Get a replacement copy of your certificate

Get a digital copy of your certificate for free. Request a hard copy replacement if you legally change your name, or your original copy is damaged or lost.

Getting a digital copy of your certificate

If you completed your qualification before July 2018, either at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington or at Wellington College of Education prior to 2005, you can request a free digital certificate using the digital certificate request form. Allow five working days for processing digital certificate requests.

Note: processing times for those who studied at Wellington College of Education prior to 2005 may vary.

Read about accessing your certificate, document security and how to share certificates.

Getting a hard copy replacement certificate

The University does not issue more than one hard copy of your qualification certificate.

You can order a replacement if:

  • you have legally changed your name
  • your original certificate has been
    • lost
    • stolen
    • destroyed
    • damaged.

The processing time is usually five working days from when your application is received. If you still have your original certificate, you’ll need to return it to the Graduation Office as part of your order before a replacement can be issued.

Note: processing times for those who studied at Wellington College of Education prior to 2005 may vary.

Replacement certificates cost NZ$65 each.

If your certificate has been damaged

If your certificate has been damaged, we require the certificate to be returned to us before we can issue the replacement certificate. You can drop the certificate off to the reception desk in the Hunter building at Kelburn Campus, or post it to the following address:

Transition and Graduation
PO Box 600
Wellington 6012

If you don’t have your original certificate

Fill out the statutory declaration form in the presence of a Justice of the Peace, or any other person authorised to make statutory declarations, and submit this with your order.

If you have changed your name

If you are requesting a replacement certificate due to a change of name, certified documentation showing your new legal name will need to be submitted with your order.

Your name will also be changed on the Roll of Graduates.

We also require the certificate to be returned to us before we can issue the replacement certificate. You can drop the certificate off to the reception desk in the Hunter building at Kelburn Campus, or post it to the following address:

Transition and Graduation
PO Box 600
Wellington 6012

Format of replacement hard copy certificates

Your replacement certificate may be different to your original certificate. Replacement certificates are issued in the current format and include the current ceremonial crest.

Signatories to the replacement certificate may be different from those on the original.

The legal name of the University is Victoria University of Wellington.

Certified copies of your certificate

The University does not provide certified copies of qualification certificates. If you need a certified copy of your qualification certificate, make a photocopy and get it signed by a Justice of the Peace, barrister, or solicitor.

The myeQuals platform can be used instead of certified copies. The digital version of your certificate on myeQuals is already certified, so you can simply provide an employer, academic institution, or other third party with a link to it. Your digital documents can only be accessed by those you share a link with.

Depending on what you need the certified copy for, you might be able to make use of the Roll of Graduates. The Roll of Graduates lists the qualification details of everyone who has graduated from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington from 1998 onwards.

Authenticating your certificate

You may be asked to get your New Zealand documents apostilled or authenticated if you want to use them in another country.

An apostille or authentication is an official government certificate that proves the signature, stamp, or seal on a document is genuine.

The Department of Internal Affairs manages this authentication process. For information on what to do to get your documents authenticated, visit the New Zealand Government website.

Speak to someone

Graduation Office

Phone: 0800 04 04 04
Email: graduation@vuw.ac.nz