Qualified eSeal (QSCD) for digital signing of diplomas and certificates
Make the transition to digital education certificates easy and secure. With a qualified electronic seal from Commfides, schools and universities can sign certificates and diplomas digitally – with the same legal validity as paper documents, recognized throughout the EU.
Why sign digital certificates and diplomas?
Digital diplomas, degrees and certificates are becoming increasingly common and educational institutions need a secure way to digitally sign these documents. With a qualified electronic seal (e-seal) from Commfides, schools and universities can issue digital education certificates that are just as reliable as traditional paper documents.
A qualified e-seal acts as the institution’s digital stamp, confirming the integrity of the document and the identity of the sender. The solution is approved according to the eIDAS regulation (EU) and accepted across Europe – for example, schools can sign diplomas with an electronic seal that is recognized across all EU countries. This ensures that digital diplomas and certificates can be verified by recipients, whether it’s an employer in Norway or a university partner abroad.
Read more about Europass and how to issue European Digital Credentials for Learning.
What is a qualified seal (QSCD)?
A qualified e-seal is an enterprise digital signature – that is, an electronic seal that an organization uses to officially sign documents. Where a personal e-signature is linked to an individual, the e-seal is linked to the institution issuing the document. Technically, the e-seal is issued as a qualified certificate on a secure QSCD device (e.g. a smart card), which means it meets strict security requirements. When an educational institution signs a diploma with its e-seal, it guarantees that the document originates from the legitimate institution and that the content has not been changed since signing.
Once the smart card is received and activated, the educational institution can integrate it into its document signing and production systems (e.g. sign PDF diplomas via Adobe Acrobat or Commfides Signing Port). Commfides offers installation and usage guidance to get you up and running quickly.
About Commfides Qualified Seal (QSCD)
Ordering a qualified e-seal from Commfides is easy and the solution is quickly delivered ready to use.
- Included: Qualified eSeal issued on a smart card (QSCD) with accompanying card reader
- Delivery time: The eSeal is normally produced and shipped within 4 working days after receipt and approval of the order.
- Validity: eSeglet is delivered according to a subscription agreement where the annual fee includes maintenance and support. ´
The technical certificate is valid for three years and is renewed and sent out automatically unless the subscription is canceled one month before the expiry date. The subscription can be terminated at any time during the lifetime. - Support: We have Norwegian support and are available every weekday between 08:00 – 17:00 to help you if you have any questions:
Phone: +47 21 55 62 60
E-mail: servicedesk@commfides.com
This is how the delivery takes place:
2. Signing of agreement
An authorized signatory at the institution (e.g. principal or administrative manager) signs the booking agreement electronically to confirm the information.
3. Receive the eSeal and PIN
The eSeal is delivered to the registered recipient on a smart card. The PIN code is sent separately digitally afterwards. Once the card and PIN have been received, the eSeal can be used for digital signing.
Do you need help?
Our support is available every weekday from 08:00 – 17:00.
Do you have questions about an order, delivery or anything else?
Don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’re happy to help.
Phone number
+47 21 55 62 60
E-mail address
servicedesk@commfides.com
FAQ
Below you will find the most common questions we receive about the use of qualified eSeal for signing certificates and diplomas.
Frequently asked questions about signing certificates and diplomas
Digital diplomas are electronic versions of diplomas issued by educational institutions. As a rule, they are delivered as PDF files with an embedded digital signature/seal from the school.
The digital diploma contains the same information as a traditional paper diploma (subjects, grades, degree, etc.), but is easier to share electronically. For example, students can download the diploma and send it as an attachment in job applications, or share it via services such as Vitnemålsportalen.
The advantage of digital certificates is that they are easily accessible to the candidate and easy to verify for recipients. There is no need for a “straight copy” or stamping of paper documents – the digital file is the original. As long as the digital signature is valid, the document is considered authentic and unchanged.
A qualified eSeal is needed to give digital certificates and diplomas trust and legal validity. Without a qualified seal, it would be difficult for recipients to know if a PDF of a diploma actually comes from a legitimate school or if it may have been tampered with. An e-seal ensures that the document’s origin can be verified and that no one has changed the content after signing.
The eSeal acts as an official stamp: it indicates that the document has been issued by a certified educational institution and meets the requirements of eIDAS. This is especially important when diplomas are to be used internationally – a qualified eSeal allows a digital diploma from Norway to be accepted as genuine in other countries, in the same way that we in Norway trust documents signed with eSeal from other EU countries. In short, the eSeal protects against counterfeiting and ensures that digital educational certificates meet the necessary standards and trust.
Verification of a digitally signed document is normally done automatically when opening the file in a PDF reader. If a diploma is signed with Commfides’ qualified e-seal, for example, Adobe Acrobat Reader will recognize the signature as valid as long as the sender’s certificate is on the EU trust list.
The recipient will typically see an indicator showing that the document has been digitally signed by [Name of institution] and that the signature is valid. This confirms that the document has not been altered and that it is indeed issued by the specified school. Should the digital diploma be altered after signing, the signature validation will fail and the recipient will be warned.
For extra control, you can also use public verification services. In Norway, employers and institutions can access diplomas via Vitnemålsportalen, where students share their results directly. Documents signed with a qualified e-seal can also be uploaded to such portals or other verification tools for checking. However, in most cases it is sufficient to open the PDF in a program that automatically validates the signature – the embedded e-seal ensures that the recipient immediately sees if the document is genuine.
Ordering: Educational institutions can order qualified e-seals directly from Commfides. This is done by filling out a digital order form (available on Commfides’ website) with the necessary information about the institution. During the ordering process, you specify the contact person and who will be the recipient of the smart card. Once the form has been submitted, Commfides will verify the information. The agreement is then signed by a responsible representative of the institution (e.g. general manager or someone else with signing authority). The signing is done electronically – the entire process takes place digitally.
Receipt: After the order is approved, Commfides produces the e-seal and stores it on a secure smart card (as well as preparing a USB card reader if necessary). The smart card with the qualified certificate is sent to the specified recipient address. The delivery time is usually around 4 working days from order approval. For security reasons, the PIN code for the smart card is sent separately (typically by e-mail). Once both the smart card and PIN code have been received, you can install the necessary software/drivers, insert the card into the card reader and start signing documents digitally with the new e-seal. Should you need assistance along the way, Commfides’ support team is ready to help with installation and training.
