Republic Of Bulgaria

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Republic of Albania, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a document for completed secondary education after successfully passing the matriculation exams: State Matura Diploma (Diplomë e Maturës Shtetërore) together with a Certificate of State Matura (Certifikatë e Maturës Shtetërore) or until and including 2010 – Maturity Certificate (Dëftesë Pjekurie). (original, certified true copy, obtained by a notary, by the school, or by an official of the Regional Education Department).

State Matura Diploma (Diplomë e Maturës Shtetërore) and Certificate of State Matura (Certifikatë e Maturës Shtetërore) issued from 2024 onwards are issued only as electronic documents and contain a QR code for authenticity verification.

Note: Please check in advance whether the document is displayed by scanning the verification QR code to avoid a refusal of recognition.

The authenticity of electronic documents shall be certified by an Apostille issued by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, attesting to the authenticity of the electronic signature of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Albania or the Ministry of Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Albania.

The authenticity of documents issued before 2024 shall be certified by an official of the Regional Education Department, who shall attest the signature and seal of the school principal appearing on the document. The signature of that official shall, in turn, be attested by an official of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Albania, whose signature shall subsequently be certified by an Apostille issued by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania.

The authenticity of the State Matura Diplomas, which are signed by an official of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Albania, is certified by an Apostille issued by Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania.

Note: An Apostille certifying the authenticity of the signature of a notary who has certified a true copy of a document is not accepted as proof of the authenticity of the document itself.

2. Pursuant to a letter № 99-00-154 from 19.11.2025 г. issued by the Ministry of Education and Sport of the Republic of Albania, the State Matura Diploma (Diplomë e Maturës Shtetërore) and the Maturity Certificate (Dëftesë Pjekurie) (for documents until 2010), grant their holder the right to continue their education at higher education institutions, therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the State Matura Diploma (Diplomë e Maturës Shtetërore) or in the Maturity Certificate (Dëftesë Pjekurie), including the document Certificate of State Matura (Certifikatë e Maturës Shtetërore).

The authenticity of electronic documents shall be certified by an Apostille issued by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, attesting to the authenticity of the electronic signature of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Albania or the Ministry of Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Albania.

The authenticity of documents issued before 2024 shall be certified by an official of the Regional Education Department, who shall attest the signature and seal of the school principal appearing on the document. The signature of that official shall, in turn, be attested by an official of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Albania, whose signature shall subsequently be certified by an Apostille issued by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania.

Note: An Apostille certifying the authenticity of the signature of a notary who has certified a true copy of a document is not accepted as proof of the authenticity of the document itself.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic registry by displaying them, data for access to the registry shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in the Republic of Albania cannot be displayed in an electronic registry together with the document to which they pertain, therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in Austria, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Reifeprüfungszeugnis / Reife- und Diplomprüfungszeugnis) shall be attached to the application; this document is obtained after successfully passing the secondary school final exams (original, copy certified by a notary or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by an authorized body in the relevant federal province, which certifies the signature on the document certifying completion of secondary education (of the school principal/representative or the chair of the examination board) with an Apostille.

The authenticity of the document may be certified by officials at the Austrian Ministry of Education or its regional offices, whose signatures are certified in the relevant federal province with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. The document certifying completion of secondary education contains a statement certifying the right to pursue higher education at higher education institutions in the Republic of Austria; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document is certified by an authorized body in the relevant federal province, which authenticates the signature on the document with an Apostille. The authenticity of the document may be certified by officials at the Austrian Ministry of Education or its regional offices, whose signatures are authenticated in the relevant federal province with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was performed there.

When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing it and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.

Apostille certificates in Austria cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in People's Republic of Bangladesh, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter a Higher Secondary Certificate, which is issued by an education board after the successful passing of the Higher Secondary Certificate Examinations or the Alim Examination, shall be attached to the application. In the cases where the Higher Secondary Certificate is yet to be issued officially, a Provisional Pass Certificate, issued by an educational board after the successful passing of the Higher Secondary Certificate examinations, shall be attached.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, which verifies the affixed signature on the document for completed secondary education of the Controller of Examinations through an electronic Apostille certificate (e-Apostille).

2. Pursuant to Article 1 of the Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on the Mutual Recognition of the Equivalence of Educational Certificates and Scientific Degrees, effective as of May 6 1976, the corresponding certificates issued in the Republic of Bulgaria after graduation from secondary school which are considered sufficient for admission to a university or other institution of higher education in Bulgaria and Higher Secondary Certificates issued in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, are recognized equivalent by the contracting parties and they certify that the persons in whose names such certificates have been issued had received education in a volume sufficient for studying in the schools/institutions of higher education of the two countries; therefore no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in point 1 must be attached to the application, including an academic transcript with the grades from the Higher Secondary Education Examination or from a stage of the secondary education.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh through an electronic Apostille certificate (e-Apostille), which verifies the signature of the person who has signed the document.

The authenticity of the documents referred to in points 1 and 3, which are issued by educational boards in Bangladesh, are examined by NACID through the following electronic registries: http://educationboardresults.gov.bd/ and/or https://www.eboardresults.com/.

Note: Please check in advance whether the data in the submitted documents corresponds to the data in the public electronic register in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

The e-Apostille certificates in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh can be visualized electronically through a QR code. Furthermore, the documents attached to them can be visualized through an electronic verification; therefore, the aforementioned documents may not be presented in the original.

Note: Please check in advance through the QR code on the e-Apostille whether the document is being displayed in order to avoid refusal of recognition.

The certification with a common e-Apostille does not present an obstacle to requesting the services under points 1 and 3.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian Embassy if the translation was performed there.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in Cameroon, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education shall be attached to the application (original, copy certified by a notary or by the school). There are two educational systems in the country, hence there may be two types of documents:
A) GCE (General Certificate of Education) containing results in at least four Ordinary Level subjects and GCE (General Certificate of Education) containing results in at least two Advanced Level subjects, or a document certifying results in at least two Advanced Level subjects, when the Advanced Level certificate is in the process of being issued, must be submitted; these documents are issued by the Cameroon General Certificate of Education Board.

Or

B) A Baccalauréat de l’Enseignement Secondaire diploma must be submitted; this document is issued by the Cameroon Baccalaureate Office (Office du Baccalauréat du Cameroun).

The authenticity of the documents is certified by the Ministry of Secondary Education in Cameroon or by the Ministry of Higher Education, after which the signature of the person who performed the certification at the Ministry of Secondary Education or the Ministry of Higher Education is authenticated by the Ministry of External Relations of Cameroon. The certification by the Ministry of External Relations of Cameroon includes a code printed on the sticker, issued by the Ministry, and can be verified on the website https://www.minrexeservice.com/legalis/index.php?task=6&lang=en.

Note: Please check in advance whether the document’s data appears in the Ministry’s electronic registry to avoid a refusal of recognition.

The signature of the person who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon is authenticated by the Embassy of Cameroon in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person, who performed the certification at the Embassy of Cameroon, is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document shall be attached to the application stating that the document referred to in point 1 entitles the holder to pursue higher education. This document is issued by the Ministry of Higher Education or by the school, where the education was completed.

The authenticity of the document, issued by the school, is certified by the Ministry of Secondary Education in Cameroon. The signature of the person, who performed the certification at the Ministry of Secondary Education, or at the Ministry of Higher Education, if the document was issued by it, is authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon. The certification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon includes a code printed on the sticker, issued by the Ministry, and can be verified on the website https://www.minrexeservice.com/legalis/index.php?task=6&lang=en.

Note: Please check in advance whether the document’s data appears in the Ministry’s electronic registry to avoid a refusal of recognition.

The signature of the person who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon is certified by the Embassy of Cameroon in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person. who performed the certification at the Embassy of Cameroon. is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

3. For the issuance of an official note a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested must be attached to the application.

