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This page offers comprehensive information regarding Penn diplomas, including details on your diploma mailing address and shipping options, the name printed on your diploma, reporting a damaged or missing diploma, ordering a replacement diploma, requesting a Certified Electronic Diploma (CeDiploma), notarizing an existing Penn diploma, and verifying degrees.
The University of Pennsylvania diploma has been printed in Latin since its first graduating class in 1757. The size of the current diploma is 9 5/8 inches by 12 1/4 inches.
Diplomas are issued three times each year (May, August, and December).
- The diplomas of May graduates are expected to be mailed in late July.
- The diplomas of August graduates are expected to be mailed in mid-October.
- The diplomas of December graduates are expected to be mailed in mid-March.
Starting with the Class of 2020, the University provides a certified electronic version of diplomas (CeDiploma). These must be purchased to be accessed and downloaded.
The CeDiploma is an official, secure, and verifiable electronic version of the Penn diploma that can be easily shared. The CeDiploma is accepted worldwide by many employers and governments and by federal and state medical boards within the United States.
If you have been notified that you have a CeDiploma available for purchase and download, it can be accessed here: https://credentials.secretary.upenn.edu/
DOCTOR OF MEDICINE GRADUATES:
If you graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM), please contact the PSOM registrar directly to have your diploma certified. The PSOM registrar's office can be reached at PSOMregistrar@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
ALL OTHER PENN GRADUATES:
The Office of the University Registrar (OUR) utilizes electronic notarization. This means that a digital scan of the physical diploma must be provided with the request. The processing time is up to 4 weeks from the provision date of the physical diploma and cannot be expedited. Electronic notarization is accepted by the Pennsylvania Department of State for the purposes of receiving a state seal or apostille.
Apostilles and state seals are handled by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the graduate's responsibility to compile the necessary documents and submit them to the Commonwealth. Please visit the website of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and follow the instructions for how to obtain an apostille or state seal.
REQUESTING AN ELECTRONIC NOTARIZATION OF A PENN DIPLOMA:
Paying with a credit card:
- Complete a Diploma/Translation Order Request form. For more information on how to complete the form, please visit the Diploma/Translation Order Request Form FAQs page. Please note: PennKey username and password are required to access the student data update forms. If you need assistance retrieving or acquiring a PennKey username and password, please visit PennKey Support. Alumni who encounter access issues using your PennKey credentials (username and password), please complete the OUR Forms PennKey Access Issue form.
- Provide a digital scan of the diploma to be notarized. If you no longer have a copy of your diploma, you must first place an order for a replacement diploma to be notarized. We do not have copies of student diplomas on file. You must provide us with a digital scan of your diploma(s).
Paying via check or money order:
- Complete the Electronic Notarization of a Paper Diploma: Mailed In Payments form.
- Ensure you provide a digital scan of the diploma to be notarized. If you no longer have a copy of your diploma, you must first place an order for a replacement diploma to be notarized. We do not have copies of student diplomas on file. You must provide us with a digital scan of your diploma(s).
- Mail payment(s) to the Office of the University Registar (OUR). The address is located on the form.
Note: Processing time is up to four weeks after receipt of the request and payment. This process cannot be expedited.
NOTARIZED TRANSCRIPTS AND VERIFICATION LETTERS:
Please visit the Notary Services page for information on notary services provided to current students and alumni. Note that the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) only notarizes documents issued by the University of Pennsylvania.
Diplomas damaged in shipment will be replaced free of charge, provided that the diploma office is notified within one year of the degree conferral date. To report a damaged diploma, please complete a Diploma/Translation Order Request form. For more information on how to complete the form, please visit the Diploma/Translation Order Request Form FAQs page.
DIPLOMA MAILING INFORMATION:
Diplomas will be mailed approximately 8-10 weeks following the official degree conferral date (i.e., the date appearing on your diploma). Your diploma will be mailed once your degree has been conferred, and if you are in good financial standing. You can confirm that your degree has been conferred by logging into Path@Penn and reviewing your unofficial transcript. If your degree or degrees have not been posted on your unofficial transcript, you should contact your academic advisor or program manager for support.
Diplomas will only be mailed to the diploma mailing address or a permanent address. The local or temporary address will not be used. Students submit a diploma mailing address through the graduation application. If you are a graduating student and need to update your diploma mailing address, follow the instructions on the Diploma FAQs for Graduating Students. Please note the following deadlines for updating addresses in Path@Penn.
- For May diplomas, addresses must be entered/updated no later than May 31.
- For August diplomas, addresses must be entered/updated no later than September 1.
- For December diplomas, addresses must be entered/updated no later than January 15.
Failure to provide a diploma mailing address prior to the dates listed above will result in the diploma being mailed to the permanent address.
DIPLOMA SHIPPING INFORMATION:
The default diploma delivery system is free, non-trackable first-class mail. We also offer secure, trackable shipping for an additional fee.
Please note:
- Due to global shipping delays, we strongly encourage international alumni to use a domestic mailing address (including that of a friend) and/or purchase secure, trackable shipping.
- Instructions for updating your diploma mailing address are available on the Diploma FAQs for Graduating Students page.
- Graduating Students: Instructions for ordering secure shipping are available on the Diploma Checklist for Graduating Students page.
| Shipping Address | Default Shipping | Secure Shipping |
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GRADUATING STUDENTS:
For the name you select on the Graduation Application to be printed on your diploma, the first and last names must match the legal first and last names that appear in Penn's student information system. If the name requested for the diploma differs significantly from the name on your official student record, a legal name change and diploma name change request must be submitted via the Student Data Update Form. If you request a name for your diploma that does not match your name in the student information system, and you do not submit the name change requests prior to the diploma printing, the name in the student information system will be printed on your diploma. Additionally, no additional titles, such as Esq., Dr., etc., will be permitted on the diploma.
