Certified (digital) copies application documents

Certified digital document

A certified digital document is an electronic version of your degree certificate, academic transcript, or other graduation documents that can be securely verified online for content and authenticity.

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

Certified hard copy

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

Make sure that every page is signed and stamped. If your photocopy is printed on both sides, each side must also have a signature and stamp.

Depending on your decision letter you might need to submit:

Degree/Diploma certificate

If you obtained your diploma outside the University of Groningen, you will need to submit a certified copy of your diploma certificate. If your diploma is not yet available, we will accept a graduation statement instead.

Your diploma document must mention the graduation date and the official qualification name. If you have obtained your diploma from the University of Groningen, we can check your graduation in our database.

Graduation statement / Statement of expected graduation

In a graduation statement, your institution declares that you have fulfilled all the graduation requirements and have (or will) graduate from your programme, but do not yet have your official degree.

The document must include:

• First (given) name and last name,
• Date of birth,
• Current education,
• Stamp and signature from a representative of your institution,
• Expected graduation date (or graduation date if you have graduated).

The date of graduation has to be before the start of your programme.

Transcript

To verify your courses, we need to receive a transcript of your grades and credits (if applicable). The transcript must include your name and the signature and stamp of the issuing institution.

Certificates to lift a deficiency*

If you need to submit additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and/or Biology certificates, provide the results of the accepted certificate(s). Your decision letter includes information about the certificates, instructions on how to share your results, and whether we require a certified copy.

*You can find the accepted certificates and minimum scores here.

Language certificates and SAT*

If you have to provide proof of your English or Dutch language proficiency and/or SAT score, please share the results digitally. You can upload the document to the Progress Portal, or via our Contact Form.

For some of the test results, you will need to authorise us to receive or access your results. You can find the accepted certificates and how you can share your results in your decision letter.

Our institution codes:

• 7191 (TOEFL)
• 7237 (SAT Score Report).

*You can find the accepted tests and minimum scores under entry requirements on the page of your Bachelor’s or Master’s programme.

Translations

We reserve the right to request translations if the Admissions Office finds your certified copies unclear for eligibility for entry.

Want to submit your documents digitally?

Your school or university can send your certified documents to us by email.

Before sending anything, check that your documents meet the rules under “What is a certified document?”

Option 1: The issuing institution emails your documents directly

Ask your institution to send the documents directly to the University of Groningen.

They must follow these instructions:

• Send the documents as PDF files to certdocs rug.nl
• Include your last name and UG student number (for example: 1234567) in the email
• Include your study programme name in the email subject line
• We also recommend that your institution CC you in the email

N.B. We only accept digital documents if they are emailed from the official email address of your school or university. We must be able to confirm the email address (or the sender’s function) on the institution’s official website.

Option 2: You email us the documents yourself

You may send your documents directly only if:

• Your institution uses a secure online database where we can verify your documents

If your institution does not use a secure online system or database, please refer to Option 1.

If your institution does not provide any of the digital options mentioned above, please refer to the certified hard copy section.

You can also share certified digital documents with us through an independent academic verification platform.

We accept documents from platforms such as (but not limited to):

• MyEquals

• Blockcerts or MyCreds

• CSSD

• GradIntelligence, HEAR, DigitaryCORE

• Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse

When sharing your documents, please use the email address: certdocs@rug.nl

Option 1: Hard copy documents sent via post

If you cannot submit your documents digitally, you can send us your certified hard copies by post. Make sure that your documents meet the certified hard copy requirements under ‘What is a certified document?’ before submitting them.

Once your certified hard copies are delivered to the university, it can take several working days before you receive an email confirmation of receipt.

Please use the address label included in your decision letter or send your certified documents to:

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.

Option 2: Drop off your certified documents at the University of Groningen

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

You will receive an automatic email confirming that we have received your documents. Please note that this does not mean that the documents are sufficient. Once we receive your certified documents, we aim to verify them as quickly as possible. However, the verification process may take longer during peak periods.

After we verify your certified documents, the Admissions Office will issue your Decree of Admission, which is the final admission statement. This document is necessary to finalize your registration and is essential for starting your studies at the University of Groningen.

See our International Application Guide for more information regarding all the details needed to complete your enrolment in the programme, such as paying your tuition fee and more.