, applicants should check the certificate rather than assume that every pre-1992 Newcastle Polytechnic award follows the same route.
Newcastle Polytechnic verification through HEDD
HEDD stands for Higher Education Degree Datacheck.
It allows an authorised third party to compare the graduate’s information with the academic record.
A HEDD check may confirm:
- current or former student status;
- the qualification awarded;
- the grade or classification; and
- attendance dates.
Northumbria states that third-party enquirers should select Northumbria University on HEDD and choose the degree-award verification option.
Information required for HEDD
A verification enquiry normally requires:
- the graduate’s full name;
- any former name used during study;
- date of birth;
- course title;
- qualification;
- graduation year;
- degree result;
- attendance dates;
- student number, if known;
- a clear scan of the certificate; and
- candidate consent.
Northumbria recommends entering the details exactly as they appear on the degree certificate or student record. An exact match can produce a faster response. The University currently states a turnaround time of up to 10 working days.
Candidate consent requirements
The Newcastle Polytechnic HEDD listing requires consent dated within the last three months.
It states that both hand-signed and digital signatures are accepted. HEDD accepts the completed form as a PDF, JPG, PNG or TIF file.
However, Northumbria’s current award-verification page asks third parties to upload a hand-signed consent form.
Therefore, a genuine handwritten signature offers the safest option and reduces the risk of delay.
Before submission, we check:
- the graduate’s name;
- the signature;
- the date;
- the academic details;
- the authorised third party; and
- the quality of the scanned form.
HEDD fee
HEDD currently lists a £14 enquiry fee for Newcastle Polytechnic verification.
However, HEDD may change its charges.
The HEDD fee does not include:
- Ginkgo Advisory’s service;
- solicitor review;
- solicitor certification;
- FCDO apostille;
- embassy legalisation;
- translation; or
- return delivery.
Verification for former students
A graduate who needs confirmation for their own use can request a Letter of Confirmation from Northumbria University.
Northumbria currently provides this letter free of charge through its enquiry form. Meanwhile, a third party seeking formal verification must submit the request through HEDD.
This distinction matters.
A graduate’s confirmation letter and a third-party HEDD result do not serve exactly the same purpose.
CNAA award verification
The Council for National Academic Awards operated from 1965 to 1992.
It awarded many degrees taught by UK polytechnics and other institutions. The Open University now holds the digital archive of CNAA awards and provides verification services.
The current CNAA verification service costs £60 and may take up to seven working days.
The applicant can request:
- a certificate-style pro forma;
- a letter of verification;
- an email verification; or
- an additional PDF copy.
The graduate can apply personally. Alternatively, a third party can apply with the graduate’s signed consent.
What can CNAA verification confirm?
The Open University can confirm:
- the graduate’s name at the time of the award;
- the award title;
- the classification;
- the award date; and
- the institution where the graduate studied.
However, it cannot verify:
- attendance dates;
- individual modules;
- component marks;
- module grades;
- study mode; or
- incomplete study.
The former institution may hold transcript information if any records remain.
Therefore, some cases may need both:
- CNAA verification of the award; and
- a transcript or study letter from Northumbria University.
CNAA pro forma and replacement documents
The Open University cannot issue an exact replica of the original CNAA certificate.
Instead, it can issue a certificate-style pro forma that confirms the archived award information.
The Open University explains that this document carries the same weight as the original certificate.
A pro forma may help where the original certificate has been:
- lost;
- destroyed;
- damaged; or
- rejected because the receiving authority cannot verify the former awarding body.
However, the final authority must decide whether it accepts the document.
Northumbria transcripts and academic records
Northumbria graduates who do not have a Higher Education Achievement Report can purchase:
- an official transcript on parchment paper;
- a certified copy; or
- a PDF copy.
The University currently advises applicants to allow around seven to ten working days for certified documents intended for third parties such as WES.
However, Newcastle Polytechnic records may be older than Northumbria’s modern digital systems.
Therefore, transcript availability may depend on the surviving academic record.
A transcript can support verification by showing:
- course details;
- modules;
- marks;
- credits;
- study dates; and
- the final award.
Degree verification and solicitor certification
They perform different roles.
Degree verification
HEDD, Northumbria University or The Open University checks the academic award record.
Solicitor verification
Our solicitor reviews the academic document, verification evidence and graduate’s identity.
Solicitor certification
The solicitor places a formal certification statement on the document or copy.
FCDO apostille
The apostille authenticates the relevant UK signature, stamp or seal.
Therefore, an apostille does not replace academic verification.
Enhanced solicitor certification
A basic certified true copy confirms that a copy matches the document shown to the solicitor.
However, it does not automatically prove that Newcastle Polytechnic or CNAA issued the original certificate.
For stronger evidence, Ginkgo Advisory can provide enhanced solicitor certification.
The process may include:
- HEDD, Northumbria or CNAA verification;
- review of the original certificate;
- review of a transcript or confirmation letter;
- comparison of the award details;
- identity and name checks;
- authenticity confirmation; and
- solicitor certification.
Therefore, the certification can connect the historic certificate with an independent academic record.