When documents under point 1(A) of these guidelines are submitted, the grades for Ordinary Level subjects on the GCE (General Certificate of Education) shall be equated in an official note, if one has been requested. Only the grades in Advanced Level subjects are equated in the certificate.

When recognition is based on a document under point 1(B) of these guidelines, an official note must be requested for the equivalence of grades from an academic transcript.

The authenticity of the documents is certified by the Ministry of Secondary Education in Cameroon or by the Ministry of Higher Education, after which the signature of the person who performed the certification at the Ministry of Secondary Education or the Ministry of Higher Education is authenticated by the Ministry of External Relations of Cameroon. The certification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon includes a code printed on the sticker issued by the Ministry and can be verified on the website https://www.minrexeservice.com/legalis/index.php?task=6&lang=en.

Note: Please check in advance whether the document’s data appears in the Ministry’s electronic registry to avoid a refusal of recognition.

The signature of the person who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon is authenticated by the Embassy of Cameroon in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person who performed the certification at the Embassy of Cameroon is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

4. The documents referred to in points 1, 2, and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian Embassy if the translation was performed there.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a diploma certifying completed secondary education (شهادة البكالوريا) issued by the National Examination and Competition Office of the Ministry of National Education in Algeria shall be attached to the application (original, copy certified by a notary or by the school).

The document must be certified by the Ministry of National Education in Algeria and the authenticity of the signature of the Ministry of National Education official must be certified by the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The authenticity of the signature of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs official is then certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Algeria.

2. Pursuant to Article 9 of Law No. 08-06 of February 23, 2008, amending and supplementing Law No. 99-05 of April 4, 1999, containing the framework law on higher education, the first cycle (of higher education) is open to applicants holding a secondary school diploma; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested must be attached to the application.

The document must be certified by the Ministry of National Education in Algeria and the authenticity of the signature of the Ministry of National Education official must be certified by the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The authenticity of the signature of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs official is then certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Algeria.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was performed there.

All certification seals, stamps, marks, handwritten text, and other certification notes affixed to the documents by various institutions must be duly translated and explicitly described in the Bulgarian translation.

 

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the People’s Republic of China, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a diploma certifying completion of secondary education issued by a senior secondary general or vocational school shall be attached to the application (original, copy certified by a notary public or by the school). In cases where the original diploma has been lost, the senior secondary school issues a certificate, confirming completion of senior secondary education.
The authenticity of the document is certified by a notary public, who explicitly states in the text of the notarial certification that the document is authentic. The notary public’s signature is certified with an Apostille.

2. Pursuant to Article 19 of the Higher Education Law of the People’s Republic of China, individuals who have completed senior secondary schools are eligible for admission to higher education institutions; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in item 1 must be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document is certified by a notary public, who explicitly states in the text of the notarial certification that the document is authentic. The notary public’s signature is certified with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was performed there.

If any of the documents is an official electronic document or if the data contained in the paper document can be verified through an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in China cannot be viewed in an electronic register together with the document that they authenticate; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Republic of Croatia, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a document certifying completion of at least four years of secondary education and passing the state matriculation exam: a matura certificate for matriculation exams taken up to and including 2009 (Svjedodžba o maturi) and a state matriculation certificate for exams taken after 2010 (Svjedodžba o državnoj maturi) (original, copy certified by a notary public or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by the relevant municipal court at the place of issuance/certification of the document to the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Croatia, which certifies with an Apostille the signature of the principal of the school or the representative of the school who signed the document.

2. Pursuant to Article 58, paragraph 3, of the Act on Higher Education and Scientific Activity of the Republic of Croatia, individuals who have completed at least four years of secondary education and passed the state matriculation examination, and who hold a matura certificate issued up to and including 2009 (Svjedodžba o maturi) and a state matriculation certificate for exams taken after 2010 (Svjedodžba o državnoj maturi), are eligible to continue their education at higher education institutions; therefore no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the documents referred to in item 1.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the relevant municipal court at the place of issuance/certification of the document to the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Croatia, which certifies with an Apostille the signature of the principal of the school or the representative of the school who signed the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic registry by displaying them, data for access to the registry shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in Croatia cannot be displayed in an electronic registry together with the document to which they pertain; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Republic of Cyprus, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a document certifying completion of secondary education (Απολυτήριο Γενικού Λυκείου, Απολυτήριο Επαγγελματικόυ Λύκειου, Αποδεικτικό Απόλυσης) (original, copy, certified by a notary public or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by an official at the relevant Regional Directorate for General Secondary or Secondary Technical and Vocational Education under the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth, whose signature is authenticated by the Ministry of Justice and Public Order with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of an individual who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. Pursuant to Letter Ref. No. 99-00-65 dated May 22, 2026, from the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth of the Republic of Cyprus, the documents Απολύτηριο and Αποδεικτικό Απολύσης serve as proof of completion of secondary education and entitle graduates to take the Pancyprian Access Examinations for admission to public higher education institutions in the Republic of Cyprus; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in point 1.

The authenticity of the document is certified by an official at the relevant Regional Directorate for General Secondary or Secondary Technical and Vocational Education under the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth, whose signature is authenticated by the Ministry of Justice and Public Order with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of an individual who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Paper Apostille certificates from the Republic of Cyprus issued after June 1, 2020, can be verified at https://apostille-validation.mjpo.gov.cy/, but they do not appear in the electronic register; therefore, the originals must be submitted.

* An Αποδεικτικό Απόλυσης is a certificate of completion of secondary education that has the same legal status as the final diploma (Απολυτήριο) but is issued prior to the issuance of the diploma for the purpose of applying to a university. Upon completion of secondary education, both documents may be issued.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Czech Republic, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter a document for completed secondary education – certificate for matriculation exam (Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce), issued by a gymnasium, secondary school or a conservatory (original, certified true copy, obtained by a notary or by the school), shall be attached.

The authenticity of the document is certified by an official of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, whose signature is then verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic through an Apostille certificate.

Note: An Apostille certificate which certifies the signature of a notary public who has performed a certification regarding the accuracy of a copy of the document (certified true copy) is not considered a document which certifies the authenticity of the document.

2. Pursuant to Article 48, Paragraph 1 of the Higher Education Act No. 111/1998 of the Czech Republic, the eligibility criteria for admission to a bachelor’s program, or a master’s program that is not a continuation of a bachelor’s program, is the completion of secondary education with a passed matriculation examination; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard when a document referred to in point 1 is presented.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in point 1 must be attached to the application.

The authenticity of the document is certified by an official of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, whose signature is then verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic through an Apostille certificate.

Note: An Apostille certificate which certifies the signature of a notary public who has performed a certification regarding the accuracy of a copy of the document (certified true copy) is not considered a document which certifies the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian Embassy if the translation was performed there.

If any of the documents is an official electronic document or if the data contained in the paper document can be verified through an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in the Czech Republic cannot be displayed in an electronic registry together with the document to which they pertain; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in England or in schools that conduct teaching and assessment according to the English education system, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or a verification letter, a document/documents with the results of at least three Advanced Level subjects or BTEC National Extended Diploma, or Access to Higher Education Diploma, or T-level certificate (original documents, a copy of the documents, certified by a notary or by the school) shall be attached to the application.  The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document must be attached to the application, certifying that Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level certificate gives the right to continue education at higher education institutions. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

Official letter № 04-01-100/18.11.2025 and № 04-01-100/16.02.2026 from the Embassy of Bulgaria in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland certifies that the document/documents with the results of at least three Advanced Level subjects or BTEC National Extended Diploma entitles to continue education at higher education institutions and therefore there is no need for presenting additional documents regarding this circumstance.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document/documents with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in items 1, 2 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there. 

 When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing them and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.
Apostille certificates in England cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.
 

