Certified (digital) copies application documents

Certified digital document

A certified digital document is an electronic copy of a student’s degree certificate, academic transcript, or other graduation documents of which the content and authenticity can be securely verified online.

We do not accept QR codes to verify the authenticity of the documents.

Certified hard copy

A certified hard copy is a physical copy of a student’s degree certificate, academic transcript, or other graduation document that carries an official stamp, date, and signature in ink from an authorized institution/individual (e.g. notary or school official).

Signed and stamped pages

Do note that each page needs to be signed and stamped. If your photocopy is printed on both sides, both sides need to bear a signature and stamp.

Post address

You can send your certified hard copies to this address:

University of Groningen
Admissions Office - Student Information & Administration (SI&A)
Programme: [Insert the programme you applied for]
Student no.: [Insert your student number]
P.O. Box 72
9700 AB GRONINGEN
The Netherlands

The University of Groningen accepts documents in English, Dutch, German and French. Documents issued in one of these languages do not need to be translated.

If your documents are provided in another language, you will need to supply additional translations by a sworn translator. Do note that each page needs to be signed and stamped with the sworn translator's own signature and stamp.

If sent digitally, we need to receive these translations directly from the translator using their official e-mail address. If sent by post, we need to receive the original documents carrying an official stamp from the translator.

Note: if your issuing institution provides both original language and English translation then a separate sworn translation is not required, as long as it is sent by the issuing institution.

1. Transcript

To verify your courses, we need to receive a transcript of your marks. The transcript needs to include your name and the signature and stamp of the issuing institution.

2. Degree certificate

• Diploma certificate obtained at the University of Groningen
  If you obtain your diploma from the University of Groningen, we can check your graduation in our database.

Diploma certificate obtained outside the University of Groningen
If you have obtained your diploma certificate outside the University of Groningen, we need a certified copy of your diploma certificate. If your diploma certificate is not yet available, a Graduation Statement will suffice. In the case of a Chinese degree, you can also provide us with a diploma, a transcript and an online verification report (in English) shared through the CSSD website.

• Statement of expected graduation
  In a statement of expected graduation, your institution needs to declare that you have fulfilled all the graduation requirements and have graduated from your programme. It should also state your exact graduation date. This graduation date cannot be later than the start date of the Bachelor/(pre-)Master’s programme. The statement needs to be signed and stamped by your issuing institution.

3. Certificates to lift a deficiency (if applicable)

If you are asked to prove that you meet the required level of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and/or Biology, please share the results of one of the accepted institutes. You can find the accepted tests and minimum scores in the entry requirements of your programme.

4. Additional certificates, including English language test scores (if applicable)

For some of the test results, you are required to authorize us to receive or access your results, and to do so, you need to use our institution codes: TOEFL 7191, GRE 7191 and SAT Score Report 7237.

• You can find the accepted tests and minimum scores in the entry requirements of your Bachelor’s programme.

• You can find the accepted tests and minimum scores in the entry requirements of your Master’s programme.

1. Digital submission (preferred method)

The University of Groningen accepts certified digital documents* if all of the aforementioned requirements are met. Check 'What is a certified document' for the requirements .

You can submit the digital documents in the following forms:

Documents sent as PDF files, provided that we receive these directly from the issuing institution's official email address (or registrar). This means we do not accept PDF files if these are sent from an unverifiable email account. The document must be sent by the issuing institution to certdocs rug.nl.

Include applicant's last name and student number (number beginning with S) and their study programme in the email subject line.

Note: emails with a different subject line can be subject to a substantial delay in processing.

• Documents shared using an independent academic verification platform (i.e. Australia and New Zealand: MyEquals, Canada: Blockcerts and MyCreds, China: CSSD, United Kingdom: GradIntelligence, HEAR and DigitaryCORE, United States: Parchment, National Student Clearing House).

• Documents submitted via our form.
  You can submit your documents directly if they can be verified online via a secured electronic system/database of your institution.

* The diploma documents must mention the date of graduation and the name of the programme.

Do note that not all institutions are able to fulfil the requirements for digital document certification (yet). For additional information, carefully read the checklist provided with your decision letter.

2. Hard copy submission (longer processing time)

If your issuing institution cannot send us your certified documents digitally, or if the guidelines for digital documents and verification do not apply to your (to be obtained) qualification, you can send us your certified documents by post.

You can send your certified documents to:

University of Groningen
Admissions Office - Student Information & Administration (SI&A)
Programme: [Insert the programme you applied for]
Student no.: [Insert your student number]
P.O. Box 72
9700 AB GRONINGEN
The Netherlands

If you are using a courier service you may need to provide them with our telephone number: + 31 (0)50 363 8004.

Important! To ensure that your documents are received properly when sending your documents from outside the EU/EEA area, you need to include a CN22 customs declaration form on which you specify that your package contains documents that hold no value.

3. Drop off your certified documents at the University

You can drop off your certified documents by making an appointment at Student Information and Administration.

As soon as we have received your certified documents, we strive to verify them as soon possible. With these certified documents, the Admissions Office is able to issue your Decree of Admission (the final admission statement), which is required to finalize your registration and therefore is essential to be able to start your studies at the University of Groningen.

The email containing the Decree of Admission, also includes information about what else you might still need to do to complete your enrolment in the programme, such as paying your tuition fee.