ACSI provides the service of Apostilles or Authentications for ACSI accredited schools to assist graduating students entering into colleges and universities. The information below provides instructions for obtaining an apostille through ACSI.

What is an Apostille? 
An Apostille is a seal of authentication on a document that facilitates its acceptance in countries that participate in the Hague Convention. You can see the list of participating countries at the Hague website.

How do I get an Apostille?
You can get an Apostille from your state's Secretary of State. Check the website of your Secretary of State for requirements or specific instructions as they can vary. For transcripts and diplomas, you will often need to have the document to be authenticated first notarized by a notary that is licensed in the state in which you will be requesting the Apostille. This statement of notarization will be stapled to the original document which will be mailed to the Secretary of State for authentication. The Secretary of State may require a specific form letter to be filled out and may charge a fee for the service. They will issue an Apostille for your document and staple it to your original. The staple must remain attached to the document to maintain the validity of the Apostille.

What if the country I need an Apostille for is not on the list of participating countries?
If the country involved is not a signatory to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legislation for Foreign Public Documents, the Apostille will need to be sent to the consular section of the receiving country's embassy for another stamp of authentication before it is usable. The fees for this service vary greatly, and translation services may be required. Contact the embassy for instructions and pricing for authentication of documents.

What service does ACSI offer for obtaining Apostilles? 
ACSI provides the service of Apostille or Authentication letters for ACSI accredited international schools to assist graduating students entering into colleges and universities. As the accrediting association, ACSI will request the Apostille from the Colorado Secretary of State. The Apostille coordinator will swear before a notary that the diploma and/or transcript is valid and complete the necessary paperwork to request the Apostille. See the ACSI Apostille Request Form for more information about instructions and pricing.

How much time does it take to obtain an Apostille?
The time needed to process an Apostille will vary according to the country it is being issued for due to mailing times and any additional processing needed if, for example, the destination country is not a signatory to the Hague Convention. Please check the list of participating countries on the Hague website.

If the destination country is listed as a signatory to the Hague Convention the following time is estimated:

• Two to three weeks for priority shipping to U.S., Mexico, and Canada
• Three to four weeks for shipping to other countries

If the destination country is not listed on the Hague website, additional consulate verification fees will apply for any necessary translation and additional authentication. Please contact the Apostille coordinator for a quote, as price varies by country, and allow additional time (6–8 weeks) for shipment.

Will ACSI assist graduates from an international ACSI member school that is not accredited to obtain an Apostille?
We require that the school be accredited through ACSI. We have to be able to visit the school through an accreditation team and verify that the education provided by the school is comparable to college preparatory standards before we can attest to the authenticity of the diploma.

Will ACSI help teachers at an international school obtain an Apostille for a teaching certificate?
ACSI will provide services to obtain Apostilles for ACSI-issued teaching certificates only.

I graduated from an ACSI accredited international school and have my diploma. Can I send it to you to get an Apostille?
To maintain authenticity of the documents we require that they be issued directly from the school. Please contact your school to reissue an original diploma and have it sent directly to ACSI for an Apostille.

We are an ACSI accredited school in the U.S. with a student that needs an Apostille for a diploma for international studies. Will ACSI assist in obtaining an Apostille for this student?
In this situation it will be better, and cheaper, for the school to obtain an Apostille from the Secretary of the state in which they are located. Contact your local Secretary of State for more information on the specific cost and requirements for your state.