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in France, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Diplôme du baccalauréat général/technologique/professionnel or Attestation de réussite*) shall be attached to the application, either as an original or a copy, the authenticity of which is verified by a notary, the relevant academy, or the mayor's office.

Some French secondary education documents, issued after 2020, have a QR code that can be scanned using the CycladesVerif mobile app. The app displays all the information from the diploma and the original document may not be submitted.
Note: Please check in advance whether the data in the document corresponds to the data in the app in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

If there is no QR code and it is not possible to verify the document through an electronic register, a request for authenticity is sent to the relevant academy that issued the document. For documents issued by the academies of Créteil, Paris, and Versailles, the request is submitted via the website of SIEC (Inter-academic Service for Examinations and Competitions).

Based on letter ref. no. 99-00-160-1/03.12.2025, issued by the Notarial Association for the Management of Apostilles and Legalizations of the High Council of Notaries in France, documents for completed secondary education do not need to be certified with an Apostille.

2. Pursuant to Article L612-3 of the Education Code (Code de l'éducation), "the first cycle (first year of higher education) is open to all holders of a secondary school diploma," therefore no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document with the grades (Relevé de notes) for which equivalence is requested, shall be attached to the application, either as an original or a copy, the authenticity of which is verified by a notary, the relevant academy, or the mayor's office.

Some French documents with grades, issued after 2020, have a QR code that can be scanned using the CycladesVerif mobile app. Only part of the data from the documents with grades is displayed there, so a request for authenticity is sent to the relevant academy that issued the document. For documents issued by the academies of Créteil, Paris, and Versailles, the request is submitted via the website of SIEC.

In order to facilitate the verification of the authenticity of the documents with grades, access credentials to the applicant’s profile at https://candidat.examens-concours.gouv.fr may be provided, if the document is available there.

Note: Please check in advance whether the data in the document corresponds to the data in the app in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

Based on letter ref. no. 99-00-160-1/03.12.2025, issued by the Notarial Association for the Management of Apostilles and Legalizations of the High Council of Notaries in France, documents with grades do not need to be certified with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in items 1 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature, when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy in France, when the translation is performed there. 

When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualising them and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.

Apostille certificates in France cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

*Attestation de réussite is issued by the relevant academy or by SIEC for diplomas issued by the academies of Créteil, Paris, and Versailles at an applicant’s request, when the diploma has been destroyed/lost, or before the issuance of the secondary education diploma in the period from graduation to October/November of the same year. This document may be submitted instead of the diploma, including in cases where the diploma does not contain a QR code, in order to facilitate verification of completed secondary education.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in Germany and for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or a verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife), which is obtained after successful passing of final exams (Abitur), must be attached to the application (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by an authorized body in the respective federal state, who certifies the signature on the secondary education document (of the school principal/representative or the chair of the examination board) with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. The secondary education document contains text certifying the right of the holder to continue education at higher education institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany, therefore no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document with the grades, for which equivalence is requested, must be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document is certified by an authorized body in the respective federal state, who certifies the signature on the document with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in items 1 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.
  When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing it and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.
Apostille certificates in Germany cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Hellenic Republic, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Απολυτήριο Γενικού Λυκείου, Απολυτήριο Επαγγελματικόυ Λύκειου, Αποδεικτικό Απόλυσης/Αποδεικτικό Πτυχίου*, Πτυχίο**) shall be attached to the application (original, copy, certified by a notary public or by the school). 

The authenticity of the document is certified by an official at the relevant Regional Directorate for Primary and Secondary Education under the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, whose signature is authenticated by the relevant decentralized administration with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the official who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, the application must be accompanied by a document stating that the document referred to in item 1 entitles the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions. 

The authenticity of the document is certified by an official at the relevant Regional Directorate for Primary and Secondary Education under the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, whose signature is authenticated by the relevant decentralized administration with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the official who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in point 1. 

Note: Grades obtained as a result of taking the National Panhellenic Examinations (Πανελλαδικές Εξετάσεις) after completing secondary education cannot be recognized in the secondary education recognition procedure.

The authenticity of the document is certified by an official at the relevant Regional Directorate for Primary and Secondary Education under the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, whose signature is authenticated by the relevant decentralized administration with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the official who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in items 1, 2, and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Paper Apostille certificates from Greece cannot be verified or viewed in an electronic register; therefore, they must be submitted in original form. Electronic Apostille certificates from Greece can be verified at the following address: https://dilosi.services.gov.gr/validate/apostille?lang=en.

* Αποδεικτικό Απόλυσης/Αποδεικτικό Πτυχίου is a document certifying completion of secondary education, issued in the event of a lost diploma or an error or change in the information recorded on the original diploma.

** Πτυχίο is a certificate of completion of secondary education that was issued by vocational high schools until 2008.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Republic of India, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document for completed secondary education shall be attached to the application - Higher Secondary Certificate; Intermediate Certificate; Senior Secondary Certificate, issued by a recognized education board. A list of the members of the Council of Boards of School Education in India is published on the following website: https://www.cobse.in/new/list-of-members/

Note: Please check in advance whether the educational board that issued the document, certifying completion of secondary education, is listed in the public electronic register to avoid refusal of recognition.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of External Affairs, which certifies the signature on the secondary education certificate with an Apostille, or by a notary public who, on the basis of the Notaries Act, 1952 and the Notaries Rules, 1956, attests the authenticity of the secondary education certificate, after which the document is certified by a sub-divisional magistrate by signature and seal and by the Ministry of External Affairs with an Apostille.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document shall be attached to the application, stating that the document referred to in point 1 entitles the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions.

The authenticity of the document shall be certified by the Ministry of External Affairs, which shall certify the signature on the document with an Apostille, or by a notary public who, on the basis of the Notaries Act, 1952 and the Notaries Rules, 1956, attests the authenticity of the document, after which the document is certified by a sub-divisional magistrate by signature and seal and by the Ministry of External Affairs with an Apostille.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application.

The authenticity of the document shall be certified by the Ministry of External Affairs, which shall certify the signature on the document with an Apostille, or by a notary public who, on the basis of the Notaries Act, 1952 and the Notaries Rules, 1956, attests the authenticity of the document, after which the document is certified by a sub-divisional magistrate by signature and seal and by the Ministry of External Affairs with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in points 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall bear the notary certification of the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in India cannot be viewed in an electronic register and the original document must therefore be submitted.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), and for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or a verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a diploma certifying completion of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (Diploma / Bilingual Diploma of the International Baccalaureate) or a document with the results of the applicant, certifying that a diploma is awarded (original, copy certified by a notary public or by the school).

If the diploma has not yet been received or does not contain an authentication stamp, NACID conducts a verification through the International Baccalaureate Information System (IBIS). The applicant selects NACID as an institution to which the IBO should send the results (link: https://rrs.ibo.org/replacement_orders/index.cfm). The verification by NACID should confirm that the applicant has been awarded a diploma (Diploma awarded or Bilingual Diploma awarded), in which case an Apostille is not required.

If NACID is not granted access to the results in the IBIS, a certification of the authenticity of the document is required – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified with an Apostille or a notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document, after which the signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary/lawyer, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. Official letter Ref. No. 99-00-37/17.03.2026, received from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), certifies that a diploma, awarded upon completion of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, entitles the holder to pursue higher education, and therefore no additional document regarding this circumstance is required.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the document IB Diploma Programmе Results with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application.

If NACID is not granted access to the results in the IBIS, a certification of the authenticity of the document is required – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified with an Apostille or a notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document, after which the signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary/lawyer, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in items 1 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing it and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in Ireland, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a Leaving Certificate or the results of the corresponding exams in at least six subjects at ordinary or higher level shall be attached to the application (original, copy certified by a notary public or the school).
The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary public/attorney, which is attested in the text of the certification - the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary public/attorney explicitly states that they have verified the authenticity of the document. The notary’s or attorney’s signature is certified with an Apostille.

