If an institution asks for a certified copy of your SEC certificate, first ask which forms of official proof it accepts. SEAB’s published guidance says it does not endorse or certify true copies of national examination certificates. It points candidates to verifiable digitised results where those records are available.
Check the document options and release instructions for your Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) year. An official digital record, a scan of a paper original and a certified copy can meet different requirements.
- Ask the recipient what it accepts.
- Check whether your examination year is available digitally.
- Share the original digital file through the authorised method.
- Keep the paper original secure.
Read the recipient’s wording carefully
An upload field may say “certified copy” while the institution’s instructions separately allow verifiable digital credentials. Ask whether it accepts an official digital examination result or needs another format. Mention the examination and year so the recipient can answer for the right record.
If a deadline comes first, ask what official interim document is accepted. Save the answer rather than assuming an email or screenshot satisfies the requirement.
Keep a verifiable file in its original form
SEAB’s guidance says modified digitised result files can fail verification. If you obtain an official digital record, preserve the file and use the supported sharing route. A cropped image can show grades while leaving out the information the recipient needs to verify them.
If the institution cannot verify a file, ask whether it received the original download and which verification method it expects. For a missing record, use SEAB’s current retrieval instructions.
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Handle a request for the paper original separately
If staff need to inspect the paper certificate, ask whether they will return it and whether an appointment is required. Keep a record of what you supplied and when.
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Frequently asked questions
Will SEAB stamp my photocopy?
Its published national-exam guidance says it does not certify true copies.
Can I edit the digital file to correct a typo?
Use the official correction route. Send the original file as issued.
Can I rely on a screenshot?
Check whether the recipient needs a verifiable official file.