Academic transcript for use in South Africa
Quick answer
The academic transcript is issued by The issuing educational institution. Must be an institution-issued and signed copy, not a student-made photocopy. It is then translated to the standard South Africa accepts, legalised at Consular Affairs and attested at the destination mission where the receiving body requires it.
Step by step
- Obtain a certified academic transcript
Request it from The issuing educational institution. Must be an institution-issued and signed copy, not a student-made photocopy.
- Translate to the accepted standard
An English translation with the translator's certificate of accuracy
- Consular legalisation
File the original with its translation at the Department of Consular Affairs, MFA.
- Destination mission attestation
Attest at the South Africa mission in Thailand where the receiving authority requires it.
Cautions
- Documents issued in Thailand still pass through the Department of Consular Affairs and the South African Embassy, because Thailand is not an apostille party
- Must be an institution-issued and signed copy, not a student-made photocopy
- Thailand acceded to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026 and it enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027, so no Thai Apostille is issued yet, so no Apostille is issued in Thailand. The working route is certified translation, legalisation by the Department of Consular Affairs (MFA), and then attestation at the destination country’s mission in Thailand where the receiving authority requires it.
Frequently asked questions
What are the steps to use a Thai academic transcript in South Africa?
Obtain the academic transcript from The issuing educational institution, translate it to the accepted standard, have it legalised by the Department of Consular Affairs, then attested at the South Africa mission in Thailand where the receiving body requires it.
Which version of the academic transcript is needed?
Must be an institution-issued and signed copy, not a student-made photocopy
Does the academic transcript need an Apostille before going to South Africa?
Thailand acceded to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026 and it enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027, so no Thai Apostille is issued yet, so no Apostille is issued in Thailand. The working route is certified translation, legalisation by the Department of Consular Affairs (MFA), and then attestation at the destination country’s mission in Thailand where the receiving authority requires it.
What must the academic transcript translation contain for South Africa?
An English translation with the translator's certificate of accuracy, and every part of the document must be translated, including stamps, signatures and marginal notes.
Who receives the legalised academic transcript in South Africa?
The Department of Home Affairs and the South African Embassy in Thailand
Which South Africa-specific caution affects the academic transcript?
Documents issued in Thailand still pass through the Department of Consular Affairs and the South African Embassy, because Thailand is not an apostille party
Is the academic transcript a public or a private document?
It is a private document, so the signature is normally certified before a Notarial Services Attorney first, and only then does it enter the consular-legalisation chain.
What if the name on the academic transcript does not match the passport?
Connect the names as a chain using change-of-name records or a spelling confirmation, then translate and legalise them together as one bundle.