Southampton College of Higher Education Degree Verification and Apostille

Southampton College of Higher Education qualifications may require additional checks before they can be certified and legalised for overseas use.

Ginkgo Advisory can assist with degree verification, enhanced solicitor certification, FCDO apostille and embassy legalisation. We also offer a 2 working day express FCDO apostille option for suitable documents after verification and certification are complete.

Quick answer

Southampton College of Higher Education was a recognised UK institution that gave awards between 1978 and 1984.

Southampton Solent University now verifies its qualifications. However, the university cannot verify awards made before 1984. Therefore, qualifications awarded between 1978 and 1983 may require an alternative verification route.

The correct route depends on the institution and awarding body shown on the certificate.

HEDD degree verification

Southampton Solent University is an exclusive HEDD partner. Employers, screening agencies and other third parties must submit standard degree verification requests through HEDD.

HEDD can check:

• whether the candidate was a student;
• the award obtained;
• the grade or classification; and
• attendance dates.

The candidate must provide a signed consent form. HEDD accepts PDF, JPG, PNG and TIF files, and Southampton Solent University accepts digital signatures.

The current HEDD enquiry fee is £14.

For candidates who graduated before 1998, the university cannot verify the date of birth. This does not necessarily prevent verification of the award and attendance details.

The pre-1984 verification problem

Southampton College of Higher Education gave awards from 1978 to 1984, but Southampton Solent University cannot verify awards issued before 1984.

As a result, an award from 1984 may be suitable for HEDD verification. An award from 1978 to 1983 will usually need further investigation.

Possible routes include:

• a confirmation letter from Southampton Solent University;
• CNAA award confirmation through the Open University;
• Pearson verification for an older HNC or HND;
• City & Guilds verification;
• Nottingham Trent University; or
• another awarding body named on the certificate.

Applicants should not assume that Southampton College of Higher Education was the legal awarding body. The certificate may name a separate university or awarding organisation.

Confirmation letters and replacement documents

Southampton Solent University may provide an award letter confirming attendance dates and the award achieved. However, the university warns that its records before 2005 are incomplete.

Replacement certificates are not available for pre-1992 college or institute certificates and diplomas. The university may instead issue a confirmation letter when the graduate provides their full name, course title, graduation year and attendance dates.

Other replacement routes include:

• CNAA degrees: the Open University;
• pre-2005 HNC or HND awards: Pearson;
• City & Guilds or Pitman awards: City & Guilds;
• Nottingham Trent University awards: Nottingham Trent University.

Solicitor verification and solicitor certification

Solicitor verification checks the qualification against reliable evidence.

This evidence may include:

• a HEDD result;
• an official confirmation letter;
• an awarding-body record;
• a replacement certificate; or
• archived academic information.

Solicitor certification prepares the document for formal use.

A basic certified copy only confirms that the copy matches the document presented to the solicitor. It does not prove that the qualification is genuine.

Our enhanced service goes further. The solicitor reviews the document together with the available academic evidence.

Where the evidence supports it, the certification can include authenticity confirmation.

FCDO apostille

After verification and solicitor certification, the document can proceed to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

An apostille confirms the relevant UK signature, stamp or seal. It does not independently verify the underlying qualification.

The recommended route is:

academic verification → enhanced solicitor certification → FCDO apostille

Ginkgo Advisory offers a 2 working day express FCDO apostille option for suitable documents.

The timeframe starts after the verification and solicitor certification stages are complete. It does not include university searches, awarding-body enquiries, courier delivery or embassy processing.

Embassy legalisation

Documents intended for a non-Hague destination may require further embassy or consular legalisation.

A typical process is:

verification → solicitor certification → FCDO legalisation → embassy legalisation

Additional requirements may include a transcript, official university letter, translation, passport copy or authorisation form.

Ginkgo Advisory can review the destination requirements and coordinate the full document chain.

What to send us

Please provide:

• a clear scan of the certificate;
• the transcript, if available;
• the candidate’s name during study;
• the course title;
• attendance dates;
• the award year;
• the student number, if known;
• the destination country;
• the purpose of use; and
• the receiving authority’s instructions.

We will identify whether the document should follow HEDD, Southampton Solent University, CNAA, Pearson, City & Guilds or another awarding-body route.

Frequently asked questions

Can HEDD verify a Southampton College of Higher Education qualification?

Yes, but Southampton Solent University cannot verify awards made before 1984. An award issued in 1984 may be verifiable through HEDD.

Are digital consent signatures accepted?

Yes. Southampton Solent University accepts digital signatures for HEDD consent forms.

Can I replace an old college certificate?

Replacement certificates are not available for pre-1992 institute certificates and diplomas. A confirmation letter may be available where sufficient records remain.

What if the certificate shows CNAA?

The Open University normally handles confirmation of historic CNAA awards.

Does an apostille verify the qualification?

No. It authenticates the relevant UK signature, stamp or seal. Academic verification remains a separate stage.

Can Ginkgo Advisory handle the complete process?

Yes. We can coordinate verification, enhanced solicitor certification, FCDO apostille, embassy legalisation and return delivery.

Start your document verification

Send a clear scan and the receiving authority’s requirements to:

Email: info@ginkgoadvisory.com
WhatsApp: +44 7388 833283