Diploma, Transcript & Certificate Guide

Contact the high school, school district or state education department that holds your records. Many districts take requests online, by email or by mail, and some use an online records service. Have your name at graduation, date of birth, graduation year and a photo ID ready. Fees and processing times vary, and some schools provide copies at no charge. Hey Congrats can't send school-issued records; we make personalized, non-official display copies.

Request it from the college's registrar or records office. Most registrars post a duplicate-diploma request form on their website, along with the fee and timeline. If you need to show that you earned the degree, ask the recipient whether a transcript or a letter from the school confirming your degree will work instead.

Losing the paper doesn't erase your credential. Your school keeps your record, and employers and colleges usually confirm education with the school or through a transcript rather than the framed diploma. You can ask the school that issued it for a new diploma. If you'd like something to frame in the meantime, a personalized display copy is an option.

Ask your school or district whether it offers electronic delivery or expedited processing; timing varies by school. If you need proof of graduation for a job or a school, a transcript sent by the school is often quicker than a newly printed diploma. A Hey Congrats display copy has its own production and shipping options, listed on each product page, and doesn't replace records from your school.

Records from a closed school usually move to the school district, the state education department or a designated records custodian. Contact the education department in the state where the school operated to find out who holds the files.

Use a transcript or diploma requested from your school or district, or a letter from the school confirming that you graduated. Many employers and colleges check directly with the school. A display copy, scan or photo is not proof of graduation.

GED credentials are issued by the state or territory where you tested. If you tested on computer in 2014 or later, you can usually order copies through your GED.com account. For older tests, contact your state's GED or adult education office. Fees and delivery options vary by state.

No. A GED credential is earned by passing the GED tests and is issued by your state. What you can order from Hey Congrats is a personalized, non-official GED-style display copy, for example a keepsake to frame after you've earned your credential. It is not a state-issued credential and can't be used for jobs, school or any proof of education.

Not exactly. A GED is a high school equivalency credential, and many employers, colleges and training programs accept it in place of a diploma. Some programs set extra requirements for GED holders, so check with the school or employer.

A diploma is a certificate showing that you completed a program. A transcript is your academic record: courses, grades, credits, GPA and dates. Colleges and employers usually ask for a transcript sent directly by the school.

An unofficial transcript is a copy of your academic record, often printed from a student portal, that you can view or share yourself. Colleges and employers typically require the sealed or electronically delivered transcript that the school sends to them directly. Ask the recipient which version it accepts.

Request it from your high school or district records office. Many schools accept online requests, and some use an online records service to send transcripts electronically. If the school has closed, the district or state education department usually holds the records.

A display copy is a personalized document we make for framing, gifts, keepsakes or permitted props. It's based on traditional diploma layouts or, for match-style products, on a reference you provide, with custom decorative elements. It is non-official: it isn't issued or endorsed by any school, and only your school can issue a new diploma.

Yes, for personal use such as a keepsake, celebration, gift or prop. With our diploma maker you pick a layout, enter the name, school or program and date, and choose digital or printed delivery where offered. Browse high school or college options. A display diploma is not a credential and shouldn't be presented as one.

You can make a transcript-style display copy for personal use. Our transcript maker builds the layout from the course list, grades, credits and dates you provide. It can't stand in for a transcript sent by your school.

Yes. Our certificate maker offers achievement, completion and other custom certificates personalized with the recipient's name, wording and date. A custom certificate recognizes an accomplishment; it is not a professional certification or license.

Stock-style products use our ready-made layouts. Match-style products use a reference you upload to guide the arrangement of your display copy, with custom decorative elements in place of any school seals or security features. Check each product page for what it includes.

Have the exact name, school or program name, degree or award wording, dates and location you want shown, plus any reference the product asks for. Proof review, where offered, is a paid add-on on eligible printed products and isn't included automatically. Check the order form and cart before checkout.

No. Employers and schools typically confirm education directly with the issuing school or a records service, and our products aren't school records. Use transcripts or diplomas from your school for jobs, admissions, licensing, immigration or credential checks. Hey Congrats copies are for display, gifts and keepsakes only.

Laws vary by state and country. Our products are meant for decoration, gifts, keepsakes and props, and they must never be used to misrepresent your education. Presenting any document as a school-issued credential to get a job, admission or another benefit is illegal in many places. If you have a legal question, ask a qualified attorney.

For display copies, yes: our international collection covers country-specific layouts, including local-language wording where the product supports it. We don't translate, notarize, apostille or evaluate documents. Those are separate formal processes handled by authorized translators, notaries, government offices and evaluation services, so ask the receiving organization which one it requires.

Homeschool requirements, recordkeeping responsibilities, and documentation rules vary by state and by the family's program. Confirm what a college, employer, or other recipient requires. A personalized homeschool diploma can be a meaningful presentation item, but it does not replace whatever official documentation the recipient requires.