ALUMNI:
The first and last names must match the legal first and last names that appear in Penn's student information system. If the name requested for the diploma differs significantly from the name on your official student record, a legal name change and diploma name change request must be submitted via the Student Data Update Form. If you request a name for your diploma that does not match your name in the student information system, and you do not submit the name change requests prior to the diploma printing, the name in the student information system will be printed on your diploma. Additionally, no additional titles, such as Esq., Dr., etc., will be permitted on the diploma.
- PennKey username and password are required to access the Student Data Update forms. If you need assistance retrieving or acquiring a PennKey username and password, please visit PennKey Support.
- Alumni who encounter access issues using your PennKey credentials (username and password), please complete the OUR Forms PennKey Access Issue form.
The University of Pennsylvania diploma has been printed in Latin since its first graduating class in 1757. If you would like to read the English translation, please click the link here.
You can also request a personalized, electronic English translation that includes your name, degree, and graduation date. Translations are created on electronic University letterhead, they are not an actual Penn diploma printed in English. Notarized and unnotarized versions of the electronic English translation are available (different fees apply). The processing time is up to 4 weeks and cannot be expedited.
To order an English diploma translation, complete a Diploma/Translation Order Request form. For more information on how to complete the form, please visit the Diploma/Translation Order Request Form FAQs page.
Please note:
- PennKey username and password are required to access the student data update forms. If you need assistance retrieving or acquiring a PennKey username and password, please visit PennKey Support.
- Alumni who encounter access issues using your PennKey credentials (username and password), please complete the OUR Forms PennKey Access Issue form.
Diplomas are mailed 8-10 weeks after graduation and are not considered missing until 8 weeks from their mailing date. Diplomas sent to the wrong address are often returned to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR). If your diploma is returned to the OUR, you will be contacted for a new address. Graduating students, you must ensure that you have provided an alternative email address via the Penn Directory before you graduate.
- If it has been less than 8-10 weeks since your diploma was mailed, please do not report your diploma as being lost or missing.
- If it has been 8 weeks or more since your diploma was mailed and it has not arrived, or you want to know to what address your diploma was sent, please submit a Missing Diploma/Mailing Address Inquiry.
If you received your diploma, but have since lost it, please see the section below on replacement diplomas.
For diplomas damaged during shipping, please see the Diplomas Damaged in Shipment section above.
A replacement diploma will be issued upon request and can be ordered online or with an application form. A replacement displays the signatures of the current officials but shows the original date of graduation. A statement reading “Replacement Diploma Issued on (Month, Date, Year)” will be printed at the bottom of the diploma to indicate that it is not an original. The fee for a replacement diploma is $110, and the processing time is up to 8-10 weeks.
DIPLOMA NAME CHANGES:
The name printed on the replacement will be the name from your original diploma. The first and last names must match the legal first and last names that appear in Penn's student information system. If the name you want printed on a replacement diploma differs significantly from the name on your official student record/original diploma, a legal name change and diploma name change request must be submitted via the Student Data Update Form before purchasing a replacement diploma. Instructions for updating/changing your name can be found on the Update Your Student Data page of the Office of the University Registrar website. A special note to Penn Carey Law School alumni: If you are requesting a replacement diploma due to a gender-related name change, please visit the Penn Carey Law School website to review its policies.
To order a replacement diploma, please complete a Diploma/Translation Order Request form. For more information on how to complete the form, please visit the Diploma/Translation Order Request Form FAQs page.
Please note:
- PennKey username and password are required to access the student data update forms. If you need assistance retrieving or acquiring a PennKey username and password, please visit PennKey Support.
- Alumni who encounter access issues using your PennKey credentials (username and password), please complete the OUR Forms PennKey Access Issue form.
If you have been affected by an officially declared natural disaster and require a replacement diploma, please complete and submit the Official Natural Disaster Diploma Replacement Form.
For questions or concerns, please contact us at diplomas@pobox.upenn.edu.
VALIDATION OF A CERTIFIED ELECTRONIC (CEDIPLOMA):
If you are a third-party wishing to validate a CeDiploma, the graduate will need to provide you with the CeDiD (unique identifier) located in the top left corner of the CeDiploma and the first two letters of the graduate’s name as it appears on the credential. Please visit the link below to validate the CeDiploma.
Validate a CeDiploma: https://credentials.secretary.upenn.edu/penn_credential/validate
VALIDATION OF A PAPER DIPLOMA:
If you are third-party wishing to validate a paper diploma, please email diplomas@pobox.upenn.edu for support.
VERIFICATION OF DEGREE(S):
If you are a third-party wishing to verify a degree or degrees of a Penn alum, please visit Third Party Verification Requests for information and instructions.
The Office of the University Registrar (OUR) provides a number of services to verify a student's graduation status.
- Degree verification through the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC).
- Order official transcripts via the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC). To order, search for the 'University of Pennsylvania' and select the correct site:
- If you attended or graduated from Penn before the Fall of 2010, select 'University of Pennsylvania- Attended 2010-Current' as the school.
- If you attended or graduated from Penn in or after the Fall of 2010, select 'University of Pennsylvania- Attended Before 2010' as the school.
- Review and download your unofficial transcript through Path@Penn. Access to this service requires PennKey credentials. If you require assistance with your PennKey, please visit PennKey Support. This service is exclusively available to students who attended or graduated from Penn in the Fall of 1988. Please note that this service is not available to Penn Vet alumni who attended before 2000 or Penn Dental alumni who attended before 2001.
- Request a Degree Verification Letter from the Office of the University Registrar (OUR). Alumni, please visit the Request Verification Letter webpage for information on submitting a degree verification letter request.
