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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 Northern School of Contemporary Dance degree verification and apostille services for graduates who need to use their qualifications overseas.
Our solicitor-led service can include:
- HEDD degree verification;
- University of Kent record checks;
- 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.
The Northern School of Contemporary Dance, often known as NSCD, delivers specialist dance training in Leeds. However, the University of Kent validates and awards its higher-education degrees. Therefore, formal degree verification normally follows the University of Kent route.
Quick answers
Who verifies a Northern School of Contemporary Dance degree?
The University of Kent verifies qualifications awarded for courses studied at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.
Third-party enquirers must normally submit the degree check through HEDD because the University of Kent is an exclusive HEDD verification partner.
Is NSCD the degree-awarding body?
No.
NSCD delivers the course, training and assessment. Meanwhile, the University of Kent validates the programme and awards the degree. The degree certificate should therefore identify the University of Kent as the awarding university.
What consent form does HEDD require?
The graduate must provide a hand-signed consent form that:
- carries a date from the last three months; and
- clearly authorises the release of academic, university or educational information.
HEDD accepts the completed form as a PDF, JPG, PNG or TIF file.
Can the degree certificate receive an FCDO apostille?
Yes.
In most cases, our solicitor can certify a suitable copy before submitting it for an FCDO apostille.
How quickly can Ginkgo Advisory arrange the apostille?
We offer a 2-working-day express FCDO apostille option for eligible and correctly prepared documents.
However, this period covers the FCDO stage only. It starts after the degree verification and solicitor certification are complete.
Do I also need embassy legalisation?
You may need embassy or consular legalisation if the destination does not accept an apostille as the final step.
Therefore, we check the receiving authority’s requirements before preparing the document.
NSCD and the University of Kent
The Northern School of Contemporary Dance is an independent specialist higher-education provider.
Students study and train at NSCD in Leeds. However, the University of Kent acts as the validating and awarding university for its higher-education courses.
As a result, a graduate’s documents may refer to both institutions:
- Northern School of Contemporary Dance as the teaching institution; and
- University of Kent as the awarding body.
This arrangement is normal.
Nevertheless, an overseas employer or regulator may not understand why the teaching institution and awarding university are different. A HEDD result can help explain that relationship.
Degree verification through HEDD
HEDD stands for Higher Education Degree Datacheck.
It allows an authorised third party to compare a graduate’s details with the academic record held by the University of Kent.
A HEDD enquiry may confirm:
- whether the candidate is a current or former student;
- the qualification awarded;
- the degree classification or grade; and
- the attendance dates.
Therefore, HEDD does more than inspect the appearance of a certificate.
Instead, it checks the submitted information against the University’s academic record.
HEDD fee and processing time
HEDD currently lists a £14 enquiry fee for the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.
The University of Kent also states that its HEDD verification service may take up to 20 days.
The HEDD fee and timeframe do not include:
- Ginkgo Advisory’s professional service;
- solicitor certification;
- FCDO apostille;
- embassy legalisation;
- translation; or
- international delivery.
Who can use HEDD?
HEDD serves third-party enquirers.
These may include:
- employers;
- recruitment agencies;
- screening companies;
- solicitors;
- professional regulators;
- universities;
- government authorities; and
- document legalisation providers.
A graduate cannot normally use the third-party HEDD service to issue a formal verification result to themselves.
Instead, the graduate authorises an organisation to submit the enquiry.
Ginkgo Advisory can arrange this check as part of the wider certification and legalisation service.
Strict University of Kent consent rules
The University of Kent applies specific consent requirements.
The graduate must sign the form by hand. In addition, the signature date must fall within the last three months.
The consent must also mention the release of:
- academic data;
- university information; or
- educational records.
A general identity-check consent may not be enough.
For example, HEDD may reject or delay a form where:
- the candidate typed the signature;
- the form carries no date;
- the signature date is more than three months old;
- the consent only covers employment information;
- the wording does not cover academic data;
- the scan cuts off part of the form; or
- the candidate’s name does not match the academic record.
Therefore, we check the consent before submission.
Information required for verification
A HEDD enquiry normally requires:
- the graduate’s full name;
- any former name used during study;
- date of birth;
- course title;
- qualification title;
- year of graduation;
- degree classification or result;
- attendance dates;
- student number, if known;
- a clear scan of the certificate;
- a transcript, if available; and
- the valid hand-signed consent form.
The University of Kent asks third parties to provide the candidate’s name, date of birth, course, qualification, graduation year and degree result. Attendance dates can also form part of the request.
Small differences may prevent a quick match.
For example, problems may arise because of:
- a missing middle name;
- a later change of surname;
- an incorrect graduation year;
- a shortened course title;
- incomplete attendance dates; or
- confusion between NSCD and the University of Kent.
Therefore, we copy the academic information directly from the certificate and transcript wherever possible.
Transcripts and official documents
The University of Kent provides official transcripts for students who studied at validated partner institutions.
A transcript records academic achievement and normally includes the modules taken and the results obtained. Graduates who need a replacement transcript must apply through the University’s alumni-document service. Third parties cannot submit that application for them.
An official transcript may support:
- enhanced solicitor certification;
- professional registration;
- further study;
- overseas employment;
- immigration applications; and
- credential evaluation.
However, a transcript does not automatically replace HEDD verification.
