Have you lost your high school diploma certificate due to unforeseen circumstances, and you’re now unsure if it can be replaced?
Are you one of the people who are saying, “I lost my high school diploma” and “I need a copy of my high school diploma fast but wondering how to get it?”
Do you apply for a job, and your diploma certificate is required for you to qualify for the job? Does any of this resonate with you?
Then you need to pay keen attention to this piece because, in this article, we shall be exploring step-by-step guides on how to get an original copy of your high school diploma, whether you graduated recently or several years ago.
Before we delve in, let’s take a look at why you need a copy of your high school diploma.
Table of contents
Why Do You Need a Copy of Your High School Diploma?
A high school diploma verifies that you have completed high school and possess all of the knowledge, skills, and competence that comes with it.
A diploma list the school from which you graduated, the year you graduated, and any prizes or awards you won.
Various firms may request a copy of your high school diploma to ensure that you possess the necessary knowledge and abilities to perform certain tasks.
Before enrolling, several universities and technical institutions need you to submit a copy of your high school diploma to ensure that you meet the school’s educational requirements.
Most institutions, however, require your high school transcript, but some may also request a copy of your diploma.
Each institution selects its preferences in an application, but online schools are more likely to ask for a copy of your high school diploma because they won’t be meeting you in person and want to make sure you’re qualified to enroll.
In addition, you may want your high school diploma for personal reasons or because your parents want it framed on the room’s wall.
How Much Does It Cost Money to Get a Copy of Your High School Diploma?
You will receive your high school diploma after graduating from high school. Of course, there is no charge for receiving a genuine copy of your diploma.
The majority of people take their diploma home with them, frame them, and display it on their walls as a reminder of their achievements.
Your company or a prospective college may require a copy; as such, you’ll not be able to use the framed diploma. As a result, you will almost certainly have to pay a small fee when you require further copies.
While some schools may not charge on the initial request, keep in mind that the fee varies per high school, but it often runs between $10 and $30. You may also be asked to mail the relevant documents, which may incur additional postage costs.
Your high school may mail a duplicate of your diploma straight to the location where you need it, and some jobs and universities may prefer it this way.
It is important to speak with whoever asks for a copy of your high school diploma to be clear about how they want it.
Read this: Major Courses in High School in 2024
How to Get a Copy of My High School Diploma?
If you want to know how to get a copy of my high school diploma, then let’s forge ahead.
Now, most high school graduates receive a copy of their diploma shortly after graduation; however, if you’re one of the people who say, “I lost my high school diploma due to unforeseen circumstances” or “I didn’t get a copy when I graduated.
The following are two guidelines to assist you in obtaining a copy of your high school diploma; choose the one that best matches your situation.
First Guideline: Do you have the contact information for your high school?
If your high school is still in operation and you have the contact information for your high school, such as an e-mail address, phone number, or physical address, obtaining a copy of your high school diploma will not be difficult.
To begin, call your school and explain to them while you ask them what it’ll take on how to get a copy of my high school diploma.
If you’re not sure who to contact, call the school’s main office, and they should be able to point you in the right direction.
Once you contact your institution, obtaining a copy of your diploma is usually a simple process. You may be requested to provide proof of your identification by emailing a copy of your ID or providing information such as your date of birth or social security number.
Furthermore, you may be required to pay a small fee (usually a few dollars) for a copy of your diploma to be mailed to you.
Second Guideline: if you’re unable to contact your school or your school has closed.
Your school’s contact information, there may likely include the school website, phone number, e-mail address, and physical address.
However, there are situations when you cannot contact your school and must resort to another method of obtaining your diploma.
In most cases, contact your former school district or the education department for the state where your high school is or was located and inquire from them by asking how to get a copy of your high school diploma.
How to Get a Copy of my High School Diploma for Public High School?
If you went to a public high school and you’re among those asking about how to get a copy of your high school diploma for public high school, all you need to do is to get in touch with the district office for the district where your school was located.
To discover your district’s contact information, type in your school district, your school’s district number, and the state you live in. This should also display the district’s phone number and e-mail address.
You may also look for your school district on the National Center for Education Statistics website. You can then contact the district, explain your situation, and ask them how to get a copy of my high school diploma.
The district will still maintain student data for each of its high schools, and they should be able to obtain a duplicate of your high school diploma for you.
Furthermore, if you are unable to locate your school’s district, or the district no longer exists, or you attended a private high school, you should contact your state’s Department of Education.
The Department of Education will have records for current and previous high schools, and they should be able to put you in touch with someone who can assist you on how to get a copy of your high school diploma.
You will be asked for information such as your name, the name of your high school, the town where your school is or was situated, and your year of graduation.
How to Get a Copy of my High School Diploma for Private High School?
Are you also curious, and you’re saying how to get a copy of my high school diploma for a private school?
All you need to do is look up your high school’s records and contact information on the National Center for Education Statistics’ private school website.
