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The apostille on a Ukrainian school-leaving certificate (atestat) of complete general secondary education is issued exclusively by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MES) — not the Foreign Ministry or the Ministry of Justice. From 01.01.2026 the state fee for individuals is 0.2 of the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons (UAH 3,328), i.e. roughly UAH 670 after rounding; for legal entities it is 0.35 (≈UAH 1,160). The apostille goes on the original certificate together with its supplement, which you need to study abroad in Hague Convention countries.
Apostille on a school certificate for studying abroad: why you need it and where it works
An apostille is a stamp that confirms the authenticity of a Ukrainian school certificate for countries of the Hague Apostille Convention (Ukraine has been a party since 2003; today that is over 125 states). To enrol in a college or university abroad, admissions offices almost always require the certificate with an apostille, and often a translation as well. Ukraine has no sworn-translator institution, so a notary certifies the translation; some countries accept only their own sworn (court) translation done locally — check this requirement with the institution. For states outside the convention (the UAE, Egypt, Qatar and others) the apostille does not apply — consular legalisation is required instead, and the list is worth re-checking. Since 11.01.2024 Canada accepts the apostille rather than consular legalisation. The apostille only authenticates the document — recognition (nostrification) takes place in the country of study.
Procedure, timing and the MES fee in 2026: how much it costs and how to apply
Applications to apostille a school certificate go to the MES of Ukraine — the sole competent authority for educational documents. From 01.01.2026 the state fee is 0.2 of the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons (UAH 3,328) ≈ UAH 670 for individuals and 0.35 (≈UAH 1,160) for legal entities — the first increase in nearly 20 years, up from about UAH 85. The apostille on the certificate and on its supplement are two separate actions, so the state fee is charged for each document. Note: the 2026 price of an apostille on a certificate is the MES state fee itself; a bureau's service charge for filing and handling is paid separately and is not a state tariff. Indicative bureau turnaround is 1–3 days express or up to 20 days standard — service timelines, not the official MES schedule.
Translation, double apostille and special cases: old-format certificates, supplement, NMT and EDEBO
The MES apostille goes on the original certificate and its supplement (not on a notarised copy). An old-format certificate (roughly pre-2000) is often missing from the EDEBO register — the MES then sends a request to the school or archive, and the timeline can stretch to two months; sometimes a new-format duplicate is issued first. Ukraine has no sworn translators — a notary certifies the translation. A "double apostille" (on the document and on the notarised translation) is required only by certain countries, so it is not a universal rule. The NMT information card and an EDEBO extract are printouts of electronic documents and cannot be apostilled themselves; the apostille goes on a paper certificate issued by the authorised body (the education quality assessment centre or the Inforesurs enterprise) with the card attached as a supplement.
We will prepare and submit your documents to the MES end to end — order an apostille on a school certificate from the Etalon bureau.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an apostille on a school certificate cost in 2026 and who sets the fee?
From 01.01.2026 the state fee for an apostille on a school certificate is 0.2 of the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons (UAH 3,328) ≈ UAH 670 for individuals and 0.35 (≈UAH 1,160) for legal entities; the fee is charged separately for the certificate and for its supplement. The fee is set by the state. A bureau's service charge for filing is paid separately and is not the state fee.
Which authority issues the apostille on a certificate of complete general secondary education?
The apostille on a school certificate, its supplement and other educational documents is issued exclusively by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MES). The Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Justice do not apostille educational documents — they handle other categories (the Ministry of Justice, for example, apostilles civil-registry documents, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs apostilles police clearance certificates). The apostille is placed on the original certificate with its supplement, not on a notarised copy.
Can you apostille an old-format certificate or an electronic document (NMT, EDEBO extract)?
An old-format certificate can be apostilled, but if it is not in EDEBO the MES sends a request to the school or archive — up to two months, and sometimes a new-format duplicate is issued first. The NMT information card and an EDEBO extract are not apostilled themselves; the apostille goes on a paper certificate from the authorised body with the card attached as a supplement.
In 2026 the apostille on a school certificate is issued only by Ukraine's MES, on the original document with its supplement; the state fee is about UAH 670 for individuals (charged separately for the certificate and the supplement) and around UAH 1,160 for legal entities, with the bureau's service paid separately. Check whether your destination country is in the Hague Convention, whether a translation and a double apostille are needed, and whether the document is in EDEBO. The Etalon bureau will file with the MES for you and see the process through to issuance.
