Legalisation and translation

You wish to apply for admission and your documents were issued in a non-EU/EEA country? Please have them translated after they were diplomatically certified (i.e. legalised) first.

Your documents were issued in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland? Such documents need only be translated, while legalisation is not required.

There are four possibilities:

How do my documents become certified?

Look for the issuing country of your documents in the following section. There you will find out what specific kind of legalisation is required for your documents.

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Full diplomatic certification

  1. Inform yourself in the issuing country about the national public authority responsible for legalising documents.
    The process of legalisation usually begins at the ministry of education, followed by the ministry for foreign affairs. Finally, the appropriate Austrian representation authority (embassy or consulate) issues an over-legalisation. In some countries, in lieu of the ministry of foreign affairs, the ministry of justice is responsible for legalising documents.
  2. Have the appropriate ministries certify your documents by means of the respective seals and attestation clauses.
  3. Present your documents to the Austrian representation authorities.
    Schedule an appointment with the appropriate representation authority and provide them with your legalised documents. The embassy or consulate will issue an over-legalisation.
  4. Have your documents translated.
    Your documents as well as all seals and attestation clauses they contain have to be translated, if they were not issued in German or English.
  5. Apply for admission to a study programme
    Scan all pages of your documents, including all seals and (if necessary) the translation. After assuring yourself that the scan is legible, combine your documents into a PDF-file. Follow the next steps in the admission procedure.

Apostille

  1. Inform yourself in the issuing country which national public authority may issue an apostille, and if there are any requirements.
  2. Have an apostille added to your documents.
    The apostille can be added on the document itself, on an attached page, or by means of an electronic apostille. Do not detach the apostille! The apostille must attest any signature(s) by the issuing educational institution (directorate, rectorate, or deanship) that the document bears. The signature of the notary or translation agency may not be attested.
  3. Have your documents translated.
    Your documents as well as the apostille has to be translated, if they were not issued in German or English.
  4. Apply for admission to a study programme.
    Scan all pages of your document, including all seals and (if necessary) the translation. After assuring yourself that the scan is legible, combine your documents into a PDF-file. Follow the next steps in the admission procedure.

Diplomatic certification is not required

Documents issued in certain countries do not need to be diplomatically certified. However, we require an official translation in German or English, if the documents were not issued in either of these languages.

Documents issued in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland are exempt from all legalisation requirements.

Diplomatic certification is temporarily deferred

The over-legalisation by the Austrian representation authority is deferred in some countries. In this case, you only need the domestic attestation clauses of the ministry of education and the ministry of foreign affairs.

How do my documents become translated?

We only accept documents that were issued in German or English. If your documents were issued in a different language, a translation is required. Please regard the following terms:

  • If full diplomatic certification is required, your documents have to be legalised first. Only then they may be translated including all stamps, seals, and certification notes.
  • An apostille must also be translated. This means that the apostille has to be affixed to the original document first. Afterwards it can be translated.
  • The documents must be translated by official sworn and court certified translators.
  • The translation must be inseparably attached to the original document. Do not detach the documents (not even when scanning them!). Else the translation will be void.

FAQ

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  • Which documents require diplomatic certification?

    We require diplomatic certification of all documents that attest your prior education.

    • Bachelor/diploma programmes:
      All pages of your secondary school leaving certificate and, if applicable, transcripts of records/diplomas (if you have studied at a university before).
    • Master programmes:
      Your higher education degree certificate, relevant transcripts of records and/or the diploma supplement.
  • My documents have not been diplomatically certified yet. Can I still apply for admission?

    No, as you may only apply once all documents have been diplomatically certified and translated, as required. If your application is incomplete, it may prolong its lead time.

  • For how long is the diplomatic certification valid?

    A diplomatic certification is valid indefinitely.

  • I am a non-EU/EEA citizen, but I previously studied in an EU/EEA country/Switzerland or graduated from school there. Do my documents require diplomatic certification?

    Your citizenship has no influence on whether your documents require diplomatic certification. The deciding factor is the issuing country of your documents. For further information on the required kind of certification, please select your issuing country in the overview.

  • My documents have been issued in two languages: in the national language of the issuing country, as well as German/English. Am I required to have an additional translation made?

    No, the University of Vienna accepts documents issued in two languages, if one of the languages is German or English.