2. Based on letters with ref. No. 99-00-28/25.02.2026 and No. 99-00-28/11.03.2026 from Quality and Qualifications Ireland, the Leaving Certificate or results from the corresponding exams in at least six subjects at ordinary or higher level with the following minimum Irish grades:
- minimum grade five at ordinary level (O5) in 5 (five) of them; or
- minimum grade five at higher level (H5) in at least 2 (two) of them and minimum grade six at ordinary level (O6) in the remaining subjects entitles the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document must be attached to the application containing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear on the Leaving Certificate. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary public or attorney, which is attested to in the text of the certification - either the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary public or attorney explicitly states that they have verified the authenticity of the document. The notary’s or lawyer’s signature is certified with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and must include a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if the translation was done in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature by the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document, or when the information contained in the paper document can be verified by consulting an official electronic register by displaying it, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.
Apostille certificates in Ireland cannot be viewed in an electronic register; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in Israel, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a document certifying completion of secondary education and successful completion of the national matriculation exams - the Te’udat Bagrut (תעודת בגרות) certificate issued by the Israeli Ministry of Education.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs with an Apostille, which certifies the signature and seal affixed by an official of the Ministry of Education.
Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of a notary who has certified the accuracy of a copy of the document (true to the original) or the accuracy of a translation of the document is not accepted as a certification attesting to the document’s authenticity.

The authenticity of a digital document may be certified by the Israeli Ministry of Justice via an e-Apostille, which certifies the seal of the Ministry of Education. When the e-Apostille is opened, the educational document it certifies is also displayed.

Verification of the issued e-Apostille is performed at https://eregister.justice.gov.il/. In Israel’s electronic register of e-Apostilles, only the electronic apostille is displayed without the educational document it certifies; therefore, the file containing the issued electronic apostille must be attached to the application.

Note: Please check in advance whether the Apostille is displayed in the electronic registry to avoid a refusal of recognition.

2. Based on letter with ref. no. 99-00-50/April 23, 2026, from the Israeli Ministry of Education, in accordance with regulations and decisions issued by the Council for Higher Education in Israel, the Te’udat Bagrut (תעודת בגרות) certificate entitles the holder to continue their education at institutions of higher education; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in item 1.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs with an Apostille, which certifies the signature and seal affixed by an official of the Ministry of Education.
Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of a notary who has certified the accuracy of a copy of the document (true to the original) or the accuracy of a translation of the document is not accepted as a certification attesting to the document’s authenticity.

The authenticity of a digital document may be certified by the Israeli Ministry of Justice via an e-Apostille, which certifies the seal of the Ministry of Education. When the e-Apostille is opened, the educational document it certifies is also displayed.

Verification of the issued e-Apostille is performed at https://eregister.justice.gov.il/. In Israel’s electronic register of e-Apostilles, only the electronic apostille is displayed without the educational document it certifies; therefore, the file containing the issued electronic apostille must be attached to the application.

Note: Please check in advance whether the Apostille is displayed in the electronic registry to avoid a refusal of recognition.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic registry by displaying them, data for access to the registry shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in Israel cannot be displayed in an electronic registry together with the document they certify; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Italian Republic, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter a document for completed secondary education shall be attached to the application – a diploma certifying the results of the final state exams at the end of the course of study (Diploma di superamento dell’esame di stato conclusivo del corso di studio) or a document certifying the results of the final state exams at the end of the course of study and the awarding of a diploma, when the diploma for the relevant academic year has not yet been issued (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by officials at the Italian Ministry of Education or its regional offices, whose signatures are certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille.

Authenticity can be certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille certifying the signature of the school principal or the representative of the commission who signed the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the official who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document shall be attached to the application stating that the document referred to in point 1 entitles the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions. The authenticity of the document shall be certified by officials of the Ministry of Education in Italy or its regional offices, whose signatures shall be certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille.

Authenticity may be certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille certifying the signature of the school principal who signed the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the official who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

Pursuant to Article 11, paragraph 3 of the Regulations for the review of the organizational, disciplinary and educational structure of high schools (licei), issued on the basis of Article 64, paragraph 4 of Legislative Decree No. 112 of June 25, 2008, amended by Law No. 133 of August 6, 2008, adopted by Decree of the President of the Italian Republic of March 15, 2010, No. 89, after successfully passing the state exam at the end of high school (liceo), a secondary education diploma is issued, specifying the type of high school and any specialization, choice, or section chosen by the student. The diploma allows admission to universities and higher education institutions specializing in the arts, music, and dance, higher technical institutes, and higher technical education and training programs referred to in Chapters II and III of the Prime Ministerial Decree of January 25, 2008, published in Official Gazette No. 86 of April 11, 2008, without affecting the validity of the diploma itself for all other purposes established by law, for which reason no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document shall be certified by officials of the Ministry of Education in Italy or its regional offices, whose signatures shall be certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille.

Authenticity may be certified by the relevant Prefecture with an Apostille certifying the signature of the school principal who signed the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the official who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall bear the notary certification of the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in Italy cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in Japan, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a diploma certifying completion (卒業証書 or 卒業証明書) of a gymnasium (高等学校), of the upper stage (後期課程) of a secondary school (中等教育学校), or a twelve-year course of school education shall be attached to the application (original, copy certified by a notary public or by the school), the documents may be issued in English (Certificate of Graduation), or a document from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology certifying successful completion of the university entrance qualification examination (大学入学資格検定, abbreviated as 大検), which was issued until 2004, or a certificate of equivalent high school-level qualification (高等学校卒業程度認定試験, abbreviated as 高認), which has been issued since 2005 (original or a copy certified by a notary public).

The authenticity of the documents is certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan through legalization, which verifies the authenticity of the seal affixed on the document. The seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is then certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Japan or by the Embassy of Japan in the Bulgaria. In the latter case, a certification by the Consular Relations Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also required to confirm the signature and seal affixed by the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Bulgaria.

The authenticity of documents, issued by public schools, can be verified through an Apostille issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan.

The authenticity of documents, issued by private schools, is certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan through legalization, which verifies the authenticity of the seal affixed to the document. The seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is then certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Japan or by the Embassy of Japan in the Bulgaria. In the latter case, a certification by the Consular Relations Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also required to confirm the signature and seal affixed by the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Bulgaria.

Note: A notarial certification, in which is certified that a document is authentic, based on a declaration of this circumstance by the holder of the document or by his representative, is not considered a certification that verifies the authenticity of the document.

For more information regarding the available services for legalization and issuance of Apostille on Japanese documents, please refer to the following links: https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/cs/page22e_000418.html and https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/cs/page22e_000421.html.

2. Pursuant to Article 90, paragraph 1 of the Education Act of Japan (Act No. 26 of 1947), the holders of the documents in point 1, who have graduated from a gymnasium, or a secondary school, as well as those who have graduated a twelve-year course of school education under a standard educational program (including those who have graduated with equivalent education under a non-standard program), or either those who are recognized by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for having equivalent abilities, are eligible for admission to higher education institutions; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in point 1 must be attached to the application, the documents may be issued in English.

The authenticity of the documents is certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan through legalization, which verifies the authenticity of the seal affixed on the document. The seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is then certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Japan or by the Embassy of Japan in the Bulgaria. In the latter case, a certification by the Consular Relations Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also required to confirm the signature and seal affixed by the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Bulgaria.

The authenticity of documents, issued by public schools, can be verified through an Apostille issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan.

The authenticity of documents, issued by private schools, is certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan through legalization, which verifies the authenticity of the seal affixed to the document. The seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is then certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Japan or by the Embassy of Japan in the Bulgaria. In the latter case, a certification by the Consular Relations Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also required to confirm the signature and seal affixed by the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Bulgaria.