The site should be able to retrieve contact information for you when you submit some information about your schools, such as the name and location of your school.
They may include information on how to contact your school directly or the location where student records are kept. You’ll get your new diploma in 2-3 weeks if your information is found and confirmed.
Check this: 10 Best Jobs For Graduating Students | 2024
What Documents Do I Need to Order for my High School Diploma?
It is necessary to have an official copy of your high school diploma. This is why you can’t simply duplicate it at a copy machine.
Your school has sealed an official copy to prove that it hasn’t been tampered with, and any institution that requests it will want one for this reason. Because so many individuals forge diplomas, you’ll need an official copy from your high school.
You will need to produce some of the following documents to order your high school diploma. However, these may vary based on the school:
- A government-issued identification document, such as a driver’s license
- A completed request form
- Your signature
What If You Can’t Get Your High School Diploma?
What if you’ve tried all the above steps, such as; searching for your school online, asking former classmates if they know how to contact the school, or even stopping by at the school itself if you’re nearby and it is still open but still can’t get a copy of your diploma?
You’ve contacted the legal organizations you know requesting how to get a copy of my high school diploma but no positive solution.
After trying all these, if you still cannot get a copy of your diploma and need one to apply to a job or school, you should talk directly to a person involved in the hiring or admissions process to figure if they’ll accept other alternatives.
You can substitute a copy of your high school transcript for your diploma since the final version of your transcript, which is prepared after your graduation, will identify every high school class you took and will contain a remark stating that you graduated.
Obtaining a copy of your high school transcript is similar to obtaining a copy of your high school diploma.
If you recently graduated, some institutions may instead send you a copy of your last high school transcript instead of a duplicate diploma.
In general, this should be alright, but you should double-check with the school or organization’s requirements to ensure that they would accept it.
What If I Am Unable To Obtain a Copy Of My High School Transcript?
There are a few options if you are unable to obtain a copy of your graduation or high school transcript.
You might have one of your former teachers write a statement confirming your graduation date, or you could provide appropriate coursework or standardized test scores in place of a diploma.
Because some countries have very serious criteria while others are more flexible, some of these solutions may not always be viable. Before trying one of these options, check with your school or company about their policies.
What you should not do, however, is create or purchase a forged high school diploma. Not only is this unlawful, but if the documents are revealed to be forged, you may be expelled or lose your job.
If you can’t receive a copy of your diploma, explain the circumstances to the person who is requesting it and ask for other alternatives.
FAQs About How to Get a High School Diploma With Ease
Yes, if you’ve misplaced or damaged your high school diploma, you can quickly receive a replacement copy by visiting your high school’s website and searching for an online record request. You might be able to acquire a copy of your diploma using a request forms page.
A high school transcript is essentially a record of your academic achievements in high school. It displays every class you took when you took it and your grade in each class.
Sometimes it’s accompanied by other information like standardized test scores and any distinctions you achieved.
Every high school student has a transcript regularly updated whenever they finish your courses.
The fee varies per high school, and some institutions may not charge at all on the first request. The cost to get a copy of your high school diploma ranges between $10 and $30.
To get your school diploma if you went to a private high school, below are a few things to do:
– Contact your state’s department of education. Look up private schools on the National Center for Education Statistics website.
– You’ll be asked to enter some basic information, and then you’ll be given the contact information of someone who can assist you.
– Whether the diploma is sealed or not, it will appear similarly. The receiver can be assured that the diploma is authentic and has not been tampered with by sealing it.
– Places that demand a sealed diploma usually strive to ensure that the diplomas applicants send them are genuine.
A school or employer may ask for a sealed copy of your diploma from time to time. This means that the diploma will be enclosed in a sealed envelope, which will be stamped or marked with your school’s stamp or seal.
– If you must send a sealed diploma, make sure to specify this when ordering your copy. Although there may be a small additional fee for sealing the diploma, this is usually not an issue for your institution to do.
– If you need to send a sealed copy, don’t open the envelope in which you received the diploma before sending it.
– If you do, the diploma will no longer be deemed sealed and may no longer meet the company’s or institution’s standards.
Conclusion
A high school diploma certifies that you have completed high school and possess all of the necessary information, skills, and expertise to help you thrive in college and the workforce.
It also contains information about the school from which you graduated, the year you graduated, and any awards you received during your schooling period.
However, while most universities only demand your high school transcript, some may also seek a copy of your high school diploma. Each school picks and chooses what they want to see in a submission.
As a result, if you’re wondering and asking how to get a copy of my high school diploma, and you’re saying I need a copy of my high school diploma to use it in applying for jobs or enrolling in another institution because I misplaced the one given to me at graduation.
Reference
- Prepscholar.com – How to get a copy of a high school diploma
- Wikihow.com – Obtain a copy of your high school diploma
- Theclassroom.com – Obtain copy high school diploma
- Pixabay.com – Photo Credit
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