Losing a degree document is, more often than not, a logistics problem rather than an academic one. This article walks through the sequence our desk recommends when a parchment or transcript has been lost, damaged, or simply never arrived.
First, establish what you actually hold
Before requesting anything, gather whatever survives: a scan of the document, a graduation confirmation email, the year and title of the award, and the exact name under which you were enrolled. Replacement offices almost always ask for these before they even begin.
Request from the records office, not the faculty
Faculties prepare teaching; the records or registrar's office prepares documents. Write to that office directly, state that you require a replacement for personal records, and enclose the identity proofs they list. Expect a processing window measured in weeks, not days.
- Government-issued photo ID, clear and uncropped
- Your enrolment dates and the full award title
- A record-release or authorisation form, where required
- Insured delivery details for the returned document
Where the records office cannot prepare a replacement in the form you need — many no longer issue duplicate parchment at all — a prepared reference copy matched to the original conventions is the practical alternative. That is precisely the work our desk undertakes.
Reading Room Notes (1)
Our university stopped issuing replacements years ago. This guide was the first thing that actually explained where to turn next.
Glad it helped. For anyone in the same position, the records office can usually still confirm your award in writing even when they cannot reissue the parchment itself.