Losing your college diploma isn’t a rare occurrence. Many students lose them, thinking they had it safe in their drawer, and yet will find out late it’s not there, or it ends up destroyed. It’s crazy to think that after working hard for years to get that diploma, it can be gone in an instant. Fortunately, there is a way to replace your lost diploma from college.
The True Value of your Diploma
What is the actual value of a diploma? If you think about the time and money you invested in your college education, you will realize it is priceless. You spent countless hours studying, the family sacrificing for years, and all the time and effort you did to earn your grades. When you consider all these things, you will know that such a piece of paper is really something special.
Why Would You Need to Replace Your College Diploma?
Your diploma for college is one of the most valuable documents you will ever have. It is proof of all the hard work and sacrifices you made over the years. It also highlights your successes and inspires others, making it essential to frame and hang up your diploma for everyone to see.
It is important to cherish your certificate. Unfortunately, accidents like fires or floods can destroy your diploma. However, out of the many possibilities you need to replace your college diploma, the most common is simple misplacement. You probably lost your diploma due to improper storage or simply by forgetting.
Most students also just leave the paper in its original envelope, in a plastic diploma holder or a cardboard tube, thinking it will be okay there. Unfortunately, these options are not great for long-term storage. Over time the paper wastes away, causing irreparable damage.
What to Do If You Lost Your College Diploma
You can try to preserve your diploma, but there is still a chance of losing it. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be lost forever. There are ways to replace it, whether a diploma for bachelor’s, master’s, or a PhD. All you need to do is follow the steps mentioned below to order a new certificate from your college or university.
1. Contact the Office of the Registrar of Your Educational Institute
The first thing you can do is reach out straight to the source of your diploma—your educational institution. The process can get a bit tricky compared to replacing high school diplomas. For one, no one can request a new certificate for you because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act or FERPA. FERPA ensures that student records remain private, so only you can request your academic information.
Another thing to expect is that requesting a new diploma from college usually comes with a fee, which isn’t a small amount. The cost for getting a new certificate be around $20 or upwards of $100 depending on the type of degree and school. It is best to reach out to your school to know exactly how much you need to pay.
2. Collect the Information You Need to Order a New Diploma
Ordering a new university or college diploma is an intricate process. It doesn’t involve just sending a request letter but likely includes a sort of personal identification. You will probably need to provide a driver’s license, passport information, or social security number. But wait, don’t send this information randomly.
Make sure to do some research and find out what your school requires to issue a new diploma. When you contact your school’s Office of the Registrar, ask for the requirements and put them in a list, so you don’t forget. When you put the request after gathering all the required information, make sure that you send the necessary payment as well.
3. Send a Written Request to Inquire About a Replacement
Most educational institutions are FERPA compliant, so you will have to request a new diploma personally. This includes sending a written request, ensuring there won’t be fraud and identity theft. Some schools also have online applications, but this is often just a PDF copy to be filled out then mailed to the registrar.
When creating a written request, the information you usually need to provide includes:
● Name
● Date of birth
● Social Security Number
● Graduation date
● Earned Degree(s)
You also might need to send in a notarized statement saying that you actually lost your diploma. Make sure to check with your school and follow their exact requirements.
4. Buy a Fake Diploma if No Other Choice
If you still didn’t get a replacement after going through the steps mentioned, then the only choice left is to buy a fake diploma. This is actually a much easier way to replace the one you lost than reaching out to your school’s registrar. It is also much cheaper and quicker, ideal if you need a new one and doesn’t have the budget.
The option of purchasing a fake diploma takes the pressure off looking for your old or ordering a new certificate. You will realize that it is easy to get a replacement, which means you don’t have to worry about losing the document anymore. All you need to do is have a digital copy of your diploma, which you can replicated for a reasonable price.
Conclusion
You don’t need to complicate your life just to look or get a new diploma. At Realistic Diplomas, we create replica diplomas that look exactly like the real thing. We can recreate everything from the seals to the fonts to the logos and more! Get a replacement diploma today.