What Is Transcript Certificate? Process and Sample

What Is Academic Transcript Certificate?

The educational transcript is an essential document required for the application process of universities abroad. Moreover, an academic transcript meaning is a certificate providing evidence of a student's educational credentials. In other words, it is simply a record of the grades a student has received, arranged in a subject-wise list. 

A transcript will help the university or college to understand what subjects you have studied and how well you know them. This brief will help them decide whether you are a perfect fit for the institute or not. An academic transcript certificate meaning: an official document issued by the institute containing details about a student along with grades they have secured in each subject. In short, this document serves as a proof of education for students when applying for further studies overseas. Moving ahead, these transcripts are classified into various types. Thus, to explore them, read the following section. 

Types of Academic Transcripts

Transcripts are broadly classified into two categories:

1. Official Academic Transcripts

2. Unofficial Academic Transcripts

Official Academic Transcripts

These are the appropriately signed and stamped documents by the educational institution on the official letterhead. They are properly sealed to be couriered directly or mailed to the concerned student. 

Unofficial Academic Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts are copies of the original ones that are not signed or stamped. These can be found on the official institute websites as soft copies. 

These was the brief about the types of transcripts for academic purpose. However, this document is known by several names, so do not get confused. Read further to explore them.

Common Names of Academic Transcripts

A transcript is known by various names, but all of them mean the same and serve the same purpose. So here is a list of common names by which you can address a transcript certificate:

• Mark Sheet
• Mark List
• Report Card
• Grade Card
• Diploma Supplement
• Academic Certificates
• Statement of Learning
• Transcript of Records (ToR)
• Cumulative Record File (CRF)
• Permanent Record
• Record of Achievement
• Consolidated Mark Sheet
• University Transcript
• College Transcript
• School Transcript

It does not means that you need to posses all the above mentioned documents, this is so because all these are same. Thus, you need not to get confused and only submit any of the document asked. However, to get along with academic transcript certificate, referring to the sample will be effective. So, the upcoming segment have a reference for the same.

Academic Transcript: What Does It Contain?

Here is a sample of the transcript to give you a clear idea of what this document actually looks like. Here are the pieces of information that are included in the academic or university transcript certificate:

Looking at the image you must have understood the format or the presentation of the academic transcript. Move head to have an overview of the ToR, in the forthcoming section of the blog.

What Is a Transcript of Records? (ToR)

A ToR is a mark sheet that contains all a student's academic records. It signifies a sheet including the list of all courses or programs students have studied and the grades they receive against each one. Along with all the awards, achievements and degrees for the candidate. Thus, there is no limit to the information that can be included in the Transcript of Record.

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What Is the Difference Between a Degree, Diploma, and Academic Transcript?

A degree, a diploma and an academic transcript are not the same in any case. Each of them differs on several basis. So, this section has listed the pointers of differentiation between these to make you clear about the same:

Degree

A degree is the highest level of achievement in education that is awarded by the college or institute. This requires to complete a certain course of about three to four years. 

Diploma

It is a document provided when a student completes a specific course of study. A diploma can be awarded on various study levels; from high school to post-graduate programs. These are comparatively shorter then the degree courses and involves more of practical skill development. 

Academic Transcript

It is the official document containing the overall grades of a students' academic performance. This document is essential when applying to an institute abroad as a proof of education. Through this, the admission panel will be evaluating a candidate's eligibility to pursue a particular course or program. 

After reading the section, you must be aware of the difference between the three academic documents. Now, it is time to perceive the process to apply for transcript. So, the following section will help you to answer your query of "how to get transcript certificate?"

How to Apply for a Transcript Certificate?

To apply for a transcript certificate, you just need to follow the three simple steps. These stages are listed below to ensure you do not struggle with this official document.

Contact the Institute

To get the academic transcript, you need to contact your previous institute. You might need to visit the office for the same. However, you must prepare a list of all the institutes you have studied in and request the transcript from each of them. Besides, you can also ask them for fast-track applications in the case of the urgency of receiving them.

Fill the Transcript Request Form

Once you contact with the institute, there you need to fill the transcript application form to request it. However, sometimes there is a fees to get the form, so you must check it with your institute. Moreover, you do not need to submit any document to receive the transcript.

Submit the Transcript Certificate to the Institute

The final step is to send the academic documents to the university you want to apply to. However, there are several ways to do so, which you will be getting along with in the upcoming section of the blog. 