However, our solicitor will only confirm authenticity where reliable evidence supports the conclusion.
FCDO apostille
A Newcastle Polytechnic or CNAA qualification can usually receive an FCDO apostille after correct preparation.
The apostille route may use:
- a solicitor-certified degree certificate;
- a certified CNAA pro forma;
- a certified verification letter;
- a certified transcript;
- a Northumbria confirmation letter; or
- another eligible academic document.
The FCDO checks whether the relevant signature, stamp or seal matches its records. It then attaches an apostille where the document meets the legalisation requirements.
A strong route may therefore follow this order:
academic verification → authenticity review → solicitor certification → FCDO apostille
Two-working-day express apostille
Ginkgo Advisory offers a 2-working-day express FCDO apostille option for eligible documents.
However, the express period covers the FCDO stage only.
It begins after:
- we identify the correct awarding body;
- HEDD, Northumbria or the CNAA service completes the required verification;
- our solicitor approves the evidence;
- the certification is ready; and
- the document meets the FCDO requirements.
Therefore, the two-working-day period does not include:
- HEDD processing;
- CNAA processing;
- transcript production;
- university record searches;
- solicitor evidence enquiries;
- embassy legalisation; or
- international delivery.
The FCDO offers both paper apostilles and e-Apostilles. However, the receiving authority must accept the selected format.
Embassy legalisation
Some destinations require embassy or consular legalisation after the FCDO stage.
A typical route may involve:
- academic verification;
- solicitor certification;
- FCDO apostille or authentication;
- embassy legalisation; and
- further local processing after arrival.
However, each embassy sets its own requirements.
For example, it may request:
- the original certificate;
- a solicitor-certified copy;
- HEDD verification;
- a CNAA verification letter;
- a Northumbria transcript;
- a certified translation;
- a passport copy; or
- specific certification wording.
Therefore, we check the receiving authority’s instructions before preparing the document.
Our process
Step 1: Document review
First, we review the front and back of the certificate.
We identify:
- the teaching institution;
- the awarding body;
- the qualification;
- the award date;
- the classification;
- the signatures; and
- the seals.
Step 2: Verification-route selection
Next, we decide whether the case should use:
- Northumbria HEDD verification;
- a Northumbria confirmation letter;
- The Open University’s CNAA service; or
- a combined route.
Step 3: Candidate consent
The graduate signs the required consent form.
For HEDD, we recommend a handwritten signature dated within the last three months.
Step 4: Academic verification
We submit the enquiry using the exact information shown on the certificate.
Step 5: Authenticity review
Our solicitor compares the verification result with the certificate and identity evidence.
Step 6: Solicitor certification
Where the evidence matches, our solicitor prepares the appropriate certification.
Step 7: FCDO apostille
We submit the document for an apostille.
An express 2-working-day option is available for eligible cases.
Step 8: Embassy legalisation
Where required, we arrange the embassy or consular stage.
Step 9: Return delivery
Finally, we provide a completion scan where requested and return the documents through the agreed delivery service.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Newcastle Polytechnic degree still valid?
Yes.
Northumbria University now manages Newcastle Polytechnic’s legacy academic records. A CNAA record may apply where CNAA awarded the qualification.
When did Newcastle Polytechnic become Northumbria University?
Newcastle Polytechnic gained university status in 1992 and became Northumbria University.
Who verifies a Newcastle Polytechnic degree?
Northumbria University verifies relevant awards through HEDD.
However, The Open University verifies CNAA awards.
How do I know whether my degree is a CNAA award?
Check the certificate for:
- “CNAA”;
- “Council for National Academic Awards”; or
- wording that names CNAA as the awarding body.
Not every Newcastle Polytechnic qualification was a CNAA award.
How much does HEDD verification cost?
HEDD currently lists a £14 enquiry fee.
How long does HEDD verification take?
Northumbria currently states a turnaround time of up to 10 working days.
How recent must the consent form be?
The HEDD listing requires consent dated within the last three months.
Can I use a digital signature?
The HEDD institution page says that handwritten and digital signatures are accepted.
However, Northumbria’s current guidance asks for a hand-signed form. Therefore, we recommend a genuine handwritten signature.
How much does CNAA verification cost?
The Open University currently charges £60.
How long does CNAA verification take?
The Open University states that processing can take up to seven working days.
Can The Open University provide a CNAA transcript?
No.
It can verify the final award details but does not hold transcript information.
Can I obtain a Northumbria confirmation letter?
Yes.
Northumbria currently offers former students a Letter of Confirmation free of charge.
Is Newcastle Polytechnic the same as Newcastle University?
No.
Newcastle Polytechnic became Northumbria University. Newcastle University is a separate institution.
Does an apostille verify the degree?
No.
The apostille authenticates the relevant UK signature, stamp or seal. It does not check the academic record.
Can Ginkgo Advisory arrange a 2-working-day apostille?
Yes, provided that the document is eligible and ready for FCDO submission.
Do I need embassy legalisation?
You may need further embassy or consular legalisation where the destination does not accept an apostille as the final stage.
Contact Us
Address
Suite 161, 30 Red Lion Street, London, TW9 1RB, England