St George’s, University of London Degree Verification and Apostille

St George’s, University of London qualifications require direct university verification. They cannot be verified through the standard HEDD online service.

Ginkgo Advisory can coordinate direct degree 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

St George’s, University of London merged with City, University of London on 1 August 2024. The current institution is City St George’s, University of London.

However, former St George’s students remain part of the Tooting campus records system. Their degree verification requests must be emailed directly to the university’s Student Systems team rather than submitted through HEDD.

The usual process is:

direct university verification → enhanced solicitor certification → FCDO apostille → embassy legalisation where required

Direct degree verification

Third-party requests for current students and alumni of the former St George’s, University of London should be sent to:

studentsystems@sgul.ac.uk

The university may confirm:

• whether the candidate attended;
• the course and qualification;
• the award obtained;
• the grade or result; and
• attendance dates.

A hand-signed consent form is required. HEDD’s current institutional guidance states that the consent should be signed with pen on paper and dated within the previous three months.

The request should normally include:

• the candidate’s full name;
• any former name;
• date of birth;
• student number, if available;
• course title;
• qualification;
• graduation year; and
• a copy of the certificate.

University name and degree certificates

Degrees awarded under the former name remain valid.

For the legacy St George’s route:

• awards before 31 December 2024 normally show St George’s, University of London;
• awards from 1 January 2025 normally show City St George’s, University of London.

The current university is the legal successor institution. A replacement certificate should still reflect the institutional name used when the original award was conferred.

Transcripts and replacement certificates

Former Tooting-campus students can contact Student Systems regarding transcripts, degree verification and authorised certificate copies.

City St George’s does not issue digital degree certificates. Certificates remain paper documents, although official transcripts may be available electronically or on paper.

Replacement certificates are available where the original has been lost, stolen or destroyed. The university currently lists a £40 fee and aims to issue replacements within 10 working days, excluding delivery.

Older transcript requests may take longer where records are held only on paper.

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 university issued the document or that the candidate obtained the qualification.

Our enhanced service reviews the academic document against official evidence, which may include:

• direct university verification;
• an official transcript;
• an authorised certificate copy;
• a replacement certificate; or
• a university confirmation letter.

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

FCDO apostille

After university 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 academic qualification.

The recommended sequence is:

academic verification → enhanced solicitor certification → FCDO apostille

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

The two working days cover the apostille stage only. They exclude university verification, archive searches, transcript production, courier delivery and embassy processing.

Embassy legalisation

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

A typical route is:

solicitor certification → FCDO legalisation → embassy legalisation

The receiving authority may also request an official transcript, certified translation, passport copy, professional registration evidence or university verification letter.

What to send us

Please provide:

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

We will confirm the appropriate university verification, certification and legalisation route.

Frequently asked questions

Can St George’s degrees be verified through HEDD?

No. Verifications for former St George’s students and Tooting-campus records must be requested directly from Student Systems.

Is candidate consent required?

Yes. A recent hand-signed consent form should accompany the request.

Is St George’s, University of London still the current name?

The institution merged into City St George’s, University of London in 2024. Degrees issued under the former name remain valid and recognised.

Does an apostille verify the qualification?

No. The 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 direct university verification, enhanced solicitor certification, FCDO apostille, embassy legalisation and return delivery.

Start your St George’s degree verification

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

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

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