Official statements & graduation certificates

Official statements

Certificates

Your certificate must, by law, accurately represent your entire name as it appears on your passport, identity document and school certificate. You, the graduate, are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the data at Unisa so that all official documentation reflects the current information. To ensure that graduation certificates are issued with the updated information, any change in biographical information must be submitted well in advance to ensure that graduation certificates are issued with the corrected information. 

Please e-mail your notification to the Division: Graduations (gaudemaus@unisa.ac.za) and, where appropriate, enclose your supporting documentation (eg certified copy of your marriage certificate, divorce order, matriculation certificate or proof from Home Affairs). 

Please note: Notifications must be received at least four weeks prior to your ceremony to ensure that your records are updated in time. 

Collection of certificates

Students whose qualifications are conferred in absentia will be notified via e-mail and SMS of when and where to collect their certificates or may collect the certificate in Pretoria, immediately after the graduation date. Please note that the Autumn graduation ceremonies will be presented at only seven venues: Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, East London, Mbombela, Polokwane and Bloemfontein. Failure to collect a certificate at these venues will result in the certificates been taken to Pretoria for safe keeping.

If you have not previously collected your certificate, please complete the online form to make the necessary arrangements: https://forms.office.com/r/JFFhz8R8JY

Please choose the correct date and venue from which you will collect your certificate. Failure to collect on the selected date will result in the certificates being returned to Pretoria for safe keeping. 

Please note the following in this regard:

• All certificates are kept at the Muckleneuk Campus. 
• Certificates may only be collected during office hours (Muckleneuk Campus only).
• An identity document, valid passport (foreign students) or South African driver's licence are required for verification purposes.

If you send someone to collect a certificate on your behalf, please take note of the following additional requirements:

• A signed letter of consent, which includes your contact details and the identity number (RSA) or passport number (foreign students) of the person who is to collect your certificate.
• The consent letter must be written and signed by you, the student. 
• Certified copies of both your ID/passport/licence and the person collecting on your behalf. 

Duplicate certificates

Duplicate certificates will not be issued under any circumstances. If your certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed, Unisa can issue a statement in lieu of a lost certificate.

Please contact the Division: Graduations at gaudeamus@unisa.ac.za and provide a sworn affidavit in which you declare the loss of the original certificate, a covering letter which includes your contact details and a certified copy of your identity document or passport.

This document will be forwarded to you in PDF format. 

Translations

Students who received certificates issued in Afrikaans may request that their certificates be translated into English. 

Forward your request to hallc@unisa.ac.za. Include a certified copy of your ID, a copy of your certificate, and letter confirming your student number and contact details. This document will be forwarded to you in PDF format. 

Please note that Unisa does not have digital copies of certificates available.

WES Canadian applications

Forward all enquiries to Ms Stemmett at stemme@unisa.ac.za 

Short course certificates

All enquiries related to short course certificates should be directed to uclcertificates@unisa.ac.za 

Students who have completed a short learning programme must contact the relevant centre, bureau or institute for information about the issuing of their certificate(s).