Degree apostille for UK employment
A U.S. university degree or college diploma used for UK employment, NHS professional registration, UK Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), or a Skilled Worker visa sponsorship needs an apostille from the California Secretary of State before UK authorities will accept it.
The UK is a Hague Convention member. A U.S.-issued university degree or college diploma must be apostilled by the California Secretary of State (for California-issued institution documents) before UK employers, professional bodies, and UKVI accept it. We notarize a certified true copy of your degree if the original is not available, then apostille through the California Secretary of State.
What this page covers
Los Angeles clients regularly need their U.S. degree or diploma apostilled for use in the United Kingdom — most commonly for NHS nursing or allied health registration, UK Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) applications, professional body recognition (engineering, law, finance, healthcare), or a Skilled Worker visa where the employer needs verified credentials. We either apostille your original diploma directly or notarize a certified copy before apostilling if you need to keep the original.
Common reasons people need this
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), General Medical Council (GMC), and other UK health regulators require an apostilled U.S. degree as part of international registration — allowing U.S.-trained nurses, doctors, therapists, and allied health professionals to practice in NHS trusts and private clinics.
The UK Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) requires overseas teachers to submit an apostilled degree or teaching credential when applying for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) — a prerequisite to teaching in state schools in England.
UK employers sponsoring a U.S.-based candidate on a Skilled Worker visa frequently request an apostilled degree as part of the Right to Work and eligibility verification package — especially for healthcare, engineering, IT, and finance roles.
UK engineering councils, legal bodies, financial regulators, and academic institutions may require an apostilled U.S. degree before recognizing foreign qualifications — for membership, licensure, or academic credit.
How it works
We confirm whether the original diploma, a certified copy from your university registrar, or a notarized copy is the best path for your specific UK authority and turnaround need.
If you need to retain the original diploma, we notarize a certified true copy in a mobile visit anywhere in Los Angeles, Orange, or Ventura County. If your university registrar issued a certified copy, we apostille it directly.
We submit the notarized certified copy (or original) to the California Secretary of State for apostille and ship the apostilled document to you, your UK employer, or the relevant UK professional body. When a UKVI visa appointment or NHS registration deadline is imminent, same-day apostille service in Los Angeles is available for most California-notarized degree copies.
What will and won't be accepted
Realistic timelines
Before you contact us
Degree / Diploma Apostille FAQ — UK Use
It depends on the receiving UK authority. Some — like the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) — may accept a notarized and apostilled certified copy; others — like NMC for nursing registration — have specific requirements. Always confirm with the relevant UK body before deciding whether to apostille the original or a certified copy.
Yes. If your degree was issued by a California university, the California Secretary of State is the correct apostille authority regardless of where you live now. You can mail your diploma or university-issued certified copy to us and we handle the California apostille remotely.
Some UK employers and professional bodies require both. We can apostille both the diploma and the official transcript in the same submission if you have certified copies of each from your university registrar. Submit them together to save time.
A UK-issued degree used within the UK does not need an apostille (apostilles are for international use). If you need to use a UK degree in the U.S. or another country, it would need to be apostilled by the UK FCDO Legalisation Office.
No — the apostille certifies only that the notary’s signature (on a certified copy) or the issuing official’s signature (on an original) is authentic. It does not verify the content or accreditation of the degree. UK employers and bodies often use the UK ENIC (formerly NARIC) service for degree equivalency verification, separate from the apostille.
Other UK documents