Academic reference question

Hello all,

I'm about to apply for Tier-1 extension next month, and I would appreciate any ideas about one thing I'm not sure about regarding the academic reference I received from the university.
I've finished my studies in October 2011, and was awarded an MA, but the diplomas are only issued and posted around the time of the graduation ceremony which is in late April. So I understand that I need an original transcript and an academic reference. I have the transcript with all the required info.

However, the academic reference (the university calls it "confirmation of award") has most of the details required, the only thing I'm not sure about is the "date the certificate will be issued" which is one of the requirements according to the UKBA guidance. The letter does state that I "was awarded the Master of Arts... on 1 November 2011" but it says nothing about issuing a certificate.
Does anyone know whether this is enough or not?

Thanks a lot!

N2012 wrote:Hello all,

I'm about to apply for Tier-1 extension next month, and I would appreciate any ideas about one thing I'm not sure about regarding the academic reference I received from the university.
I've finished my studies in October 2011, and was awarded an MA, but the diplomas are only issued and posted around the time of the graduation ceremony which is in late April. So I understand that I need an original transcript and an academic reference. I have the transcript with all the required info.

However, the academic reference (the university calls it "confirmation of award") has most of the details required, the only thing I'm not sure about is the "date the certificate will be issued" which is one of the requirements according to the UKBA guidance. The letter does state that I "was awarded the Master of Arts... on 1 November 2011" but it says nothing about issuing a certificate.
Does anyone know whether this is enough or not?

Thanks a lot!

An academic certificate normally bears the issuing date. Semantically, there is no difference between the date a certificate is awarded and issued. When an academic board validates your results, it then awards or issues you a certificate. The date on your certificate is the award date or issuing date (1 November 2011) which is different from the date the physical certificate is placed in your hands, normally at the graduation ceremony.

derlin wrote: An academic certificate normally bears the issuing date. Semantically, there is no difference between the date a certificate is awarded and issued. When an academic board validates your results, it then awards or issues you a certificate. The date on your certificate is the award date or issuing date (1 November 2011) which is different from the date the physical certificate is placed in your hands, normally at the graduation ceremony.

Thank you very much for the reply.
What you say makes sense, but I'm still a little unsure, because I understand that in a way the academic reference should explain why I can't give them the actual certificate. So if I don't have it yet, but they see that I'm eligible for a degree since November, would that not raise any questions? By the way, it was made clear that we will not receive the diplomas in the graduation ceremony - they will be posted to graduates around that time, and that's why I think that it's not that they already have my diploma waiting for April - they just haven't issued it yet, although I think that you are probably right and that no matter when it will be issued, the date on it will be 1 November 2011 because that's the date of the degree.

This could just be a misunderstanding of the terms on my part (I took the certificate to be the actual certificate I receive, maybe I'm wrong). I really think that for any other purpose the letter from university and the transcript are more than enough to confirm that I do have a Masters degree, but I want to be sure that I have everything required by the UKBA...

N2012 wrote:

derlin wrote: An academic certificate normally bears the issuing date. Semantically, there is no difference between the date a certificate is awarded and issued. When an academic board validates your results, it then awards or issues you a certificate. The date on your certificate is the award date or issuing date (1 November 2011) which is different from the date the physical certificate is placed in your hands, normally at the graduation ceremony.

Thank you very much for the reply.
What you say makes sense, but I'm still a little unsure, because I understand that in a way the academic reference should explain why I can't give them the actual certificate. So if I don't have it yet, but they see that I'm eligible for a degree since November, would that not raise any questions? By the way, it was made clear that we will not receive the diplomas in the graduation ceremony - they will be posted to graduates around that time, and that's why I think that it's not that they already have my diploma waiting for April - they just haven't issued it yet, although I think that you are probably right and that no matter when it will be issued, the date on it will be 1 November 2011 because that's the date of the degree.

This could just be a misunderstanding of the terms on my part (I took the certificate to be the actual certificate I receive, maybe I'm wrong). I really think that for any other purpose the letter from university and the transcript are more than enough to confirm that I do have a Masters degree, but I want to be sure that I have everything required by the UKBA...

N2012 wrote:So if I don't have it yet, but they see that I'm eligible for a degree since November, would that not raise any questions?

It would only raise questions if an official letter confirming the award from your university is not submitted.

derlin wrote: It would only raise questions if an official letter confirming the award from your university is not submitted.

OK. Thanks for your help!

I'm sorry for raising the same question again, but I'm now checking all my documents and after reading the policy guidance, I'm still not sure whether my academic reference actually meets the UKBA requirements.
The guidance specifies four points that must appear on the academic reference:
applicant's name
title of award
date of award, and
"either the date that the certificate will be issued (if the applicant has not yet graduated) or confirmation that the institution is unable to re-issue the original certificate or award."

It seems, therefore, that they expect two different dates, or at least a mention of two different issues: whether I'm awarded a degree, and when the certificate will be issued. As I mentioned above my reference only says that I "was awarded the Masters of Arts...on 1 November 2011". This seems to fill the requirement for "date of award" but not for the date the certificate will be issued.
Anyone has any thoughts about it? Has anyone had experience with academic references?

Thank you!

N2012 wrote:I'm sorry for raising the same question again, but I'm now checking all my documents and after reading the policy guidance, I'm still not sure whether my academic reference actually meets the UKBA requirements.
The guidance specifies four points that must appear on the academic reference:
applicant's name
title of award
date of award, and
"either the date that the certificate will be issued (if the applicant has not yet graduated) or confirmation that the institution is unable to re-issue the original certificate or award."

It seems, therefore, that they expect two different dates, or at least a mention of two different issues: whether I'm awarded a degree, and when the certificate will be issued. As I mentioned above my reference only says that I "was awarded the Masters of Arts...on 1 November 2011". This seems to fill the requirement for "date of award" but not for the date the certificate will be issued.
Anyone has any thoughts about it? Has anyone had experience with academic references?

Thank you!

If the letter is an official letter from the university stating you were awarded an MA on Nov 2011, then there's sufficient evidence you have an MA. Though the letter doesn't state the issuing date of certificate, it isn't enough ground for PSW refusal. If you have enough time to get the university to amend the letter to the UKBA guidelines, fine. If not, forward your letter as it is. UKBA would cross-check the letter for authenticity with the university as they normally do.

Thanks, derlin.
I've called the university and they will send me an amended letter. They said that this requirement is a recent change of the UKBA guidelines (not sure if that's true? it was there since I've first read the guidance to prepare for my extension, maybe a couple of months ago).
In any case, I should have the new letter in time, but it's good to know that the one I already have may also be sufficient.