Note: A notarial certification, in which is certified that a document is authentic, based on a declaration of this circumstance by the holder of this document or by his representative, is not considered a certification that verifies the authenticity of the document.

For more information regarding the available services for legalization and issuance of Apostille on Japanese documents, please refer to the following links: https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/cs/page22e_000418.html and https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/cs/page22e_000421.html.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian Embassy if the translation was performed there.

If any of the documents is an official electronic document or if the data contained in the paper document can be verified through an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

The authenticity of all Apostille certificates, issued from June 1, 2026 can be verified through a QR code, integrated in the certificate, or through the following link: https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/eregister/eregi/authcheck.

Note: Please check in advance whether the Apostille is displayed through the QR authentication code to avoid a refusal of recognition.

Apostille certificates in Japan, which cannot be visualized in an electronic registry together with the document they are attached to, shall be submitted in originals.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter a document for completed secondary education: Certificate for General Secondary Education (жалпы орта білім туралы аттестат or аттестат об общем среднем образовании) or Diploma of Technical and Vocational Education (техникалық және кәсіптік білім туралы диплом or диплом о техническом и профессиональном образовании), issued by a school or a licensed and accredited institution under the control of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (original, certified true copy, obtained by a notary or by the school), shall be attached.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan through an Apostille certificate, which certifies the signature of the official who has signed the document for completed secondary education.

Note: An Apostille certificate which certifies the signature of a notary public who has performed a certification regarding the accuracy of a copy of the document (certified true copy) is not considered a document which certifies the authenticity of the document.

2. Pursuant to Article 35, Paragraph 1 of the Education Act of the Republic of Kazakhstan № 319-III, dated 27.07.2007, higher education can be acquired by citizens with General Secondary Education, Technical and Vocational Secondary Education, or a higher education degree; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in point 1 must be attached to the application.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan through an Apostille certificate, which certifies the signature of the official who has signed the document.

Note: An Apostille certificate which certifies the signature of a notary public who has performed a certification regarding the accuracy of a copy of the document (certified true copy) is not considered a document which certifies the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian Embassy if the translation was performed there.

If any of the documents is an official electronic document or if the data contained in the paper document can be verified through an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in the Republic of Kazakhstan cannot be displayed in an electronic registry together with the document to which they pertain; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Republic of Moldova, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a document certifying completion of secondary education: a Baccalaureate Diploma (Diploma de Bacalaureat) or a document issued up to and including 2011 – Certificate of Completion of General Secondary Education (Atestat de studii medii de cultură generală) (original, copy, certified by a notary or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Agency for Digitization in Justice and Judicial Administration with an Apostille, which certifies the signature on the document certifying completion of secondary education (of the school principal/representative or the chair of the examination board).

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

Secondary education documents entered in the CTICE public electronic register can be verified electronically at https://ctice.md/verif/.

When the secondary education document is entered in the public electronic register and its data can be viewed during an electronic verification, the authenticity of the document is verified by NACID, and an Apostille is not required.

Note: Please check in advance whether the data from the secondary education document corresponds to the data in the public electronic register to avoid a refusal of recognition.

2. Pursuant to Article 31, paragraph 11 of the Education Code of the Republic of Moldova, by passing the national baccalaureate exam, a baccalaureate diploma (Diploma de Bacalaureat) is issued, entitling the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

For the issuance of a certificate upon submission of the Certificate of Completion of General Secondary Education (Atestat de studii medii de cultură generală), a document must be attached to the application stating that this document entitles the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Agency for Digitization in Justice and Judicial Administration with an Apostille, which certifies the signature on the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in point 1.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Agency for Digitization in Justice and Court Administration with an Apostille, which certifies the signature on the document (of the school director/representative or the chair of the examination board).

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

When the document containing grades is entered in the CTICE public electronic register https://ctice.md/verif/ and the data therein can be viewed during an electronic verification, the authenticity of the document is verified by NACID, and certification via an Apostille is not required.

Note: Please check in advance whether the data from the secondary education document corresponds to the data in the public electronic register to avoid a refusal of recognition.

The documents listed in points 1, 2, and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notary certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

The authenticity of the affixed Apostille can be verified electronically through the official apostille verification system of the Republic of Moldova: eServicii – Verificare Apostilă. During the electronic verification, both the apostille itself and the document to which it pertains are displayed; therefore, the original may not be presented.

 

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Attestation du Baccalauréat / Diplôme du Baccalauréat) must be attached to the application (original or a copy certified by a competent Moroccan authority).

The authenticity of the document is certified by the provincial services under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior, which authenticate the signature of the person who signed the document with an Apostille. The authenticity of a copy of a document certifying completion of secondary education is certified by the Bureau d’état civil or the Bureau d’authentification des signatures et de la correspondance des copies conformes of the relevant province, and the signature of the certifying official is authenticated with an Apostille by the provincial services under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior.

2. Pursuant to Decision No. 19.008/March 16, 2019, of the Minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Kingdom of Morocco, the Moroccan secondary school diploma (Baccalauréat) is considered a national diploma entitling its holder to pursue higher education at Moroccan or foreign universities; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in point 1 (Relevé de Notes) must be attached to the application.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the provincial services under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior, which authenticate the signature of the person who signed the document with an Apostille. The authenticity of a copy of the document is certified by the Bureau d’état civil or the Bureau d’authentification des signatures et de la correspondance des copies conformes of the relevant province, and the signature of the certifying official is authenticated with an Apostille by the provincial services under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was performed there.

All certification seals, stamps, marks, handwritten texts, and other certifying notes affixed to the documents by various institutions, regardless of the language in which they are written (including French or Arabic), must be duly translated and explicitly described in the Bulgarian translation.

If any of the documents is an official electronic document or if the data contained in the paper document can be verified through an official electronic register by displaying it, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in the Kingdom of Morocco allow electronic visualization of the certificate itself, but the documents attached to it cannot be visualized through electronic verification; therefore, they must be presented in original form. In such cases, the documents must be attached in a manner that allows for the unambiguous establishment of the connection between the Apostille certificate and the relevant documents.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completed secondary education (Senior School Certificate), issued by The West African Examinations Council or National Examinations Council, shall be attached to the application (an original document, a copy certified by a notary or by the school).
The authenticity of the Senior School Certificate is certified by the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria. The certification contains a QR code and a code for verification on the website of the ministry https://essverify.education.gov.ng/.
The authenticity of documents, certified before 12.01.2026, is verified on the website of the ministry (https://ess.education.gov.ng/) by verification code on the sticker, issued by the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria.
Note: Please check in advance whether the document is displayed in the electronic register of the ministry to avoid a refusal of recognition.
The authenticity of the certification by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria is verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person, who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document shall be attached to the application stating that the document referred to in point 1 entitles the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions. The document shall be issued by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria or by the school where the education was conducted.
When the document is issued by the school, its authenticity is certified by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria. The certification contains a QR code and a code for verification on the website of the ministry https://essverify.education.gov.ng/.
The authenticity of documents, certified before 12.01.2026, is verified on the website of the ministry (https://ess.education.gov.ng/) by verification code on the sticker, issued by the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria.
Note: Please check in advance whether the document is displayed in the electronic register of the ministry to avoid a refusal of recognition.
The authenticity of the certification by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria is verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person, who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The document shall be issued by the school where the education was conducted and its authenticity shall be certified by the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria. The certification contains a QR code and a code for verification on the website of the ministry https://essverify.education.gov.ng/.
The authenticity of documents, certified before 12.01.2026, is verified on the website of the ministry (https://ess.education.gov.ng/) by verification code on the sticker, issued by the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria.
Note: Please check in advance whether the document is displayed in the electronic register of the ministry to avoid a refusal of recognition.
The authenticity of the certification by the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria is verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, after which the signature of the person, who performed the certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, is certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
4. The documents referred to in points 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain a notarized certification of the translator's signature, when translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy, when the translation is performed there.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Republic of North Macedonia, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a document certifying completion of a four-year secondary education program: a document certifying the passing of the final secondary school examination for a four-year program for graduates prior to the 2006/2007 academic year (Диплома за положен завршен испит), or a diploma certifying a passed state or international matriculation exam obtained after the 2006/2007 academic year (Диплома за положена државна/мегународна матура) (original, copy certified by a notary public or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by the competent local court („Основен суд“) under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of North Macedonia, which, with an Apostille, certifies the signature of the school principal or the representative of the school who signed the document.

