A document verifying a student's admission to a college.
The admittatur was originally a copy of the college laws, transcribed by the student and signed by the president or a fellow of the college; later the term denoted a certificate, similarly authenticated..
Origin
Late 17th century; earliest use found in Samuel Sewall (1652–1730), judge and diarist in America. From classical Latin admittatur ‘let he or she be admitted’, 3rd singular passive present subjunctive of admittereadmit.