Before you know how to send the transcript to the institute, you need to know the documents required to get the certificate. So, read the upcoming section to explore them. 

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Documents Required to Get an Academic Transcript

There are several documents you will be required to obtain a transcript from the institute. So here is a list of documents for transcript for your reference. 

Request Form

Institutes have a form to fill while requesting the transcript, where you have to mention your ID number, name, year, address and other information. 

Identification

Along with the form, you need to submit some identity proof at times. This can be passport, student ID, driving licence or more to verify your identity.

Payment

Some institute may charge the fees to provide you the academic certificate. This is a minimal cost that you have to pay at the time of request only. 

Authorization

If your request for the transcript is to be sent to a third party (another educational institution), you may need to provide a signed authorization allowing the release of your academic records.

Academic Records

Depending on the rules of the institute, you need to clear all the due for the library or any outstanding payments before you receive the transcript.

Other Specifications

Some institutes might have other requirements that you must fulfil before you submit the form. 

These are several document requirement of transcriptto get your academic transcript from the institute. Now, it is time to explore the process to send the transcript to the university you want to apply in. 

How to Send Academic Transcripts to Universities?

There are various ways through which you can send your transcript to the university you will be applying to pursue your further studies abroad. These are:

Direct Submission

To submit your academic certificate directly, you can submit your documents via an API, which is an application programming interface, or SFTP, which is a secure file transfer protocol. 

Submission by an Email

To submit your academic transcript through email, you can create an account with WES software and send it for verification.

Online Submission

It is the easiest process to submit your academic certificates to the university you are planning to apply. Through this method, you only have to upload the scanned document to the official portal of the concerned institute. Move ahead to explore the documents that you have to submit along with the transcript.

What Documents Are Needed Along with an Academic Transcript?

To submit your transcript to your dream university, you need several academic documents along with it. Here is a checklist to consider while submitting the academic transcript to the institute:

• Completed application form 
• Application fee
• Transcript of records
• Backlog certificate
• English language proficiency test scores
• Entrance test scores
• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal essay
• Copy of passport
• Financial documents

This was everything you must perceive from what is transcript certificate, how to get it, the documents needed and more. However, the education system in India and overseas varies a lot and scares aspirants. But with the right guidance and adequate information, you can ace this smoothly. Thus, this blog is curated to help you with everything about the transcript certificate, an essential document needed to apply for university abroad, as proof of your education. Besides, if you face issues with this or any other document or process, seeking assistance from Gradding will be a wise decision.

FAQ's

Question1

Why Is a Transcript Required?

Academic transcripts are crucial to provide a sneak peek into your academic capabilities. Besides, it helps admission committee to understand why you are a perfect fit for the institute. 

Question2

What Is the Validity of Transcript Certificate?

The good news is, transcripts does not have any expiry date. These are the proof of your educational qualifications and stays valid through your life. However, it is recommended to upload the updated and relevant ones while applying. 

Question3

Is a Transcript Enough to Obtain a Student Visa?

NO! In general, you cannot obtain a student visa just by submitting an academic transcript. But, without this, your documents can be incomplete. Thus, you need to submit several other essential papers to secure a visa. 

Question4

Do Academic Transcripts Include Extracurricular Activities?

NO! Transcripts usually include subject-wise grades. However, some final-year projects might be considered in the transcripts, considering them as a part of the curriculum that gave you grades. So, the certificate will not include any extracurricular activities, but you can add them to your CV. 

Question5

Why Do We Need Transcript Certificate?

Academic transcripts are required to evaluate a student's academic performance and qualifications. These usually include information like courses completed, degrees gained, credit hours and more. Thus, it acts as a proof for students' education to pursue education overseas. 

Question6

Is Transcript Certificate Necessary for Admission?

YES! Students who wish to study abroad have to submit their academic transcripts to prove their education. This certificate will confirm your academic qualifications and help the admission committee discover why you are a suitable candidate for a particular course or university.

Question7

My Transcript Is Not in English; What Should I Do?

If your academic transcript is not in English, then you must translate it. Besides, be sure to submit both the original and translated one to the admission committee with an official signature and stamp. Also, check the particular institute for other needs related to the translated transcripts. 

Question8

Do the Transcripts Include Backlogs? 

YES! Academic transcripts include backlogs. However, not all the top universities accept a history of backlogs, but if your profile is outstanding, you can try your luck. Thus, check the guidelines of the specific institute regarding this before applying.