2. Pursuant to Article 134(2) of the Higher Education Act of the Republic of North Macedonia, individuals who have completed four years of secondary education and who hold a document certifying the completion of the final secondary school examination prior to the 2006/2007 academic year (Диплома за положен завршен испит) or a diploma certifying a passed state or international matriculation exam after the 2006/2007 academic year (Диплома за положена државна/мегународна матура) are eligible to continue their education at higher education institutions; therefore no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the documents referred to in point 1.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the competent local court („Основен суд“) under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of North Macedonia, which, with an Apostille, certifies the signature of school principal or the representative of the school who signed the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic registry by displaying them, data for access to the registry shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in North Macedonia cannot be displayed in an electronic registry together with the document to which they pertain; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Russian Federation, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying secondary general or secondary vocational education (аттестат о среднем общем образовании or диплом о среднем профессиональном образовании) (an original document, a copy certified by a notary or by the school) shall be attached to the application. For documents issued before January 1, 2014, a document certifying primary vocational education, confirming the completion of secondary (complete) general education or obtained on the basis of secondary (complete) general education, is equivalent to a document certifying secondary vocational education and qualification.
The authenticity of the document is certified with an Apostille affixed by the competent authority of the Russian Federation, which certifies the signature on the document. Electronic apostilles issued in the Russian Federation cannot be opened due to limited access to the verification website, therefore electronic apostilles accessed via a QR code should not be provided. Please provide only paper documents or electronic documents signed with an electronic signature.
Note: An apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the true copy of the original document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.
Secondary education documents are entered in a public electronic register of the Russian Federation – https://obrnadzor.gov.ru/gosudarstvennye-uslugi-i-funkczii/7701537808-gosfunction/formirovanie-i-vedenie-federalnogo-reestra-svedenij-o-dokumentah-ob-obrazovanii-i-ili-o-kvalifikaczii-dokumentah-ob-obuchenii/, where the data from them is displayed upon request. The register contains secondary education documents issued after 1992. When a secondary education document is entered in the public electronic register, its authenticity is verified by NACID in the electronic register and does not need to be certified with an Apostille.
Note: Please check in advance whether the data from the secondary education document corresponds to the data in the public electronic register to avoid a refusal of recognition. If you cannot find the document in the electronic register, please notify the relevant school to enter the data in the register.

2. Pursuant to Article 69, paragraph 2, in conjunction with Article 60, paragraph 6, subparagraph 1 of the Federal Law on Education in the Russian Federation, adopted on December 29, 2012, No. 273-FZ, persons with secondary general education, the attainment of which is confirmed by a document certifying secondary general education (аттестат о среднем общем образовании), have access to bachelor's degree programs. According to point 5 of Annex No. 1 to Order No. 821 of November 27, 2024, of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, admission to higher education programs requires secondary general or secondary vocational education. For documents issued before January 1, 2014, a document of initial vocational education, confirming the completion of secondary (complete) general education or obtained on the basis of secondary (complete) general education, is equivalent to a document of secondary vocational education and qualification. When submitting the listed documents, on the basis of the regulatory provisions set out, it is not necessary to provide an additional document confirming that these documents entitle the holder to continue their education at higher education institutions.

3. For the issuance of an official note a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application.
The authenticity of the document shall be certified with an Apostille affixed by the competent authority of the Russian Federation, which certifies the signature on the document. Electronic apostilles issued in the Russian Federation cannot be opened due to limited access to the verification website, therefore electronic apostilles accessed via a QR code should not be provided. Please provide only paper documents or electronic documents signed with an electronic signature.
Note: An apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the true copy of the original document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.
Appendices to diplomas are not entered in the public electronic register of the Russian Federation, therefore they require certification with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall bear the notary certification of the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register is also provided and the original document may not be submitted.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in Scotland, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document/documents with Higher and/or Advanced Higher results (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school) must be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified by an Apostille.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document shall be attached to the application stating that the document under item 1 entitles to continue education at higher education institutions. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille. The document certifies the right to continue education in higher education institutions, given by the document under item 1, and there is no requirement for the applicant's name to appear on it.

Note: The document should certify that the results give the right to continue education in higher education institutions, i.e. to study in higher education institutions, not to apply for studying.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document/documents with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in items 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.
When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing them and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.
Apostille certificates in Scotland cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Republic of Serbia, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a document certifying completion of a four-year secondary education program, which includes the results of the secondary school matriculation exam (general, vocational, or arts): a secondary school diploma issued before 2023 (Диплома о стеченом средњем образовању) and a diploma certifying completion of a four-year secondary education program issued after 2023 (Диплома о стеченом средњем образовању у трајању од четири године) (original, copy certified by a notary public or by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by the president/judge of the relevant district court at the place of issuance/certification of the document to the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, who certifies the signature of the director who signed the document with an Apostille.

2. Pursuant to Article 9 of the Law on Higher Education of the Republic of Serbia, individuals who have passed the secondary school matriculation exam (general, vocational, or arts) are eligible for higher education; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the documents referred to in item 1.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the president/judge of the relevant district court at the place of issuance/certification of the document to the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, who certifies the signature of the director who signed the document with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in Serbia cannot be displayed in an electronic register together with the document to which they relate; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Kingdom of Spain, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or a verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a document certifying completion of secondary education - a diploma (Título de Bachiller) or a document certifying completion of the Bachillerato program and the awarding of a diploma, when the diploma has not yet been issued for the relevant academic year (original, copy, certified by a notary or by the school).

When a document certifying completion of the Bachillerato program and the awarding of a diploma is presented instead if a diploma (Título de Bachiller), а „Receipt/certificate for application for issuance of academic and professional diploma and charging of а fee“ (Resguard de sol·licitud de títol acadèmic i professional i liquidació de taxa) must be presented. This document shows that the person meets the academic conditions for issuing the requested diploma and that a procedure for its issuance has been initiated.

The authenticity of the document is certified by officials at the regional education offices in the Kingdom of Spain (Consejería/Departament d’Educació), who certify the signatures of the officials who signed the document certifying completion of secondary education; the signature of the official at the regional education office is then certified with an Apostille issued by officials at the regional office of the Spanish Ministry of Justice (Gerencia Territorial del Ministerio de Justicia). Authenticity may be certified by the territorial office of the Ministry of Justice with an Apostille, certifying the signature of the school principal/secretary or the official from the education administration who signed the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the official who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. Pursuant to Article 37(5), in conjunction with Article 3(5), of Organic Law 2/2006 on Education, as amended by Organic Law 3/2020, the secondary education diploma (Título de Bachiller) entitles its holder to access the various higher education programs established in Article 3, paragraph 5 - university education, higher arts education, higher vocational training, higher vocational education in the field of fine arts and design and higher sports education; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in point 1 (academic transcript – certificación académica).

The authenticity of the document is certified by officials at the regional education offices in the Kingdom of Spain (Consejería/Departament d’Educació), who certify the signatures of the officials who signed the document; the signature of the official at the regional education office is then certified with an Apostille issued by officials at the regional office of the Spanish Ministry of Justice (Gerencia Territorial del Ministerio de Justicia).

