How to Get a Copy of Your High School Diploma Replaced for a Job
You’ve nailed your job interview but there is one small problem. Your could-be employer has requested that you submit a copy of your high school diploma to them but you lost that thing years ago and have no way of getting a copy, you also don’t know where to even start!
Is it possible to request a new one? The answer is yes you can. You just need to contact someone and fill out a few forms for them to create it for you.
Do this and you can have a new fake diploma copy in your hand in a matter of weeks or even days. Okay, so it can be a little more complicated than that depending on your situation. Check out this step by step guide so you know what to do to get around these little hiccups.
1. Getting in Touch with Your Old High School Administration
The easiest approach to getting a copy of your diploma is to contact your old high school. They should be able to mail you a copy or at least point you in the direction of someone who can.
Go to Their Website
Before you start calling around, check your high school's website. There may be a request forms page that you can use to request a copy of your diploma. If their website doesn't have this feature, no worries.
There is still one thing just about any high school website has. Their contact information.
Call or Email Them
Call or email your high school and speak to someone about ordering a new copy of your diploma. Some schools do give out replacement diplomas themselves, and some don't. If yours can't, then they will at least be able to send you to the party who can help you.
Request Your Replacement Copy
In most cases, you will be asked to fill out request forms and mail them in or send them electronically. You'll be asked to provide basic information like your name, graduation date, and address.
Once you put your signature on the dotted line, you'll be pushed to the next step in the process.
Pay Your Processing Fee
Nine times out of 10 you're going to be asked to pay some sort of processing fee to finalize everything. Don't worry, it won't be anything too painful for your wallet. It's usually no more than 15 dollars or so.
After you pay your fee, you can sit back and wait for your diploma to arrive in the mail.
2. Going to the School District Directly
If your high school has closed down, you obviously can't contact them to request a new diploma. In this case, you'll need to contact the school district that your school used to be in. They will have records for all the students that attended school in that district.
Contact Them
Like your high school's website, the one for your school's district may have an option to request your diploma on the site. If not, then there should be some form of contact information that you can jot down.
Call or email the school district directly and tell them that you need a copy of your diploma. Again, they should have records for every student that went to school in your district. They should be able to send you a copy of your diploma no problem.
Fill Out the Forms and Pay
Before you receive your diploma in the mail, you'll need to fill out a request form. It's no different than the one you would get from your high school. It requires you to provide the same information.
After that, you'll pay your processing fee of around 15 dollars. You can pay online with your card or mail it in with your forms.
Keep in mind that if you take the second option, you'll need to use a money order or cash. There is a good chance that the office won't accept a personal check.
3. What If Your School District Is Closed
If you find yourself in the rare situation where your school and school district are no longer around, you'll need to contact the state's department of education. They will have records of any high schools—even the ones that are shut down.
They should be able to point you in the direction of someone who can help. They will probably ask you for your name, the town where your high school was located, the name of your high school, and the year you graduated.
4. What If You Went to a Private School or College Prep?
We've talked a lot about how to get your diploma if you graduated from a public school but not if you went to a private one. You can use the method above with going through your state's department of education.
You can also go to the National Center for Education Statistics page for private school listings. You'll be asked to put in a little bit of basic information, and then you should be given the contact information for someone who can help you.
5. Some Alternative Solutions
There is a chance that your school district won't or cant replace your diploma at all. Instead, they will offer to give you a copy of your transcripts. Most of the time seeing this is enough for the party requesting your diploma.
Even so, you want to get in touch with them and make sure. If it won't suffice, they should be able to give you some alternatives.
How to Get a New Copy of Your High School Diploma to Show to a Job Prospect
If none of the above worked .. are you still wondering how to get a copy of your high school diploma to show an employer? The process isn't too hard if you know who to contact.
It's only a matter of filling out a few forms and paying a fee. You'll be able to get a replacement copy of your diploma in your hand in no time and start your new career.
Do you need your diploma a little faster than a few weeks? We may be able to help. Check out our high school diploma selection.