Diplomas

• Undergraduate Diplomas  8.5 X 11
• Certificates 8.5 X 11
• Graduate Diplomas 11X14

Diplomas will be mailed directly from the vendor to the mailing address listed on your graduation application. Please note this can take up to 6-8 weeks after the date of conferral.

Diplomas are shipped through the United States Postal Service. Therefore, it is important you provide a mailing address that reflects where you will be living two months after graduation rather than where you are currently living.

Diplomas cannot be released if the student has a hold or an unpaid account with the university. Graduating students should review their accounts to ensure that their accounts are clear and/or contact the Student Accounts Office.

Student Accounts Office:
Buffalo State University
1300 Elmwood Avenue
Moot Hall 260
Buffalo, NY 14222

(716) 878-4121 

After your account has been settled, students should send an email to regofc@buffalostate.edu.

Your digital diploma is an official diploma showing your degree information and other achievements at Buffalo State University.

• You will be notified by email when the digital diploma is available. 
• The name appearing on your diploma will be the legal name that is on your official academic record.  If your legal name needs to be updated, you will need to submit a Name Change form.
• You will still receive a hard copy of your diploma.  Diplomas will be mailed to your permanent address on file. You will receive an email and text notification from Parchment asking you to confirm your mailing address. 
• If you have a financial hold on your account, we are unable to place your diploma order. Once the hold has been resolved, please contact the Registrar’s Office.

Claiming your Digital Diploma

You will receive an email from Parchment sent to your Buffalo State email.  This email will explain the simple steps to claim your digital diploma. 

Security

The PDF version of your digital diploma is secure to share with third party agencies, employers or to attach to your resume.   The PDF version of the digital diploma includes a link to verify authenticity of your degree. 

View, Download and Share

View your digital diploma online at anytime with permanent access.  Download your digital diploma and save it as a PDF.  Share your digital diploma on sites such as LinkedIn or email it to your employers.

Serve as an Alternative to the Apostille process

Many countries recognize a digital diploma and even prefer it.

What is an Apostille?
An apostille refers to the legalization of a document for international use. The apostille certifies the signature and the position of the official who has issued or certified a copy of a document.

Students may need an apostille to authenticate their transcript and diploma for use in a foreign country. Apostilles are only valid in countries that joined the 1961 Hague Convention.

The Office of the Registrar assists students with this process by notarizing the document(s). Students then follow the steps below with the Erie County Clerk and New York State Secretary of State offices to complete the apostille.

Note that an apostille diploma can only be provided if the diploma is printed with the student’s legal full name.

Steps to Process an Apostille Request

Step 1:   

Order a copy of your diploma from Parchment

    A .  Email our office: REGOFC@BUFFALOSTATE.EDU stating that you placed an order and you will need your paper diploma notarized. We will routethe diploma to our office to process this step and mail to the address you indicated in your order. 
  **Please be aware that ordering and receiving paper diploma from our printer can take several weeks.

    B.  If you wish to use your original diploma, please follow these steps when requesting a notarization/certification of your physical diploma and transcripts

    C.   Bring your diploma or (mail to the Registrar’s Office):
    SUNY Buffalo State
    Attn: Registrar’s Office
    Moot Hall 210
    1300 Elmwood Avenue
    Buffalo, NY 14226

Include a signed written request to notarize your document including phone number and the name and address you would like mailed to on your behalf. Your documents will be forwarded to the Associate Registrar at Buffalo State who will certify these are true documents in the presence of a notary public. 
*Please be advised that same day service is not available at this location.
Your documents will be returned to you via the method you had indicated on your request after they have been notarized. The Registrar’s Office is unable to forward your notarized documents either to the Erie County Clerk’s office or the NYS Records Bureau.

Step 2:

Send documents to the Erie County Clerk's Office:

Mail or bring documents to:
           Erie County Clerk’s Office
           92 Franklin Street
           Buffalo, New York 14202

After documents have been notarized, the notary public signatures must be authenticated by the Erie County Clerk’s Office.

There is a $3 fee per authentication. For example, if a student requests a transcript and a diploma, they will pay a $6 fee to the Erie County Clerk’s Office.

A money order or certified check made out to the Erie County Clerk must be provided to process the request. There is a $3 fee per document. Only money orders or certified checks are acceptable by the Erie County Clerk and all fees must be paid in U.S. dollars.

If the documents are mailed to the Clerk’s Office, the student can include a postage-paid envelope addressed to the Department of State, the $10/document fee, the Request Form to the Department of State and a return envelope to the student’s address. The Clerk’s Office will then mail the certified documents to Department of State on the student’s behalf.

Step 3:

Option 1: Bring documents to New York Department of State

The NY Department of State requires a $10 fee per document. For example, if a transcript and diploma are requested, a $20 fee is payable to the NY Department of State.