Education guide
Degree certificate name different from passport
If your degree certificate or transcript uses a different name from your current passport, check what the university can issue and what the receiving organisation will accept before arranging attestation or translation.
Identify where the difference came from
| Difference | What to check |
|---|---|
| An error in the original record | Compare the certificate and transcript with the university’s record. Ask its registry which record needs correction. |
| A legal name change after graduation | Ask whether the university can update a previous award, and what it can provide if it keeps the original graduation record. |
| Different spelling, name order or transliteration | Ask whether the recipient treats this difference as a mismatch and what it needs to connect the two versions. |
Ask the issuing university what it can issue
The registry or academic records office can explain its process. Ask about a correction, a new certificate or a verification letter. Check whether the same process covers both the scroll and the transcript.
| Issuer example | Published process |
|---|---|
| IIUM undergraduate records | If personal details on a scroll or transcript are wrong, IIUM’s Academic Management and Admission Division describes two options: a letter verifying who holds the certificate, or a corrected scroll and transcript. |
| Taylor’s University graduates | Taylor’s reprint service uses the name in the official graduation record. Its published policy says a legal name change after graduation does not change the name on the reprinted certificate or transcript. |
Sources: IIUM Academic Management and Admission Division FAQ · Taylor’s certificate and transcript reprints
Ask the receiving organisation what it accepts
Tell the recipient which document differs and ask for its requirements in writing. Confirm whether it accepts an issuer letter or asks for another document, who must issue it and whether translation or endorsement is needed.
For example, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS asks international undergraduate applicants with a certificate–passport name difference for a declaration or letter from the relevant government agency. That is a UTP admissions requirement. Check the organisation that will receive your own documents.
Sources: UTP international undergraduate application instructions
Printable name-difference checklist
Print this page or copy the questions. Confirm both sides before paying for a replacement, translation or endorsement.
| Ask | Question | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| University | Which record accounts for the difference? | |
| University | Can you correct the record, reissue it or provide a verification letter? | |
| University | What evidence do you need for this request? | |
| Recipient | What proof do you accept for this specific difference? | |
| Recipient | Who must issue it, and do you require translation or endorsement? | |
| Recipient | Which originals, copies or transcripts do you need? |
When to arrange attestation
Once you know which documents the recipient wants, check the attestation route for those documents. ThinkPlus can discuss coordination for the degree or transcript. Start with the document type, issuing institution, destination and recipient. Ask which documents are needed before sharing a scan or sending an original.
Related service: Degree and transcript attestation
Questions
Should I request a reprint before asking the recipient?
Ask the recipient what it accepts first. A reprint may keep the name in the graduation record, depending on the university’s policy.
Does a university verification letter resolve a name difference?
The university can explain what it can verify. Ask the receiving organisation if that letter meets its requirement and whether any other document is needed.
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