Chalmers issues both digital diplomas and paper diplomas. Which format you get depends on which degree is issued. The content of a certificate is the same regardless of whether it is digital or a paper certificate. Until the end of March 2024, all Chalmers diplomas were issued on paper, but thereafter diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's level will be issued digitally. Doctoral and licentiate degrees are still issued on paper.
Digital diplomas for degrees at Bachelor's and Master's level
From 1 April 2024, a degree from Chalmers will only be issued digitally. This applies to Bachelor's and Master's level degrees, but not degrees at Doctoral level. Instead of a paper certificate, you get an e-stamped PDF that is easy to share and verify. This means fewer papers, faster and easier handling for both students, Chalmers and those who want to look at the degree certificates. The service became available in Ladok at the turn of the year and affects most Swedish higher education institutions.
Easier to manage and verify
That your degree will be issued digitally means that you receive your diploma in the form of a PDF file with an e-stamp instead of printed on paper. A digital diploma contains the same information as a paper diploma. When your degree has been issued, you will receive a notification via email and can then download your degree certificate as a PDF in Ladok for Students. The PDF file can be downloaded an unlimited number of times whenever it is needed in Ladok for students and therefore cannot be lost or destroyed as easily as a paper certificate.
The e-stamp enables the recipient to check that nothing has been changed since the download from Ladok. The degree certificate is only valid with the e-stamp and can be verified, by you or someone else, by uploading the file to Ladok's verification page or by opening it in an established PDF reader. The degree certificate contains an appendix with more information and a link for verification.
Verification of education and degrees
Qualifications giving digital Degree Certificates
Digital diplomas will so far apply to first and second cycle qualifications, for example Bachelor of Science in Engineering, bachelor's and master's general degrees, degrees of Master of Science in Engineering and Master of Architecture, Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering and in Nautical Science, but not third-cycle qualifications. For the time being, licentiate and doctoral degrees will still be issued on paper even after April 1st 2024.
Either digitally or on paper
If you have received a digital diploma, the e-stamped PDF file is the legal document. If you have had your degree issued on paper, the signed paper certificate is your legal document.
You cannot choose which form of diploma you want to get. Previously issued diplomas will also not be replaced with digital versions.
However, if you have a paper certificate, you can share information about your degree digitally. You do this by retrieving a code in Ladok for students that can be verified by someone you shared the code with.
Verification of education and degrees
If you who have received a digital degree certificate want to make a nice printout as a memory, you can order it. However, such a printout has no legal value and cannot be verified. The same applies to the diploma from the graduation ceremony.
Paper printout of digital degree certificate
Paper degree certificates for degrees at doctoral level
Until the end of March 2024, all Chalmers degree certificates were issued on paper, but thereafter most degrees are issued digitally. However, doctoral and licentiate degrees are still issued on paper.
You get the paper original – we keep a copy
The degree certificate is a document of value and only one copy is printed. So there is only one original that is sent to your home. When the degree is awarded, a copy is taken of the original, which is kept in Chalmers’ archives. If you lose your original, you cannot get a new one, but you can get a copy of the copy we have on file. The degree can always be verified by the Office of Degrees.
The degree certificate sent by the Office of Degrees is the legal certificate of your degree. The diploma from the graduation ceremony has no legal value. A degree certificate issued on paper should also not be confused with printouts of digital diplomas, which also have no legal value.