When will the 2024 High School Diploma be issued?

After Graduation: What to Do Next?

Once you’ve completed your high school finals, it’s essential to focus on your future, whether that involves entering the workforce or pursuing further studies.
In both scenarios, having your high school diploma handy is incredibly beneficial.
The diploma is often required for job interviews, public competitions, and university applications.

To obtain your diploma, you need to request the original copy from the administrative office of your school.
However, this procedure is not free of charge.
Here’s everything you need to know about retrieving your high school diploma, including timelines and costs.

Retrieving Your Diploma: Steps to Follow

The easiest way to get your high school diploma is to request the physical copy right after your final exams.
Delaying this process may complicate obtaining the original document, as it often takes several months for the diplomas to be printed.

You should make your request at the administrative office of the high school you attended.
The diploma copy will be available for students anywhere from a minimum of 30 days to a maximum of 18 months after graduation.

If you find yourself in urgent need, you can ask the school for a Temporary Certification while waiting for the official document.

Understanding the Costs

When requesting your high school diploma, you must also pay the diploma issuance fee, which amounts to €15.13.
Be aware that there are no other fees; any additional charges would be considered unlawful.

Retrieving Your Diploma After Several Years

It’s common to forget about retrieving your diploma, but even after several years—since schools must keep these documents for six years—you can still request its release.
Regardless of how much time has passed, this option is available to former students.

If you plan to collect your diploma later and already possess a temporary certificate, remember to include the “substitute certification” with your request.

What to Do If Your Diploma Is Lost, Stolen, or Damaged

If your diploma has been lost, stolen, or damaged, the first step for students enrolled in a university is to contact their university.
They may have a record of your diploma from the time of enrollment, making recovery easier.

For other situations, the Ministry of Education (Miur) has outlined steps to follow: you should report the loss or damage to the authorities and obtain an official report; then, submit a request for a duplicate diploma to your regional school office where you finished your studies.
When collecting the duplicate, provide the original police report and your request for the duplicate.

For further details on recovering a lost or unclaimed diploma, check out this link.