For someone whose surname changed after marriage, differing from the name on their academic credentials, members addressed which name should appear on the admission letter and whether it causes visa issues.
- Use the name as it appears on your passport. This is the name institutions and visa officers will match your identity to, so the admission letter should reflect your current passport name, not your maiden/academic name.
- It generally won't be an issue for the visa as long as the name change is documented.
- Attach your marriage certificate to bridge the gap between your academic name and current passport name — this was the consistent piece of advice across both replies.
- A name-change affidavit may or may not be needed. One member recommended including it alongside the marriage certificate; another said it wasn't necessary since the marriage certificate alone is generally understood by visa/institution reviewers. Given this is unsettled, it may be safer to include the affidavit if you have easy access to one.
Takeaway: use your current passport name on the admission letter, and submit your marriage certificate (and optionally a name-change affidavit) to account for the discrepancy with your academic records.