If you've ever had to apply for a job, graduate school, or even a scholarship, you've likely encountered the term academic transcript. Consider it your official academic "report card" a comprehensive record that details all the courses you've taken, as well as the grades you received. Also referred to as a transcript certificate, this document is important in highlighting your achievements. But what is it, and why should I care? Here, we will guide you through all you need to know about your academic transcript and how to get the best out of it.
Table of Contents
Ques.1 What is the difference between a Degree, Diploma, and Transcript?
Ques.2 How Long Does It Take to Receive My Academic Transcript?
Ques.3 Difference Between Provisional Transcripts and Consolidated Transcripts
Ques.4 Can I Submit My Marksheet Instead of the Transcript?
Ques.5 What are Common Names of Academic Transcripts?
A transcript certificate is an official document issued by the previous institute. It usually contains information such as completed courses along with subjects studied by a student and marks obtained in each of them. Moreover, this is one of the major academic documents that candidates need to submit as evidence for proving academic credentials. It is required to be submitted by individuals while applying for higher studies in the future.
Furthermore, to understand it better, let’s explore what exactly a university transcript certificate contains. So, here is a list:
This was a brief overview of university or college transcripts that students must perceive. However, you might get confused if the institute you are applying to requires this paper from some other name. Thus, to remove this confusion, we have listed some common names by which this document can be labeled in the upcoming section.
Students need a transcript mark sheet in various academic and professional scenarios. Here are some key instances when these are typically required:
These are some situations when students will be requiring a college transcript. However, to secure these, you need to follow some steps, that are mentioned in the upcoming section of the blog.
The process to receive a transcript is straightforward. Here are the steps to follow:
To obtain an academic transcript, you must request it from the educational institution where you completed your coursework.
To receive the document, you need to submit the request form along with the necessary documents. The papers needed are enlisted:
Now you can submit your certificate to your desired institute. Moreover, most organizations prefer official documents so it is crucial to follow up with them after sending them. So, these are the steps that you need to follow to get an academic transcript for your further studies. Now, the upcoming segment of the blog will clear your doubt about the differences between official and unofficial certificates.
Reading about this certificate will give you theoretical knowledge, but to get the practical one, you need to have a picture of this in mind. So, here is the sample of the document:
So, this was a sample that will help you to understand the document better.
An academic transcript certificate is an essential document that students need to showcase while applying to study overseas. This is so because the certificate will prove their educational background. However, even after going through this blog, if you still have any doubts, consult experts at Gradding today and get them resolved.
Suggested Read:
| Aspect | Degree | Diploma | Transcript |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | A formal qualification awarded upon completion of a specific academic program. | A certificate of completion, often for shorter or vocational programs. | An official record of a student’s academic history. |
| Purpose | To certify the completion of a higher-level academic program. | To certify completion of a specialized, usually shorter, training program. | To provide a detailed account of all courses, grades, and academic achievements. |
| Level of Study | Undergraduate (e.g., Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate). | Often vocational or secondary education (e.g., high school diploma, trade certifications). | Academic record from high school, college, or university. |
| Duration | Typically 2-4 years (undergraduate) or 1-2 years (postgraduate). | Typically a few months to 1-2 years. | Compiled throughout the entire duration of a student’s academic career. |
| Focus | Broad academic learning and research (theoretical or practical). | Specific skills or knowledge in a certain field (vocational or technical). | Academic progress, including courses, grades, and achievements. |
| Examples | Bachelor of Arts (BA), Master of Science (MSc), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). | High school diploma, diploma in nursing, diploma in graphic design. | High school transcript, university transcript, graduate school transcript. |
Usually, an academic transcript is issued within 1 to 4 weeks after you have applied for it. However, most institutes do not provide the facility to apply for it online.
The provisional transcript is a temporary document issued by the educational institute that serves as an interim record until the final one is released. On the other hand, Consolidated transcripts are the final records that contain student’s overall scores during their study period in a particular institute.
No! To apply to universities overseas, students need to submit a formal document with an official stamp on it. However, the marksheet does not fulfill this criterion, so it cannot be submitted in place of an academic transcript.
As you have got a hint that there are several names or terms by which an academic transcript certificate can be acknowledged, we have enlisted them here:
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