How Do I Request a Degree Certification Letter for an H-1B Visa Application?

Looking for something else? Visit the Certifications and Verifications page.

Important: The Degree Certification for H-1B Visa is for Winter term graduates only. If you are completing your degree in any other term, you should request an official transcript after your degree conferral date. Spring candidates will not be considered. Your official transcript indicates the results of all work you’ve completed and degrees you’ve been awarded.

If you have completed all your degree requirements in the Winter term and require verification for your H-1B visa application before your degree is conferred, you may request a Degree Certification Letter for H-1B.

For more detail about a Degree Certification for H-1B Visa applications, see Certifications and Verifications.

To request a Degree Certification for H-1B Visa application

1. Review your MAP to ensure all degree requirements are satisfied (or in progress). 
   • If in-progress coursework is required for graduation, work with your instructors to ensure that your grades are submitted by the grade submission deadline; see the Stanford academic calendar for dates.  
2. Contact your department’s student services administrator responsible for the quarterly graduation recommending list to ensure that you have satisfied all program requirements and that they are reflected appropriately in MAP. If you have more than one program or more than one degree being conferred, each program's student services administrator must review your MAP to verify that your degree requirements are satisfied and reflected accordingly.

       Note: Undergraduates in the School of Engineering should contact Engineering’s Office of Student Affairs.

   3. Apply to graduate in Axess.

  4. Initiate the request for a Degree Certification Letter for H-1B by submitting this support request ticket. The ticket will become available for submission on February 1.

Note: Students who matriculated into their program before academic year 2019-2020 will skip steps 1 and 2. Students should attach approval (letter or email) of program requirements from the student services administrator in your department when submitting the above support request. 

Processing Time

Degree Certification Letters for H-1B are not issued until all your grades are submitted for coursework and the Registrar’s Office and the school/department have recommended you for graduation. For more details about the processing time for a Degree Certification for H-1B Visa applications, see Certifications and Verifications.

The Office of the University Registrar cannot guarantee that your Degree Certification for H-1B Visa will be ready by a certain date; however, requests should be processed by the April 1 application deadline. Requests are processed in the order in which they are received and are contingent upon the completion of the student's MAP and/or subsequent approval from the department/school confirming that degree requirements have been met (see note regarding pre-AY 19-20 matriculation). The letter is issued no sooner than the grading deadline of the Winter Quarter. Check the Academic Calendar for relevant dates. 

You are encouraged to initiate your request as early as possible to allow the department/school and university timeto evaluate it for degree clearance. 

Workshops

You are encouraged to attend a Bechtel International Center H-1B workshop if you have any questions regarding the H-1B process. If you are interested in learning about Optional Practical Training (OPT), see the Bechtel International Center website and attend a mandatory practical training workshop.