The receiving authority decides which documents it requires.
What about the LAMDA warning?
The HEDD page includes a warning that the University of Kent does not verify degree certificates awarded by the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before 2004.
This warning does not normally affect a Northern School of Contemporary Dance degree awarded by the University of Kent.
However, applicants should check the exact awarding body on the certificate.
A different route may apply where the certificate names:
- LAMDA;
- another university;
- another validating body; or
- a non-degree training organisation.
Degree verification and solicitor certification
They perform different roles.
Degree verification
HEDD checks the academic information against the University of Kent record.
Solicitor verification
Our solicitor reviews the certificate, HEDD result, identification and other supporting evidence.
Solicitor certification
The solicitor places a formal certification statement on the document or copy.
FCDO apostille
The apostille authenticates the relevant UK public signature, stamp or seal.
Therefore, one stage does not replace the others.
Enhanced solicitor certification
A basic certified true copy confirms that the copy matches the document shown to the solicitor.
However, it does not automatically confirm that the University of Kent genuinely awarded the degree.
For stronger evidence, Ginkgo Advisory can provide enhanced solicitor certification.
The process may include:
- HEDD degree verification;
- review of the original certificate;
- review of an official transcript or university letter;
- comparison of the academic details;
- identity and name checks;
- authenticity confirmation; and
- solicitor certification.
Therefore, enhanced certification connects the degree certificate with an independent academic record.
However, our solicitor will only confirm authenticity when reliable evidence supports that conclusion.
FCDO apostille
A Northern School of Contemporary Dance degree certificate can usually receive an FCDO apostille after correct preparation.
Depending on the receiving authority’s requirements, the apostille route may use:
- a solicitor-certified degree certificate;
- a certified academic transcript;
- an official University of Kent letter;
- a replacement certificate; or
- another eligible academic document.
However, the receiving authority may require a particular format.
Therefore, we first check whether it needs:
- the original certificate;
- a certified copy;
- HEDD verification;
- a transcript;
- an official university letter; or
- a combined evidence pack.
What does the apostille confirm?
An apostille does not verify the graduate’s academic record.
Instead, it authenticates the relevant UK signature, stamp or seal.
For a solicitor-certified copy, the FCDO normally authenticates the solicitor’s signature.
A strong document route may therefore follow this order:
HEDD verification → authenticity review → solicitor certification → FCDO apostille
Each stage provides a different form of assurance.
Two-working-day express FCDO 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:
- HEDD verification is complete;
- the required academic document is available;
- 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;
- University of Kent document production;
- transcript production;
- solicitor evidence enquiries;
- embassy legalisation; or
- international delivery.
Embassy legalisation
Some destinations require embassy or consular legalisation after the UK authentication stage.
A typical process may involve:
- degree verification;
- solicitor certification;
- FCDO apostille or authentication;
- embassy legalisation; and
- further processing after arrival.
However, every embassy sets its own requirements.
For example, it may ask for:
- the original certificate;
- a solicitor-certified copy;
- HEDD verification;
- an academic transcript;
- an official university letter;
- a certified translation;
- a passport copy; or
- specific certification wording.
Therefore, we check the destination requirements before preparing the document.
Our process
Step 1: Document review
First, we review the certificate and confirm that the University of Kent awarded the qualification.
Step 2: Candidate consent
Next, the graduate signs a consent form by hand.
The form must be dated within the last three months and mention the release of academic, university or educational data.
Step 3: HEDD verification
We submit the enquiry using the exact information shown on the academic documents.
Step 4: Authenticity review
Our solicitor compares the HEDD result with the degree certificate and identification evidence.
Step 5: Solicitor certification
Where the evidence matches, our solicitor prepares the appropriate certification.
Step 6: FCDO apostille
We submit the document for an apostille.
A 2-working-day express option is available for eligible cases.
Step 7: Embassy legalisation
Where required, we arrange the embassy or consular stage.
Step 8: Return delivery
Finally, we provide a completion scan where requested.
We then return the documents through the agreed delivery service.
Frequently asked questions
Who awards Northern School of Contemporary Dance degrees?
The University of Kent validates and awards NSCD’s higher-education degrees.
Who verifies an NSCD degree?
The University of Kent verifies it through HEDD for third-party enquiries.
Can I contact NSCD instead of using HEDD?
NSCD may help with local student or course enquiries.
However, formal third-party verification of the University of Kent award must normally use HEDD.
How much does HEDD verification cost?
HEDD currently lists a £14 enquiry fee.
How long does verification take?
The University of Kent states that HEDD verification may take up to 20 days.
What consent does HEDD require?
The graduate must provide a hand-signed consent form dated within the last three months.
The form must mention the release of academic, university or educational information.
Which file formats does HEDD accept?
HEDD accepts PDF, JPG, PNG and TIF consent files.
Can I obtain a replacement transcript?
Yes.
The graduate must apply personally through the University of Kent’s alumni-document service. Third parties cannot place the order.
Does the LAMDA warning affect an NSCD degree?
Normally not.
It concerns certain pre-2004 certificates awarded by LAMDA, not an NSCD degree awarded by the University of Kent.
Is HEDD verification the same as solicitor certification?
No.
HEDD checks the academic record. Solicitor certification formally certifies the document or copy.
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 processing where the destination does not accept an apostille as the final step.
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