Legalisation of Richmond Documents
Students requiring any of their Richmond documents (diplomas, transcripts etc.) to be legalised for use in EU countries will need to obtain an “Apostille of the Hague”.
Instructions for Students whose graduation date falls between May 1993 and the present:
An apostille can be obtained from the Legalisation Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The Legalisation section of the FCO website (see link above) is very clear and straightforward. Check the documentation there for information on the application procedure, but note that it states that:
Your diploma must be accredited by one of the following organisations:
· UK Border Agency
· Scottish Qualifications Authority
· OfQual
· British Accreditation Council
· Open and Distance Learning Quality Council
· Association of British Language Schools
It must also be certified by either:
· a solicitor or notary public in the UK
· an official of the British Council (only original certificates)
· an official from a British embassy or consulate
A photocopy of your document can be legalised, but it must be certified.
The relevant accreditation information for Richmond, the American International University in London is detailed below:
1. Richmond’s degrees are designated by the DfES (now BIS) of her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom (Recognized Awards) Statutory Order 2006 (SI 3121) dated 23 November 2006.
2. Richmond is on the UK Borders Agency Sponsors’ Register (Highly-Trusted Status, Sponsor Licence Number TMDJD286X).
3. Richmond previously appeared on the DfES List of Recognised University Degrees, which gave "All those institutions or bodies, which for the time being, deliver courses that lead to degrees awarded by Recognised Bodies."This list is now located at the website of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
4. Richmond is a voluntary subscriber to the QAA. The university’s first institutional review was conducted in May 2013, and in its IRENI report the QAA confirmed that Richmond met expectations in all review judgements.
5. Richmond is approved by The Open University as an appropriate organization to offer higher education programmes leading to Open University validated awards.
Please note that there have been some recent enquiries on the part of the FCO regarding the University’s status. These questions have now been addressed.
In an email of 19 September 2012 and a later email of 12 July 2016, the legalization department has acknowledged formally that they accept our documents (1993/1996 onwards) for legalization. Transcripts must, however, have The Open University award listed (and this is done annually after exam boards meet in early summer). Students should ensure that they send all of the following three items to the FCO: the Richmond diploma, the OU degree certificate, and the transcript.
This agreement is based on documentation provided by us from the DfES (now the Department for Business Innovation and Skills) which demonstrated DfES recognition of Richmond, the American International University in London. Should the FCO require further information on Richmond’s accreditation, please direct the officer to our website where further information on the following is available:
The university is also accredited in the United States by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education.
Note that all Richmond graduates have the option to obtain an apostille via the Delaware Secretary of State, and this process may be more straightforward for students based in the United States. See the instructions immediately below.
Instructions for Students whose graduation date is prior to May 1993:
The FCO will not grant apostilles for documents issued prior to May 1993. Students with earlier graduation dates must obtain apostilles via the Secretary of State in Delaware. The legal status of the apostille is the same, but is based on our US Middle States accreditation.
An additional guidance sheet provided by the Delaware Secretary of State’s Office is found on the Legalisation page of Richmond’s website. Please consult this document for full instructions.
Students encountering any difficulty with legalization as a result of any FCO questioning of Richmond’s status should inform the Vice-Provost for Academic Affairs ().
CL-C/August 2016