University Degree Verification for Overseas Employers

An overseas employer can verify an Australian degree three ways: directly with the university, often through its digital credentials platform; through a screening firm; or by asking for a legalised degree. For legalisation, DFAT apostilles the original once the university has verified it, or a notarised copy stating the original was verified with the institution.

Key takeaways

• Ask the employer which kind of verification it wants before you do anything; the three routes are very different.
• A direct check with the university is often the simplest, and needs no notary.
• For an apostille, DFAT legalises an original degree only after the university has verified it.
• A notarised copy must say the original record has been verified with the issuing institution; a plain "true copy" does not satisfy DFAT.
• DFAT never legalises foreign education documents, even if notarised in Australia.
• Countries outside the Hague Convention need DFAT authentication and then embassy legalisation.

What does an overseas employer mean by "verification"?

Employers abroad use the word for three different things. Some simply want to confirm with the university that you hold the degree you claim. Some hand the check to a background screening company as part of hiring. And some, often because a work permit or professional licence requires it, want the degree itself legalised with an apostille or an authentication certificate. DFAT notes that employers often ask for legalised education documents because academic fraud is a common problem worldwide.

The right answer depends on which of these the employer, or the authority behind it, means. A direct check with the university can often be arranged from your own computer; a legalised degree takes several steps and costs more. Ask the employer, or its visa or immigration adviser, to tell you in writing what it needs. If a work permit or professional licence is involved, the authority that issues it may have its own rule, separate from the employer's hiring check.

Kind of verification	Who does it	What you do	Notary needed?
Direct check with the university	The employer, with your consent	Share your digital record or authorise the check	No
Background screening	A screening company	Sign its consent form and give your details	Rarely
Apostille on the original	DFAT, after the university verifies it	Arrange verification, then lodge with DFAT	No
Apostille on a notarised copy	A notary, the university, then DFAT	The notary coordinates verification	Yes
Non-Hague country	DFAT, then that country's embassy	Authentication, then legalisation	Depends on the route

Can the employer check directly with the university?

Usually, yes, and it is often the best option. Most major Australian and New Zealand universities issue official digital records through My eQuals, the sector's credentials platform, which lets you share a verifiable copy of your testamur or transcript with an employer and lets the employer confirm it online. Universities also generally have a process for confirming a graduate's award to a third party, usually with the graduate's written consent. Because the confirmation comes from the university itself, no notary or DFAT step is involved.

If the employer accepts this, you save time and keep your original untouched. Check first that the employer can use the platform or the university's process from its country, and whether the confirmation must reach it directly rather than through you.

What about background screening companies?

Large employers often pass verification to a screening company. The company will ask you to sign a consent form and give your full name as it appears on the degree, your student number, the degree title and your dates of study, and then contacts the university itself. A notary is rarely part of this. Delays usually come from mismatched details, such as a changed surname or a degree title that differs from the one on your CV, so give the details exactly as they appear on the testamur and mention any former names.

How does DFAT legalise an Australian degree?

If the employer or an authority wants an apostille or authentication certificate, the degree has to go through DFAT, which is the only body in Australia that can legalise documents. DFAT's page on documents it can legalise sets out two routes for university documents.

The original. You contact your university to have your original degree verified as a true and accurate record, which some universities do through an online portal. DFAT then applies the apostille or authentication certificate directly to the original, which leaves a mark on it.

A notarised copy. If you do not want your original marked, a notary can notarise a copy. The copy also has to be verified by the university, and DFAT says the notary will coordinate this. The notary's certificate must state that the original record has been verified with the issuing institution. A notarial certificate that only says the document is a true copy does not satisfy DFAT, so make sure the notary you use knows this requirement. Our guide to certified copies of a university degree explains what the notary does at the appointment.

What if the country is outside the Hague Convention?

If the employer is in a country that is party to the Hague Apostille Convention, DFAT's apostille is usually the end of the Australian side. If it is not, DFAT issues an authentication certificate, and the country's embassy or consulate in Australia then legalises the degree. Some countries add a further step after you arrive, such as an attestation by their foreign ministry; the employer or its visa adviser will know. Membership changes, so check the HCCH status table on the day. Our guide to DFAT authentication explains the non-Hague route.

What if your degree is from another country?

DFAT does not accept any foreign education documents, even if an Australian notary has notarised them. If you studied in India, the Philippines or the United Kingdom and are now in Australia, the degree has to be verified or legalised through the system of the country that issued it, not through DFAT. An Australian notary can still certify a copy for an employer that only wants a certified copy, but that copy cannot then be apostilled in Australia. If you need the degree legalised, ask the issuing university or the education authority in that country how it is done from abroad.

What about TAFE and private college qualifications?

DFAT treats these differently from university documents. It can legalise original documents from public TAFE institutes, or copies notarised by an Australian notary; it does not accept copies certified by a JP or other authorised witness. Documents from private colleges and registered training organisations must be notarised first, although in some states the education department may verify and seal originals instead. Check the current rules for your institution before you book anything.

What should you bring to the notary for the copy route?

Bring the original testamur, and the original transcript if that is also going, not a scan or an earlier copy. Bring photo identification such as your passport, and a document linking any change of name. Tell the notary at the start that the copy is for DFAT legalisation, so the verification with the university is arranged and the certificate carries the wording DFAT requires. If the employer also wants a translation, ask whether it should be made before or after legalisation; the receiving country usually decides.

How do you get a degree verified for an overseas employer?

1. Ask what the employer needs. A direct check, a screening firm, or an apostille or authentication, and for which documents.
2. Try the direct route first. If a digital record or university confirmation is enough, share it and stop there.
3. Decide original or copy. If legalisation is needed, choose whether DFAT may mark your original degree.
4. Arrange university verification. For the original, contact the university; for a copy, the notary coordinates it.
5. Check the notarial wording. The certificate must say the original record was verified with the issuing institution.
6. Lodge with DFAT. For an apostille, or an authentication certificate for a non-Hague country.
7. Complete embassy legalisation. Only if the country is outside the Hague Convention.

Common mistakes to avoid

The first mistake is going straight to legalisation when the employer only wanted a direct check. The second is getting a plain "true copy" notarisation of a degree and sending it to DFAT, which will not accept it without the verified-with-the-institution statement. The third is asking a JP to certify a degree for use overseas; foreign employers generally do not recognise a JP, and DFAT will not legalise a JP copy. The fourth is trying to have a foreign degree apostilled in Australia, which DFAT never does. The fifth is ignoring a name change: if your name on the degree differs from your passport, bring the linking document, such as a marriage certificate. Our guide to apostilling an academic transcript covers the same rules for transcripts.

Here is an illustration, not a real case.

Priya has an engineering degree from a Victorian university and a job offer in the Gulf. The employer first asks for verification, and she shares her digital record through the university's platform. Then its immigration adviser says the work permit needs the degree authenticated and legalised. She does not want her original marked, so a notary notarises a copy, coordinates verification with the university, and states that the original record was verified with the institution. DFAT authenticates it, and the country's embassy legalises it.

In short

Ask the employer what it means by verification. A direct check with the university is often enough and needs no notary. If an apostille or authentication is needed, DFAT legalises an original only after the university verifies it, or a notarised copy whose certificate states that the original record was verified with the institution. Foreign degrees go back to the country that issued them. Our apostille and authentication services page explains how a notary can help with the copy route.

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