Royal Postgraduate Medical School Degree Verification and Apostille

The Royal Postgraduate Medical School was a recognised UK institution that gave awards between 1935 and 1997. It merged with Imperial College London in 1997, and Imperial now verifies its historic qualifications.

Ginkgo Advisory can arrange HEDD verification, enhanced solicitor certification, FCDO apostille and embassy legalisation. A 2 working day express FCDO apostille option is available after verification and certification are complete.

Quick answer

Royal Postgraduate Medical School qualifications can be verified through HEDD.

The usual route is:

HEDD verification → enhanced solicitor certification → FCDO apostille → embassy legalisation where required

Imperial College London is an exclusive HEDD partner. The current degree enquiry fee is £14.

HEDD degree verification

HEDD can check:

• current or former student status;
• the qualification awarded;
• the grade or classification; and
• attendance dates.

The candidate must provide a signed consent form as a PDF, JPG, PNG or TIF.

HEDD is intended for third-party enquirers, including employers, professional bodies, screening agencies and legal representatives. Graduates seeking self-verification should contact HEDD about the appropriate route.

Imperial College and historic medical school records

Imperial verifies qualifications from several former institutions, including:

• the Royal Postgraduate Medical School;
• St Mary’s Hospital Medical School;
• the National Heart and Lung Institute;
• Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School; and
• Wye College.

The Royal Postgraduate Medical School began as the British Postgraduate Medical School in 1935. It later became the Postgraduate Medical School of London and adopted the Royal Postgraduate Medical School name in 1974.

An older certificate may show the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, the University of London or another awarding body. We review the exact certificate wording before selecting the replacement and legalisation route.

Transcripts and official award letters

Former students may request an official transcript or Statement of Award through Imperial College London’s alumni document service.

A Statement of Award can provide formal confirmation of the qualification and information held in Imperial’s student records. Alumni requests are managed through Imperial’s online request system.

Historic records may not always contain a detailed module transcript. Where a complete transcript is unavailable, a HEDD verification or Statement of Award may provide suitable alternative evidence.

Replacement degree certificates

Degree certificates issued before 2007 were generally conferred by the University of London. Imperial advises graduates from that period to contact the University of London when they require a replacement degree certificate.

The institution printed on the certificate remains important. We check whether the replacement should come from:

• the University of London;
• Imperial College London; or
• another awarding body named on the document.

Solicitor verification and certification

A basic solicitor-certified copy confirms that the copy matches the document presented to the solicitor.

It does not independently prove that the candidate obtained the qualification.

Our enhanced service reviews the academic document against reliable evidence, such as:

• a HEDD verification result;
• an Imperial Statement of Award;
• an official transcript;
• a University of London replacement certificate; or
• another university record.

Where the evidence supports it, our solicitor can provide certification with authenticity confirmation.

FCDO apostille

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

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

The recommended sequence is:

academic verification → enhanced solicitor certification → FCDO apostille

Our 2 working day express FCDO apostille option covers the apostille stage only. It excludes HEDD processing, university searches, transcript production, replacement certificates, delivery and embassy legalisation.

Embassy legalisation

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

A typical route is:

solicitor certification → FCDO legalisation → embassy legalisation

The receiving authority may also request:

• an official transcript;
• a Statement of Award;
• a replacement certificate;
• a certified translation;
• professional registration evidence; or
• supporting identity documents.

What to send us

Please provide:

• a clear scan of the certificate;
• the transcript or award letter, if available;
• the candidate’s name during study;
• the course and qualification;
• attendance dates;
• graduation year;
• student number, if known;
• destination country; and
• receiving authority’s requirements.

We will identify whether the case should follow HEDD, Imperial College London, the University of London or another awarding-body route.

Frequently asked questions

Who verifies Royal Postgraduate Medical School qualifications?

Imperial College London verifies the historic qualifications through HEDD.

How much does HEDD verification cost?

The current degree enquiry fee is £14.

Can former students obtain a transcript?

Imperial provides an alumni transcript-request service. Availability and detail depend on the academic records retained.

Can Imperial issue an official award letter?

Yes. Eligible alumni can request a Statement of Award through Imperial’s alumni document service.

Who issues a replacement degree certificate?

For awards conferred before 2007, the replacement certificate will normally need to be requested from the University of London.

Does an apostille verify the medical qualification?

No. HEDD or the relevant university verifies the academic record. The apostille authenticates the relevant UK signature, stamp or seal.

Can Ginkgo Advisory manage the complete process?

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

Start your Royal Postgraduate Medical School verification

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

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