- A replacement comes only from the university that awarded the degree, and each university sets its own fee and process.
- Two published examples: Bristol charges £50 plus postage and Reading charges £40.
- Bristol says requests must come directly from the student and that it provides award verification letters for third parties.
- Employers can verify a degree through HEDD, with the candidate's consent, without waiting for a replacement.
Start with the awarding university
Nobody else holds the right to reissue your certificate. Check the university's own website for a replacement certificates or graduation office page, because fees, delivery times and who may apply differ. If you cannot remember who awarded the degree, the certificate wording or your old prospectus will say, and the register guidance at check if a university is real will help confirm the body.
Two universities compared
| Bristol | Reading | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | £50 plus postage charges | £40, including standard UK postage |
| How to ask | Order through the online store, then email a copy of official photo ID | Complete and sign a form, send it to the graduation office and pay online |
| Processing | Usually four to six working days, up to ten when busy | 25 working days from October 2025, longer around graduations |
| Delivery | About two weeks in the UK; one month overseas; signature may be required | Royal Mail 48-hour service in the UK; recorded delivery overseas; courier available for extra |
| Who may ask | The student only, and the certificate goes only to the student | Graduates of Reading, Henley Business School and some Henley MBAs and DBAs |
| Format | Physical copies only, not sent digitally | Paper certificate |
Bristol says it does not provide duplicate certificates or certify copies. Reading says that replacement fees apply if you wait more than twelve months before reporting a missing original. Another university may differ on every line of that table.
Asking in a way that works
- Find the replacement certificate page on the university's own site.
- Gather proof of identity, your name as it was when you studied, your course, and graduation year.
- Check the processing time against any deadline, such as a job offer or visa application.
- Pay only on the university's own payment page, and keep the confirmation.
- If the replacement has not arrived within the stated time, use the contact address the university gives.
If someone needs proof faster
An employer, agency, university, embassy or council can ask HEDD to verify a degree. It confirms place of study, award, grade and attendance dates, needs proof of your consent, and starts at £14 per enquiry. Students and graduates cannot use it on their own behalf. Ask your university for an award verification letter if you need something to hand over yourself. The employer's side is covered at how employers verify a degree.
Where scams come in
Adverts for a “replacement” of a degree from a real university, or for a copy of a degree you never earned, offer something no university sells. Fake university sites also take fees for certificates. A genuine replacement requires proof you graduated, and arrives from the university. The signs are at diploma mill warning signs; using a forged degree has legal consequences set out at using a fake degree.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues a replacement degree certificate?
The university that awarded the degree. Bristol and Reading each publish their own process, fee and timings, and other universities differ. Third-party websites cannot issue a genuine replacement. Fees, timings and who can apply differ, so start with the awarding university's own web page.
How much does a replacement cost?
It varies. As published on 5 October 2026, Bristol charges £50 plus postage and Reading charges £40 including standard UK postage. Check your own university's page for its current fee. Both universities also publish processing times, which differ widely, so check the time before you order.
Can an employer check my degree without the certificate?
Yes. An employer can use HEDD, with your consent, to verify your place of study, award, grade and attendance dates. Enquiries start at £14. Graduates cannot use HEDD to verify their own degrees. Employers can run that check without waiting for a replacement certificate to arrive.
What if I need proof for someone else?
Bristol says that when a third party needs to verify an award, it provides an award verification letter rather than sending a certificate to a non-student. Ask your university whether it offers the same. You can ask your university whether the same service exists there before you pay for anything.
Is it safe to buy a replacement from a website?
No. Only the awarding university can replace your certificate. A seller offering a replacement, or a duplicate of a degree you never earned, is outside the university's process and may be selling a forgery. Order only on the university's own payment page, and keep the confirmation email.