Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions for Students

University of Sunderland Awards and Verification Portal Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the University of Sunderland Awards and Verification Portal and how do I access it?

This is a new online system that has been implemented by the University to allow you to order certificates, transcripts, etc., and provide official qualification and study documentation to third parties, such as employers or other HE institutions. 

These are provided in a secure, electronic format to streamline processes in our present digital age. This results in a greener footprint for all and avoids postal delays. You are in complete control of these documents, and they would never be shared without your consent.

*If you are a Transnational Education (TNE) student studying at one of our overseas partner institutions, please see the relevant section at the bottom of this page before reading any further.

To use the system, you must first register on it via the following link: https://digitaldocs.sunderland.ac.uk/

We also have user guides on how to register and use the system thereafter: Link to user guides

2. How do I receive my certificate after graduating?

Once you have successfully completed your study, you will be sent an email with instructions on what to do. Once registered, you will automatically be granted access to a free digital copy of your certificate within the portal. You can give employers and other third-parties access to view this in the portal as evidence your qualification.

If you require a physical copy of your certificate, you can order this through the portal as they are not posted out automatically. The first copy of your certificate is provided free of charge. Please note that postage charges do apply.

*Important: if you order a physical certificate and then notice a mistake on it, even if it is your first free copy, you will have to pay for a replacement. It is very important that you check your certificate is correct before ordering a physical copy.

3. What email address should I use to register for the University of Sunderland Awards and Verification Portal?

Please use a personal email address that is actively used. A personal one should be used so you can continue using the Awards and Verification Portal after your University of Sunderland email account has been closed down once you have graduated.

Ideally, your personal email address should be one we already have on record, as this will speed up the verification process of your account. We endeavour to do this as quickly as possible.

You will receive an email notification from the portal to verify your personal email address.  If you do not receive this, please check your email spam and/or junk folders as your email provider may not yet recognise @sunderland.ac.uk as a safe sender.

4. There are mandatory fields for individual first and last names, but I only used one name within my University student record – what do I do?

If you only have one name, please put a full stop ‘.’ in the relevant blank name field and this will let you complete your registration. You will then follow the usual account verification process.

5. How do I log in to the University of Sunderland Awards and Verification Portal?

Visit https://digitaldocs.sunderland.ac.uk/ and log in using the username and password you set during the initial registration process. Please note that you must register to use the portal before you can log in.

6. How do I change my personal details?

From the portal dashboard, please locate the section called Profile.  Adjacent to that you will see a button called Manage.  Please click on this to access your details and update them. Once you have updated the relevant details, please ensure you click Save at the bottom of the screen.

Please note that we are unable to change the name printed on your documents. Please refer to the Name Change Policy.

7. How do I change my password?

From the portal dashboard, please locate the section called Profile.  Adjacent to that you will see a button called Manage. Please click on this to access your details and update your password, using the Change Password button. Please ensure you click Save at the bottom of the screen otherwise your password will not update.

8. What if I have forgotten my password?

On the portal homepage, underneath the login fields, please click on the “Forgot my password” link and follow the steps to reset your password.

9. What types of documents are available in the Awards and Verification Portal?

All students graduating from the University of Sunderland from 2024 onwards will automatically receive a digital copy of their certificate in the portal.

Certificates awarded between 2004 and 2024 should also be issued digitally in the portal, but in rare cases may require staff intervention to generate. If your digital certificate is not showing, please contact registrydigitaldocs@sunderland.ac.uk so that a member of staff can assist you.  

If you graduated prior to 2004 please and require a copy of your certificate please contact registrydigitaldocs@sunderland.ac.uk.

You will also have the option to purchase electronic or hard copies of transcripts and verification letters, in addition to obtaining a hard copy of your certificate.

10. Can I print or download my certificate myself?

No, you cannot print or download a copy of any digital document from this system, including your certificate. Instead, you will grant access to third-parties, such as employers or education institutions, to view these documents directly in the portal. This is to maximise document security and make the need for hard copy versions unnecessary in many cases.

11. Will I receive a hard copy version of my certificate?

Hard copy certificates are no longer issued automatically. These are still available to students; however they need to be ordered through the portal. The first copy of your certificate is free of charge, however please note that postage costs apply. 

12. My certificate looks different to the example shown?

Some browsers do not render the certificates as well as others. Your certificate may not display correctly in Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer. We recommend using Chrome or Firefox. Furthermore, your digital certificate is presented in the portal in landscape format for increased document security.

