Notarization of Documents
Here you will find everything you need to know about correctly notarized copies.
Please note: For all applications for the summer semester 2025 or later semesters, a digital-only enrollment process applies. This means that no more documents need to be sent to TUM by post. All documents that previously had to be submitted as notarized copies must now be uploaded to TUMonline as authentic documents.
Usually, documents are considered authentic if they bear the signature and seal of the issuing official body, alternatively a digital seal, a verification code, or a QR code for online verification. The requirements listed below for documents from China, Georgia, or Iran continue to apply.
TUM does not accept original documents. During the online application process, you upload digital versions of your documents. The decision about your admission is based on these files. If you receive an offer of admission, we require certified hardcopies of certain documents for enrollment, e.g. of diplomas or degree certificates. This is the only way to make sure that the files we use to evaluate an application are identical with the original documents.
If you receive an offer of admission and accept your study place, TUMonline will generate a list with the documents we require as certified hardcopies for enrollment
Do not send in original degree certificates - TUM cannot assume liability for unsolicited originals. We digitalize all documents and destroy the hard copies after a period of 1 year.
Please make sure your notarized copies comply with the requirements described here. If they do not, we cannot accept them.
We only accept notarized copies with an official seal and authentic signature. A copy of an officially notarized copy, as well as scanned documents are not considered to be notarized and must be officially re-notarized. Otherwise they will not be recognized.
Please note that a sealed letter or envelope does not substitute a notarized copy.
TUM only accepts notarizations issued by
- authorized schools and institutions of higher education, as well as the relevant ministries of the respective home country
- the diplomatic body of the Federal Republic of Germany (German embassies)
- the cultural department of the respective country’s embassy, from which the certificate originates
- authorities and notaries authorized to provide official notarization in the respective country
In no case will we accept notarizations from private individuals, lawyers, a priest's office, banks, health insurance companies or the AStA (student union executive committee)!
We only accept notarized copies that contain all of the following stipulations:
- Statement of authenticity indicating that the copy corresponds to the original.
- Original signature of the notary confirming the statement of notarization.
- Official seal, usually round or oval, containing an emblem (e.g. official crest) and the name of the authority. A simple ink stamp is insufficient! A notary without an official seal is not qualified to notarize your documents!
A document that is digitally verifiable does not need to be notarized additionally.
The document must contain a verification code or PIN and a link to the verification homepage. The entire content of the document must be verifiable online.
Please check in advance that the verification homepage is working and that the entire content of the document is displayed. It must be an official homepage of the issuing institution, which can be accessed in English or German.
If only a confirmation of the date of issuance is displayed online, this is not sufficient, the entire content must be verifiable online.
For some documents you need to contact the responsible institution (the test provider, university, etc.) to have TUM enabled for verification.
If digital verification does not work, the document must be submitted by mail as a notarized copy.
Please submit digitally verifiable documents with the signed application for enrollment by mail.
If the copy consists of more than one page, evidence is required that all pages belong to the same document. The following forms of notarization are possible:
- It is sufficient for one page to carry the statement of authenticity and signature, provided that all pages are arranged and affixed so that they overlap and each shows part of the official seal (see figure 2).
or - You may have each page notarized separately. In this case, your name must appear on each page of the original. If this is not the case, both your name and a reference to the type of certification (e.g. university entrance qualification) must appear in the statement of authenticity on each sheet, clearly indicating that the pages belong together to constitute a single document. In no case may you add any missing information yourself!
If there are relevant copies on both the front and back of the sheet, the following forms of notarization are possible:
- The statement of authenticity must refer to the front and back ("This is to certify that this page and its reverse side correspond to the original.").
or - both the front and reserve sides of the sheet must be notarized separately.
- Official notarization of non-German documents:
If you are already in Germany, please contact the embassy or consulate of your home country or a German notary to have your documents notarized. German authorities (e.g. City Hall, Regulatory Office, District Administration Office) cannot notarize foreign language documents. Please ensure that your notarized copy complies with the stipulations as described on this page.
- Translation of documents that are not in English or German:
Documents in English need not be translated. Documents not issued in German or English must be translated by a sworn translator and notarized with an official seal (Dienstsiegel).
For admission, merge both the original and the translation and upload them to your online application as one PDF file.
Once you receive an offer of admission, we require both a notarized copy of the original document and the translated document as hardcopy for enrollment.
- Documents from the United Kingdom (UK) need to be notarized by a notary since the universities do not notarize themselves.
- Documents from Iran have to be legalized by the German Embassy in Teheran. More information is available on the embassy homepage.
- Notarized copies from China require the red round seal and the round embossed seal of the university or the notary.
- Notarized copies from Georgia must bear an apostille (additional authentification of notarized documents for international purposes). The apostille must appear on both the Georgian-language original and the translation.