What is an Academic Transcript and How to get it?

An academic transcript is a proof of education that has a detailed record of all the subjects studied by the students along with the scores in the form of marks or grades given by the institution of study. It is a document that serves as proof to certify the qualifications one has completed to prove their candidature.

An academic transcript mentions the name, the institution, a list of all courses taken and all grades received, and degrees conferred to the student and should provide full details of the degree class and grades received in each unit or module.

Table of Contents

• What is a Transcript?
• What is a Transcript of Records (ToR)?
• Difference between a Degree, Diploma, and Transcript
• When is a Transcript of Records Needed? When to request one?
• Which transcript is needed for which course?
• What to do about the transcript if you are in your final year?
• Documents Required to Support a Transcript for Applying Abroad
• Transcript (ToR) FAQs

What is a Transcript?

A transcript, also known as an academic record is closely linked with the learning agreement plan of the students. It is an official document that specifies the courses, research and training/ teaching activities undertaken by the student. A transcript should always be signed with a stamp by the registry of the educational institution so that it serves as an official letter-headed paper.

What is a Transcript of Records (ToR)?

A Transcript of Record (ToR) is another name for a transcript or academic transcript. It shows the list of courses taken, the exams or tests passed, and the credits earned by the student.

Other Common Names of Transcripts

Academic transcripts are commonly known as mark sheets in India. Listed below are the documents that are other names of academic transcripts:

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

Difference between a Degree, Diploma, and Transcript

All documents, namely the transcript, degree, diploma, certificate, and mark sheet are all proof of completing an education qualification by the applicant. However, an academic transcript is different from a diploma/ degree certificate.

Diploma/ Degree/ Certificate: A diploma/ degree/ certificate is the final certificate received by the student on completing their educational qualification and depends on the nature of the program pursued.

Transcript of Records (ToR): An academic transcript is a mark sheet that covers all the academic records of a student. It has a list of all the courses/ subjects studied, grades received against each column, the awards/ achievements, and also the degrees granted to the student for the entire academic program. The information provided on the transcript can vary.

What Does a Transcript Cover?

An academic transcript has a complete list or table of yearly modules/ subjects and practical work that the student has studied and conducted throughout the study period. It comprises the marks/ grades and also the subject-wise credit value mentioned in certain cases based on the grading system followed by the institution. The information covered in an academic transcript includes:

• Full name of the student
• Full name of the institution along with the location
• The board/ education for a school education or the university name for college education
• Complete name of the course pursued
• Subject-wise scores in the form of marks/ grades for all semesters attended

Additionally, an academic transcript may also include:

• The overall grade received by the candidate for the entire academic course/ year
• The total student population of the class (this is to compare where a particular student ranks)
• The average grade of the class to identify where a particular student stands

When is a Transcript of Records Needed? When to request one?

Applicants need to provide the admission committee with a set of documents to support their previous academic qualifications while applying for a college or university abroad. These documents are the academic transcripts that serve as proof of completing school, under-graduation, or post-graduation and justify the applicant's suitability for admission to the chosen program.

How to Receive an Academic Transcript?

Academic transcripts are released by the academic institutions from where the student has completed his/her studies. School certificates, undergraduate, and postgraduate degree certificates are considered academic transcripts or transcripts of record.

To collect the official academic transcript, students need to connect with their respective schools/ universities and request the same. Generally, education institutions offer official academic transcripts around the time of the graduation ceremony. While certain universities accept a soft copy of academic transcripts for the purpose of admission, it is important to collect the hard copies as most universities need hard copies of academic transcripts for admission.

Students who are in the final year of their studies or awaiting results can request provisional transcripts from the institution and submit it along with the application. This serves as proof of completion of studies while applying for higher education abroad.

When and Why is a Transcript Required? How to use it?

All students are required to produce the transcripts while making an application to an abroad university to attend a course of their choice. Soft copies of the transcripts need to be kept ready to be submitted along with the application. Certain universities require applicants to submit hard copies of their academic transcripts directly to the university through courier services. Students are advised to read the university-specific requirements thoroughly before sending the documents.

Which Transcript is needed for which Course?

Latest academic transcripts are required while applying for any course as a part of the general requirements. Certain universities may ask applicants to submit proof of their last two or more qualifications. Generally, admission to a master’s course does not require students to submit their school transcripts.

• Students applying for bachelor’s degree programs abroad are required to submit the academic transcripts of their Secondary School Education (12th grade) or Pre-University Education (Undergraduate Diploma)
• Students applying for graduate degree programs abroad should submit their transcripts of undergraduate education

Acceptable Formats of an Academic Transcript

The acceptable format of an academic transcript varies from university to university. Shown below are the general academic transcript formats that are usually accepted by universities while accessing international applications:

Format	Details
A scanned version of an official transcript	Includes a signature/ stamp as certification. It should be readable but watermarks due to scanning/ copying are acceptable
Official e-transcript obtained from a 3rd party electronic system	One can also share an official transcript if he/ she has access to an electronic system like Digitary. The same is added to the rest of the application
An electronic copy of a provisional/ interim transcript provided by the university	Students who are unable to submit official transcripts (due to delay in results/ continued enrollment) can submit an interim academic transcript
Screenshot images	Allowed if one is not able to obtain a transcript document

What to do about the transcript if you are in your final year?

Students who are still pursuing their education or awaiting their exam results may not have access to their academic transcripts. This document is provided on completion of their respective courses and after the annual exam results are declared by the board. Students pursuing their last year of education and who are planning to study abroad need to provide some other proof of their academics. A provisional transcript/ interim can be requested from the institution of study with a detailed chart of scores or grades received so far.

Documents Required to Support a Transcript for Applying Abroad

An academic transcript covers the final scores of all subjects taken by the applicant. For backlog history, the student has to request a backlog certificate from the institution. Some universities abroad need students to submit this certificate as proof of whether they have had any backlogs or not as backlogs have a huge impact on the chances of admission.

Transcript (ToR) FAQs

1. What is an academic transcript?

An academic transcript is a proof of education that has a detailed record of all the subjects studied by the students along with the scores in the form of marks or grades given by the institution of study.

2. How to get an academic transcript?

An academic transcript is generated by the education board of conduct and is received from the academic institution where the applicant has pursued his/ her education. The transcript can be obtained by visiting the institution physically or by requesting the authorities to send them via post. The official academic transcript is always received in a sealed envelope stamped and signed by the issuing authority and students can request multiple copies of the same.