13. How do I report an issue about my certificate?

It is important to check your documents carefully prior to submitting an order. If you think any details on your certificate are incorrect, please let us know prior to placing an order for hard copies. To report an issue from the dashboard, please click View next to the Documents section. Within here, please click the yellow button marked Report. Use the pop-up window to report the problem. This will send a message to the Awards team to investigate.

*Important: if you order a physical certificate and then notice a mistake on it, even if it is your first free copy, you will have to pay for a replacement. It is very important that you check your certificate is correct before ordering a physical copy.

14. How long is my certificate available for on the Awards and Verification Portal?

All digital certificates are available on the Awards and Verification Portal in perpetuity.

15. Can I give employers/others access to verify my award?

Yes. You can create a Connection with any third-parties (e.g., employers, recruitment agencies, education providers, governmental agencies, etc) and give them permission to log in and view your qualification to verify its authenticity. From the dashboard, click the Manage button next to the Connections section. Once in Connections, click on Add Connection near the upper right-hand side of the screen and add the required information.

The field asking for an expiry date means you can give a particular connection access to your documents for a limited time only. However, please ensure there is sufficient time allowed for the third-party to do what they need to, e.g., some employers may only check qualifications after offering you a job, so you should take that into consideration. Once this date has been reached, third-parties will no longer be able to access your information. You can update this date at any point. Alternatively, you can leave this blank to give them indefinite access.

After completing the above, the third-party in question will receive a notification email asking them to register on our portal also. They must do this to view your documents.

Once you have requested a connection with a third-party, you must also select all individual documents that you wish to share with them. Only documents you choose to share will be viewable.

Third parties can also initiate a connection where they have the relevant details to do so (e.g., if they have your name and email address used to register). Where this happens, you will receive a notification email. From the dashboard, navigate to the Connections section. In here, you will see the request as Pending. Click on Manage and then the tick icon under Actions to accept the connection. You can then select the documents you wish to share with them. The third-party will receive a notification email of your acceptance. They must then log in to the portal to view your documents.

If you do not want to connect with a particular third-party, you are free to decline their request.

16. How do I cancel a connection with a third-party?

From the dashboard, click on the Manage button on the Connections section. A list of all connections you have set up will appear. To cancel any connection, click on the waste bin symbol under Actions. The third-party will receive an email to confirm the connection has been cancelled.

17. Is there a charge for using the University of Sunderland Awards and Verification Portal?

All students with a University of Sunderland award will be able to access a free digital version of their certificate (please see section 9 above). This can be shared with third-parties free of charge. 

You will also have an option to purchase digital or hard copies of transcripts and verification letters. Documents posted will incur a charge.

18. I need help using the Awards and Verification Portal – who do I contact?

If our Student User Guide (Past & Present) does not provide the information you need, please email registrydigitaldocs@sunderland.ac.uk providing your name and student number with details of what help you require to use the portal.

19. How do I order a replacement certificate?

There can only be one original degree certificate in existence at any time. If your original certificate is lost, damaged or stolen, you may order a replacement through this portal. Please read the following essential information before doing so: Replacement Certificates

20. Can I get a copy of my Transcript of results?

If you are a current student, you can access and print your transcript via your e:Vision account free of charge.

Graduated students no longer able to access e:Vision can order digital and/or hard copy transcripts through the portal. A more comprehensive version of a transcript called a verification letter can also be ordered.

21. Who do I contact if I believe there is an error on my transcript?

Current or recently graduated students wishing to query a result on their transcript must do so through our Gateway team via Compass, here: Compass login | The University of Sunderland 

To appeal an academic decision, you must do this within a finite period of time after the first publication of your results. Please refer to the University of Sunderland’s Academic Appeal Procedure.

22. Can I request a World Education Service (WES) package through this system?

Yes, you can share your digital documents by creating a third-party connection with WES on your portal. When creating the connection please use the email address submit@WES.org. Once you have made the connection with WES they will need to register on the ‘Third Party Portal’ to accept your connection request and view your documents.

23. I am a Transnational Education (TNE) student studying at an overseas partner institution, how do I receive my certificate?

Where students have studied at an overseas partner institution, the University of Sunderland will send all certificates to that partner to distribute to students locally. Please contact your study centre about when you will receive your certificate.