Authenticity may be certified by the territorial office of the Ministry of Justice with an Apostille certifying the signature of the school principal/secretary or the official from the education administration who signed the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the official who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document (true to the original) is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

If any of the documents is an official electronic document or if the data contained in the paper document can be verified by consulting an official electronic registry through its visualization, data for access to the registry shall also be provided, and the original document may not be submitted.

Apostilles issued in the Kingdom of Spain can be verified through the official electronic platform of the Spanish Ministry of Justice at the following web address: https://eregister.justicia.es/eRegister-webapp/eRegister/bienvenida. When verifying the document, paper Apostille certificates are not displayed alongside the document to which they pertain; therefore, the original must be presented.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Kingdom of Sweden, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education must be attached to the application: a higher education preparatory diploma (Högskoleförberedande examen); a vocational secondary education diploma (Yrkesexamen) showing a minimum grade of E in Swedish or Swedish as a second language and English at a level corresponding to the requirements for a higher education preparatory diploma (Swedish 3 and English 6), or for individuals who began their upper secondary education before July 1, 2011 – a high school diploma with final grades (Slutbetyg från gymnasieskola) showing passing grades in Swedish or Swedish as a second language at levels A and B, mathematics at level A, and English at level A (original, copy certified by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified with an Apostille by a notary public, who certifies the signature of the official (school principal or representative) who signed the document for completion of secondary education.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

Note: Grades for diploma projects (Gymnasiearbete) listed on the document for completion of secondary education cannot be recognized in the secondary education recognition procedure.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, the application must be accompanied by a document stating that the document referred to in item 1 entitles the holder to continue their education at institutions of higher education.

The authenticity of the document is certified with an Apostille by a notary public, who certifies the signature of the official (principal or school representative) who signed the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

Pursuant to Chapter Seven, Article 5, as amended by Regulation 1503 of 2018, and Article 5a, paragraph 1, as amended by Regulation 929 of 2021, effective as of January 1, 2022, of the Higher Education Ordinance of February 4, 1993, a person who has obtained a higher education preparatory diploma (Högskoleförberedande examen) from a secondary education program or an adult secondary education program, meets the general admission requirements for courses or study programs that begin in the first cycle of higher education and are intended for new entrants to higher education; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

Pursuant to Chapter Seven, Article 5, as amended by Regulation 1503 of 2018, and Article 5a, paragraph 2, as amended by Regulation 929 of 2021, effective as of January 1, 2022, of the Higher Education Ordinance of February 4, 1993, a person who has obtained a vocational secondary education diploma (Yrkesexamen) from a secondary education program or an adult secondary education program and, in addition, has a minimum grade E in Swedish or Swedish as a second language and English at a level corresponding to the requirements for a higher education preparatory diploma (Swedish 3 and English 6), meets the general admission requirements for courses or study programs that begin in the first cycle of higher education and are intended for new entrants to higher education; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard if the holder of the document has achieved the necessary results.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested must be attached to the application and which do not appear in the document referred to in point 1 (original, copy certified by the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified with an Apostille by a notary public, who certifies the signature of the official (principal or school representative) who signed the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in items 1, 2, and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in the Kingdom of Sweden cannot be viewed in an electronic register together with the document to which they relate; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Swiss Confederation, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, the application must be accompanied by a document certifying completion of secondary education following the successful completion of the matriculation exam (Gymnasialer Maturitätsausweis; Maturitätszeugnis gymnasiale; Le certificat de maturité gymnasiale; Certificato di maturità liceale; Diploma di maturità liceale; Maturity certificate) (original, copy certified by a notary, by the school, or by the Department of Education in the relevant canton).

The authenticity of the document is certified by the cantonal government office in the relevant canton, which certifies the signature on the document certifying completion of secondary education following the successful completion of the matriculation exam (of the school principal/representative, the chair of the examination board, or an official from the Department of Education in the relevant canton) with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. Pursuant to Article 23(1) of the Federal Act on the Promotion of Higher Education and Coordination in the Swiss Higher Education Sector of September 30, 2011, admission to the first cycle of university studies requires a matriculation exam; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the documents referred to in point 1.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the cantonal government office in the relevant canton, which certifies the signature on the document (of the school principal/representative, or an official from the Department of Education in the relevant canton) with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary who certified the accuracy of the copy of the document is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was done there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified by reference to an official electronic register by displaying them, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be presented.

Apostille certificates in the Swiss Confederation cannot be displayed in an electronic register together with the document to which they relate; therefore, they must be submitted in original form.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Republic of Turkey, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Lise/Lisesi Diploması or a certificate of lost diploma) (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school) must be attached to the application.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the district administrations, who certify the signature on the secondary education document (of the school principal/representative or the regional directorate of national education) with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

When the secondary education document is issued after 2008, the authenticity of the document is verified by NACID in the public electronic register: https://eokulyd.meb.gov.tr/IlkOgretim/MEM/IOM00010.aspx. Please, check in advance whether the data in the secondary education document corresponds to the data in the public electronic register in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document must be attached to the application, certifying that the document in point 1 gives the right to continue education at higher education institutions.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the district administrations, who certify the signature on the document with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document with the grades, for which equivalence is requested, must be attached to the application.

The authenticity of the document is certified by the district administrations, who certify the signature on the document (of the school principal/representative or the regional directorate of national education) with an Apostille.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of the notary, who certifies the accuracy of a copy of a document, is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

4. The documents referred to in points 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When any of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by displaying it, data for access to the register shall also be provided and the original document may not be submitted.

Apostille certificates in Turkey cannot be viewed in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in Ukraine, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document for a complete general secondary education shall be attached to the application (Атестат про повну загальну середню освіту - until January 1, 2019; Свiдоцтво про здобуття повноï загальноï середноï освiти – from January 1, 2019) (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school). The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which certifies the signature on the document with an Apostille.
Since 2000, documents have been entered into a public electronic register of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine - https://info.edbo.gov.ua/edu-documents/, where the data from them is displayed upon request. When the document for a complete general secondary education is entered in the public electronic register, the authenticity of the document can be verified by NACID in the electronic register and it is not necessary to certify the authenticity with an Apostille.

Note: Please check in advance whether the data from the document for complete general secondary education corresponds to the data in the public electronic register in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

2. Pursuant to Article 5 of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the mutual recognition of educational documents, academic degrees, and academic titles (in force since June 24, 2002, published in State Gazette No. 78/2002), secondary education documents issued in the Republic of Bulgaria and the complete general secondary education documents issued in Ukraine, which entitle their holders to apply for admission to higher education institutions in the territory of the respective country, shall be mutually recognized, and therefore there is no need for presenting additional documents regarding this circumstance.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document containing the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be certified by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which certifies the signature on the document with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in items 1, 2, and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing them and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.
Apostille certificates in Ukraine can be verified in the following electronic register: https://enic.in.ua/index.php/en/aporegen, where the contents of the secondary education document are displayed and the original document therefore may not be submitted.

Note: Please check in advance the Apostille certificate and the data from the complete general secondary education document, which are displayed when checking it in the public electronic register, in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the United States, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a high school diploma (original, a copy certified by the school) must be attached to the application.

The authenticity of the diploma is certified by the school principal or a school representative, whose signature is witnessed by a notary public. The position held by the person certifying the document’s authenticity must be indicated in the document itself or in the text of the notarial certification. The notary’s signature is authenticated by an Apostille issued by the Secretary of State or another competent authority.

In some states, the notary’s signature is certified by a county clerk, whose signature is then authenticated by an Apostille issued by the Secretary of State or another competent authority.

Note: A notarial certification that certifies the signature of the document’s holder or their representative is not accepted as a certification of the authenticity of the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of a notary who has certified the accuracy of a copy of the document (true to the original), or of a notary who has certified the signature of another notary who has certified the accuracy of a copy of the document (true to the original), is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

2. According to Letter Ref. No. 99-00-63 dated May 11, 2026, from the U.S. Department of Education to NACID, the high school diploma certifies that the holder has completed secondary education and entitles him or her, upon application and admission, to continue his or her education at institutions of higher education; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, the application must be accompanied by a document listing the grades for which equivalence is requested (Transcript) (original, a copy certified by the school).

