How to Request Transcripts for Graduate School

What is a Transcript?

A transcript is your official academic record at a college or university. It includes when you were enrolled as a student, the names of the courses you took, if you completed them, and the grades you earned. Your transcript also shows if you graduated. If you participated in a special type of program (ex. education abroad or an internship), that might be included, too.

Why are Transcripts Needed for Graduate School Applications?

Most universities require that you complete a bachelor’s degree to enroll in an advanced degree program. (Not everyone can take the Kim Kardashian route to becoming a lawyer ⚖️).

Submitting transcripts as part of your application gives universities - and admissions committees - a full picture of your academic history. They want to ensure you have completed any prerequisite courses and that you ultimately graduated.

Important note: When you apply to graduate school, the universities want to see ALL of the college and higher-level courses you have completed at an accredited institution. If you took college classes in high school, or a community college class over the summer, you will need to request a transcript from every institution where you earned a college credit. Yes, it’s tedious, and yes, you’ll get through it.

FYI Before You Start Requesting Transcripts

Show Me the Money 

Some transcript requests cost money, some are up to $10. It is always worth asking if there is a fee waiver process; they may have one for those with financial hardship. If you’re applying to multiple schools, these fees can add up.

This is the benefit of calling versus emailing, you might talk to a kind soul who can help you waive the fee.

Plan Ahead

Transcript requests can take 10+ days to process, even longer if there are issues attached to your account (ex. an old parking ticket or outstanding balance that needs to be paid).

Have Your Information Ready

Academic fraud exists so institutions take transcripts seriously. When requesting a transcript - whether over the phone or online - you may be asked to provide this info:

• Your social security number or student ID number from when you were enrolled (this is usually on your physical student ID)

• Your current address

• Your phone number

• Your graduation date, possibly also your start date (i.e. “dates of attendance”)

• The name and mailing address of the transcript recipient - likely the Registrar’s office at the institution you’re applying to. The Registrar creates and maintains academic data for current and past students.

Note: You might need to provide written consent with your actual signature. The school you’re requesting from will let you know if you need to come in and sign a release form (if you’re local), or print and sign a form that can be faxed or scanned and emailed.

Snail Mail Still Exists

This is becoming less common but I don’t want you to be shocked if you have to buy a stamp in this process.

The university receiving your transcript might want it in a sealed envelope from the school you requested it. (Yes, some schools still have primitive processes in the internet age). This is to ensure your transcript has not been altered. You might need to request the transcript to be sent to you - don’t open it! - that you will then mail in to the institution you’re applying to. This happens for programs who want your application to be mailed in as one packet.

You Don’t Need a Service to Request Transcripts

You do NOT need to use a third-party service for requesting transcripts (ex. Need My Transcript, Order a Transcript and Parchment are sites that come up on Google). 

Colleges and universities have been sharing transcripts for decades and have dedicated staff to do this. If an issue pops up, it’s much faster to contact a Registrar’s office at the school directly than to have a middle person involved.

Efficiency is key here.

Quick Recap:

• It might cost money to request transcripts

• Give yourself extra time to request transcripts in case they take 10 days to process

• Be ready with your social security number and/or your old student ID number when you reach out with a request

• It’s possible you may have to mail in a transcript

• Get your transcript directly from the college, do NOT use a third party website

How to Request Transcripts for Graduate School

1. Decide which schools you’re applying to and bookmark their application webpages

2. Write out the names of every college or university where you have college or graduate level course credits

This includes:

• The college where you earned an undergraduate degree

• If applicable, the university where you earned any other degree(s)

• The college where you received credits from any college classes in high school. Yes, even if this was an embarrassingly long time ago, they still count.

• Any online or community college where you may have taken classes that counted toward your undergraduate degree. Even though your college accepted them toward your bachelor’s, when you apply to graduate or professional school the admissions committees need to see these credits listed separately.

3. Start the application process

This essentially creates an account for you in their data management system for the transcripts to be attached to your application on the backend when they’re received.

4. Locate where your transcripts need to be sent

Ideally this is part of the admissions website. If you can’t find where they need to be sent, here are your options:

• Contact the admissions representative for your intended program and ask where transcripts should be sent and if there is a formal process for how they should be received. Hopefully not the snail mail option.

• Locate the Registrar’s office contact and call them for details on how to submit transcripts. Yes you can email, but a call is faster and the staff in those offices are really helpful.

5. Start requesting as SOON as you are ready

There are multiple factors that can delay a transcript being sent or received in a timely manner. The world is an imperfect place. Make these requests a priority and hopefully you’re pleasantly surprised with a smooth, timely process.

6. Optional and encouraged: Create a spreadsheet

Keep track of your transcript requests, where they are going, and when they have been received (so you can sleep at night). 

Read next: 3 Reasons You NEED an Application Tracker

Examples of Transcripts to Request

To help trigger your memory on where you might have college credits and need to request separate transcripts, here is an overview of the transcripts I requested for graduate school:

High School

• Kenyon College - I took a college credit course for a KAP (Kenyon AP - Advanced Placement) art course I took as a senior. RIP to Mr. Gordon who was the BEST for always boosting my fragile teenage self-confidence.

College

• Denison University - My undergraduate degree and credits.

• My local community college - A summer Spanish course toward my bachelor’s degree credits.

• The Ohio State University at Newark - Another summer Spanish course toward my bachelor’s degree credits. 

  • True story: I ended up failing this one for personal reasons. I wasn’t thrilled to have to share the transcript but everything worked out.

Yes, this process can be tedious - stay on top of it by requesting transcripts early and following up often if there is something holding up the process.

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