If a student is moving abroad or applying to an overseas school, college or university, they may be asked to provide GCSE or A-level results as part of the admissions process. These documents help the receiving institution understand the student’s academic level and previous study.
Although GCSE and A-level certificates are valid in the UK, an overseas school may need them prepared in a specific format before they can be accepted.
Check what the school actually needs
Before preparing any documents, ask the overseas school or admissions office exactly what they require.
They may ask for original exam certificates, certified copies, a school-issued confirmation letter, predicted grades, transcripts or translated documents.
Do not assume that a scan or emailed copy will be accepted. Some schools need formal verification before they can process the application.
Original certificates
Original GCSE or A-level certificates are often the strongest form of evidence because they are issued by the relevant exam board.
However, families may not want to send originals abroad, especially if they are difficult to replace. In some cases, a certified copy may be accepted instead.
If the school specifically asks for originals, check whether they also need the certificates legalised or translated.
Certified copies of certificates
Many overseas schools accept certified copies of GCSE or A-level certificates.
A UK solicitor or Notary Public can inspect the original certificate and certify a copy as a true copy. The certified copy may then be legalised if the receiving school requires formal authentication.
This route helps protect the original certificates while still providing a document that can be used overseas.
Statements from the school
If certificates are not yet available, or if the student is applying before results are final, the overseas school may accept a letter from the UK school.
This can confirm predicted grades, current subjects, year group, attendance or academic performance.
The letter should be on school letterhead, dated and signed by an authorised member of staff. It may need to be verified by the school before certification and legalisation.
Replacement certificates and exam board documents
If original certificates have been lost or damaged, you may need to request replacement evidence from the exam board.
Some boards issue certified statements of results rather than replacement certificates. These documents may be accepted by overseas schools, but the format should be checked before legalisation.
Allow enough time for the exam board to issue replacements before the admissions deadline.
Translation requirements
If the overseas school does not accept English documents, a certified or sworn translation may be required.
The order matters. Some institutions want the UK document legalised first and translated afterwards, while others may ask for the translation itself to be certified or legalised separately.
Always confirm the translation requirements before arranging the process.
Legalisation and certification
Whether GCSE or A-level documents need legalisation depends on the receiving school and country.
Some schools accept certified copies without legalisation. Others require legalised documents to confirm authenticity.
If the document is a copy, school letter or printed statement, solicitor or notary certification may be needed before legalisation can be completed.
Prepare before the application deadline
School and university deadlines can be strict, and overseas admissions teams may reject documents that are incomplete, uncertified or in the wrong format.
Before submitting, check whether the school needs originals, certified copies, legalisation, translation or documents sent directly from the UK school or exam board.
If you need to send GCSE or A-level results to an overseas school, 12 Apostille can review the document requirements, confirm the correct route and help prepare the documents for international use.