Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Morning_Star]

Okay so I WILL be graduating in August this year but I won't have my degree until 6 weeks after I officially graduate and I want to apply to start during the September term. Do they actually NEED for me to have my diploma by the time I get there?

[egrog1717]

I'm not 100% on this, but I've never heard of an employer who doesn't want to see *at minimum* a photocopy of your degree...

[egrog1717]

According to Asknow.ca

Why do I have to send my degree and transcripts?

Those documents are required by South Korean Immigration. When issuing the E2 visa, they will need to inspect these documents in order to validate their authenticity.

Your transcripts should be in a sealed envelope from your university.

There have been many cases recently of people without university education buying fake diplomas and passing them off as the real thing. Immigration is cracking down on this, and they are being more careful not to be fooled by false documents.

[the ireland]

it's needed for immi to get a visa, not so much for the employers benefit.

no scroll, no visa as far as i know

[Morning_Star]

Would I be able to get a visa after I recieve my degree?

[oldtactics]

You have to have your physical degree and completed transcripts before you can get your work visa from immigration. No way around it.

[subicslugger]

You can get around it if you have officially graduated.

Ask the registrar for a "Verification Letter" stating that you have graduated and completed all required coursework. Get two copies, one sealed just like the transcripts and one not sealed. Take the one that is not sealed and get the Apostille attached. Submit both to immigration in lieu of your actual diploma.

This will work.

[misschel]

Hmm, I'm not sure about the verification letter and if that would work.
Judging from what happened in my situation it seems they're very picky. I'm from Canada though.
Here's what happened to me: I didn't want to send my original diploma to Korea, so I had a true copy made by the university and had it notarized by a notary. Because I was not sending my original diploma I had to first send it to the closest consulate (MTL) with a set of sealed official transcripts to verify the degree was legit. However, (and this was the kicker) because the transcripts were printed, sealed and sent to me BEFORE the actual diploma was given to me they were not useful. Even though I had finished all requirements for my degree in June, because I received the transcript in October, and the diploma wasn't actually available until November it technically was not good enough.
The reason why I had gotten the transcripts so early is because I wanted to be fully prepared well in advance before applying to schools - which turned out to bite me in the ass. I ended up having to send my original diploma to Korea to save time.
Moral: I would double check anything you're thinking of doing and then check it again to make sure you can use a "verification letter" instead of an actual diploma.
Hope it works out for you!

[Morning_Star]

Thanks guys! I will ask for the verification letter.

I guess dishonest people makes life harder for us.

[oldtactics]

As a warning, when you order your transcripts, be sure to ask whether they'll say 'degree conferred' on them, which is the important part. At my school, they didn't update the transcripts until after graduation.