How to apply

Certified or notarised documents for application

As part of your application, you may be asked to supply certified or notarised copies of documents. Certified copies are sometimes called verified copies; regardless of the naming, the requirements are the same. 

What is a certified document?

A certified copy is a photocopy of an original document, signed as being a true and accurate copy by an authorised person.

 

True and accurate copy

To be considered true and accurate a copy needs to be of the full document/page requested (i.e. not be cropped, or missing edges), and have the below on each page supplied:

  • The words '"original sighted"
  • The date the original was sighted
  • The name and signature of the person sighting the original
  • The stamp or name of the institution/organisation of the person verifying the documents

The above annotations must be in English.

 

Authorised person

The below people are authorised to certify documents for the purposes of enrolling at Otago Polytechnic:

Notarised documents

In some instances, you may be requested to provide a notarised document. Notarised documents have been signed in front of a notary public and vetted for authenticity.

The notary public is an official who verifies the identities of everybody signing the document, witnesses the signatures, records the act in an official log, and marks the document with a stamp (or "seal").

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What documents will I need?
Why do you need these documents?
Is there a difference between a verified document or certified copy of a document?
Is there a difference between a notarised document and a certified copy of a document?
I’ve supplied my document, why have you asked for it again?
I’ve been asked for certified documents but my friend/family member hasn’t, why?
I have an NSN, why have I been asked for certified documents?
I provided certified documents last time I studied, why have you asked for them again?

Contact us

If you’re not sure what to study and would like some guidance, we’re here to help. Feel free to chat to us directly about any questions you may have.