The authenticity of the document containing the grades must be certified by the school principal or a school representative, whose signature is witnessed by a notary public. The position held by the person certifying the document’s authenticity must be indicated in the document itself or in the text of the notarial certification. The notary’s signature is authenticated by an Apostille issued by the Secretary of State or another competent authority.

In some states, the notary’s signature is certified by a county clerk, whose signature is then authenticated by an Apostille issued by the Secretary of State or another competent authority.

Note: A notarial certification that certifies the signature of the document’s holder or their representative is not accepted as a certification of the authenticity of the document.

Note: An Apostille certifying the signature of a notary who has certified the accuracy of a copy of the document (true to the original), or of a notary who has certified the signature of another notary who has certified the accuracy of a copy of the document (true to the original), is not accepted as certification of the authenticity of the document.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (an original document, a copy of the document, certified by a notary or by the school) shall be attached to the application.
The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which certifies the signature on the document with an Apostille. When the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan certifies with an Apostille the signature of the notary who certified the document, the notary must expressly state that he certifies the authenticity of the document for completed secondary education – the certification contains text stating that the original document is legal and valid.
From 2022, documents certifying completion of secondary education are entered in a public electronic register, where the documents can be visualized: https://diplom.edu.uz/. If the document can be visualized in the public electronic register, the original document may not be presented and does not need to be certified as authentic with an Apostille.
Note: Please check in advance whether the data in the document corresponds to the data in the electronic register in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.  

2. Pursuant to Article 11 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Education, adopted by the Legislative Chamber on May 19, 2020, persons who have completed general secondary education (eleven years of education), specialized secondary education (nine years of basic secondary education and two years of specialized secondary education), initial vocational education (nine years of basic secondary education and two years of initial vocational education), as well as persons who have completed secondary specialized vocational education (nine years of general secondary education and three years of secondary specialized vocational education) are eligible to continue their studies in higher education institutions, and therefore no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note a document with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application.
The authenticity of the document shall be certified by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which shall certify the signature on the document with an Apostille. When the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan certifies the signature of the notary who certified the document with an Apostille, the notary must expressly state that he certifies the authenticity of the document for completed secondary education – the certification contains text stating that the original document is legal and valid.
If the document is entered and displayed in the public electronic register, the original document may not be presented and does not need to be certified as authentic with an Apostille.
Note: Please check in advance whether the data in the document corresponds to the data in the electronic register in order to avoid a refusal of recognition.

4. The documents referred to in items 1 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by displaying it, data for access to the register is also provided and the original document may not be submitted.
Apostille certificates in the Republic of Uzbekistan cannot be visualized in an electronic register together with the document to which they relate, and therefore the original documents must be submitted.
 

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained at schools in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, as well as for the equivalence of subject grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or verification letter, a document certifying completion of secondary education (Bằng Tốt nghiệp Trung học Phổ Thông) shall be attached to the application (original, copy, certified by a notary or the school).

The authenticity of the document is certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which authenticates the signature on the document certifying completion of secondary education with an Apostille, or by a notary public who, in accordance with the provisions of Vietnamese law governing notarial activities, confirms not only that the copy is a true copy of the original, but is also obliged to verify the authenticity of the submitted documents (pursuant to letter No. 04-00-68/18.03.2026 from the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Republic of Bulgaria), after which the notary’s signature is certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with an Apostille.

Until September 11, 2026, the authenticity of the document is certified by an authorized body that authenticates the signature on the document, or by a notary public who, in accordance with the provisions of Vietnamese law governing notarial activities, confirms not only that the copy is true to the original, but is also obliged to verify the authenticity of the documents submitted (pursuant to letter No. 04-00-68/March 18, 2026, from the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Republic of Bulgaria). The signature of the person who performed the certification must be authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. The signature of the official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must be authenticated by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Hanoi.

According to Note No. 107/CH-LS-PL, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam has approved a new model for consular certification and legalization stickers, effective January 27, 2026. Stickers for consular certification and legalization in the old format continue to be used. The sticker contains a QR code for verifying the information. If the QR code printed on the sticker is not used for verification, organizations and individuals may check the information at: https://hopphaphoa.lanhsuvietnam.gov.vn/verify.

2. According to letter No. 04-00-68/18.03.2026 from the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Republic of Bulgaria, secondary school diplomas bearing the title Bằng Tốt nghiệp Trung học Phổ Thông, issued by schools in Vietnam, certify that the holder has completed secondary education and is eligible to apply for admission to higher education institutions in Vietnam; therefore, no additional document is required in this regard.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document shall be attached to the application listing the grades for which equivalence is requested and which do not appear in the document referred to in item 1.

The authenticity of the document shall be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which shall authenticate the signature on the document with an Apostille, or by a notary public who, in accordance with the provisions of Vietnamese law on notarial activities, shall confirm not only that the copy is true to the original, but is also obliged to verify the authenticity of the submitted documents (pursuant to letter No. 04-00-68/18.03.2026 from the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Republic of Bulgaria), after which the notary’s signature is certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with an Apostille.

Until September 11, 2026, the authenticity of the document is certified by an authorized body that certifies the signature on the document, or by a notary who, in accordance with the provisions of Vietnamese legislation on notarial activities, confirms not only that the copy is true to the original, but is also obliged to verify the authenticity of the submitted documents (pursuant to letter No. 04-00-68/March 18, 2026, from the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Republic of Bulgaria). The signature of the person who performed the certification must be authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. The signature of the official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must be authenticated by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Hanoi.

4. The documents referred to in points 1 and 3 must be translated into Bulgarian and bear a notarial certification of the translator’s signature if translated in Bulgaria, or a certification of the translator’s signature at the Bulgarian embassy if the translation was performed there.

If any of the documents is an official electronic document or if the data contained in the paper document can be verified in an official electronic register through its visualization, data for access to the register shall also be provided, and the original document may not be presented.

The following documents are required for the recognition of secondary education obtained in schools in Wales, as well as for the equivalence of grades:

1. For the issuance of a certificate and/or a verification letter, a document/documents with the results of at least three Advanced Level subjects or BTEC National Extended Diploma, or Access to Higher Education Diploma, or Welsh Baccalaureate with at least two Advanced Level subjects (original documents, a copy of the documents, certified by a notary or by the school) shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

2. For the issuance of a certificate, a document must be attached to the application, certifying that Access to Higher Education Diploma or Welsh Baccalaureate with at least two Advanced Level subjects gives the right to continue education at higher education institutions. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

Official letter № 04-01-100/18.11.2025 and № 04-01-100/16.02.2026 from the Embassy of Bulgaria in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland certifies that the document/documents with the results of at least three Advanced Level subjects or BTEC National Extended Diploma entitles to continue education at higher education institutions and therefore there is no need for presenting additional documents regarding this circumstance.

3. For the issuance of an official note, a document/documents with the grades for which equivalence is requested shall be attached to the application. The authenticity of the document must be verified by a notary/lawyer, which is stated in the text of the certification – the signature of the official who signed the document is certified, or the notary/lawyer expressly states that he/she has verified the authenticity of the document. The signature of the notary/lawyer is certified with an Apostille.

4. The documents referred to in items 1, 2 and 3 shall be translated into Bulgarian and shall contain the notarial certificate on the translator's signature when translated in Bulgaria, or the certification of the translator's signature at the Bulgarian embassy when the translation is performed there.

When one of the documents is an official electronic document or the data contained in the paper document can be established and/or verified through an official electronic register by visualizing them and data for access to the register is provided, the original document may not be submitted.

Apostille certificates in Wales cannot be visualized in an electronic register and the original documents must therefore be submitted.