What is copy of transcript?

College transcripts are the closest thing a student has to a permanent record. They detail your academic history, including your grades, the courses you have completed, and whether or not you graduated. They may also list additional information, such as a history of academic probation, honor code violations, or awards for your school performance.

Your transcripts can unlock academic doors. They’re key to transferring credits from one university to another and are the best way to verify your prior academic performance. Yet many students struggle to get their transcripts and don’t know how to ensure that their previous work follows them from one institution to another. If you’ve found yourself struggling to navigate this process yourself, here’s everything you need to know about transcripts before applying to a college degree program.

A college transcript is a detailed record of your previous schoolwork. It includes:

Unofficial transcripts are free, and list the classes you’ve taken and the grades you’ve received. You usually have to pay a fee for official transcripts, which come directly from your school’s registrar. Most schools will not let you enroll without an official transcript.

You can view an unofficial copy of your transcript by logging into your student account and printing out your history. This transcript is free. It can be helpful as you begin the application process, particularly if the school to which you apply wants a list of recent courses or needs to know your GPA before it receives your transcript. Your unofficial transcript may also help you assess whether you meet certain prerequisites for the classes you hope to take or the program in which you want to enroll.

Most universities won’t accept an unofficial transcript. There are numerous reasons for this, including that an unofficial transcript may be incomplete. It’s also possible to forge an unofficial transcript. So at some point during the application and admission process, you’ll need to supply an official document. Each school’s rules for this vary slightly. Some only require an official transcript upon admission, while others want the transcript to be sent when you apply.

To get an official copy of your transcript, contact your school’s registrar. In most cases, you don’t even have to call or go in person; the registrar’s office may have an online form for requesting your transcript. You can usually pay the transcript fee online too. If the school does not offer such a form, you may need to download and print the right document, then send a check.

The process can take several weeks, so plan ahead. If you’re working under a tight deadline, contact the school to ask about transcript processing times. In some cases, you may be able to expedite the process by paying a transcript rush fee.

If the school you attended has closed, you can still get a copy of your transcript. Each state has its own rules for accessing these transcripts, so check with the governing body that oversees your state’s colleges. In Oklahoma, students can view a list of closed colleges on the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education website. Each school lists the process for getting a transcript. Other states, such as Illinois, maintain transcripts at the office of the State Board of Higher Education.

Students who attended college many years ago or who did not get good grades the first time may wonder whether they need a transcript. Some may even prefer to get a fresh start rather than transferring bad grades to a new school.

The truth is that even if your grades aren’t great, you need a transcript. Even a single transfer credit can help expedite your graduation. Perhaps more importantly, most schools require you to submit all relevant transcripts. It may even be an honor code violation to exclude a school.

In most cases, you cannot pick up a copy of your transcript and take it to your new university. Instead, you’ll need your old school to directly send transcripts to the new school. This process can take some time, especially if you’re seeking a transcript from a larger school or your transcripts are very old. So contact each school as early in the application process as possible.

Most schools ask you to provide a specific address to which to send your transcript. Your new school’s registrar can provide this information. Contact them before completing a transcript request, because sending a transcript to the wrong office can delay the process or incur additional expenses. Contact SNU’s Registrar Services or Admissions Office for help accessing transcripts or sending grades from previous schools.

Applying for college can be stressful and time-consuming, especially if you previously attended several schools. You don’t have to become a transcript expert to navigate the process. Just follow this simple to-do list:

Official electronic transcripts (e-transcripts) are delivered to your intended recipient as an emailed link to a secure service, eScrip-Safe. Upon authentication, the recipient will access your official e-transcript in a secure PDF along with TC’s transcript definitions. The same course and degree information that currently appears on your official printed transcript will appear on your e-transcript. You will receive email confirmations from eScrip-Safe when the transcript is sent to the recipient and when it is accessed.

IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR E-TRANSCRIPT REQUEST:

To submit an online request, log into myTC, then click on the Student Resources tab. Locate the box entitled Enrollment & Student Services, then click on the Student Records link. On the next page, click on Request Electronic Transcript, then follow the prompts to submit your request. If you are unable to locate either the Enrollment & Student Services box or the Student Records link in MyTC, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (212) 678-4071 during normal business hours.

If you are unable to log into the myTC portal, or if you wish to hold a transcript for grades, you may request an electronic transcript using the Request Form. In lieu of a mailing address, please provide the recipient’s name and email address, as well as your email address for confirmation. Please note that requests submitted using the request form are handled during regular operating hours (M-F 9am-5pm), so please anticipate extended processing times. Request forms submitted over a weekend or during a holiday closure will be processed at our earliest opportunity when the office reopens for business.  Please be sure to sign your request form or it will not be processed. Please scroll to the bottom of the page for instructions on how to deliver the completed form to our office.

Hard Copy Transcript Ordering using the myTC Portal:

IMPORTANT: to use this service, you must have an active UNI and password. Students and alumni who attended TC prior to Autumn 1989 must use the traditional request form.

To submit an online request, log into myTC, then click on the TC Services tab. Locate the box entitled Enrollment & Student Services, then click on the Student Records link. On the next page, click on Request Printed Transcripts, then follow the prompts to submit your request. Please contact our office at (212) 678-4071 if you are logged into the portal but cannot find the links listed above.

Note: In the "Issued To" field, please enter the recipient's name only. You will be prompted for the recipient's mailing address on the following screen.

All transcripts requested using this tool will come in individually sealed envelopes, and will be mailed to the address provided. Our regular processing time of 3-8 business days applies to online requests. Like traditional transcript requests, a confirmation receipt will be mailed to your address of record at the same time your transcript is posted.

If you wish to pick up transcripts in person, or request a hold for grades or verification that your degree will be awarded on a future conferral date, please use the Request Form and process detailed below. Please also use the request form if you have any additional materials to include with the transcript (i.e., applications for licensure, law/medical school application cover sheets, etc.).

You are limited to a maximum of ten (10) transcript copies per business day.

Hard Copy Transcript Ordering with a Request Form:

‌Transcript Request Form

Please be sure to include your name (and any changes to your name since you were a student at TC), your dates of attendance and/or date of graduation, your student ID number if known, and the address(es) to which the transcript(s) should be mailed. Please do not enter your social security on the form; if you do not recall your TC ID number or UNI, you may leave the field(s) blank.

All requests must include a student’s handwritten signature. Please allow 3-8 business days for hard copy transcripts to be processed. Allow additional time at the end of the term when final grades are being posted or for special requests, including the completion of additional forms or verification of completion of degree requirements.

TC will not fax transcripts to you or a third party.

All students will be expected to present either a TC photo ID card or government-issued photo ID when collecting transcripts in person. Transcripts will not be released without first checking identification.

If you are designating a third party to collect your transcript in person on your behalf, please include a letter of authorization with your completed request form at the time of your request. The letter must include the individual's name and your handwritten signature. Anyone collecting transcripts in person will be expected to present photo identification.

Teachers College does not charge a per-copy transcript fee. Instead, the school charges a flat, one-time-only fee of $35 to current students, which covers the standard costs of transcript processing for life. For current students, this fee appeared on your first tuition bill.

There is no charge for transcripts for alumni, prior attendees, or inactive students. Please do not submit payment with your request as it will only be returned to you.

You are limited to a maximum of ten (10) transcript copies per business day.

Where to Send Your Completed Form:

Submit your transcript request by mail to:

Transcript Office, Box 311  Teachers College, Columbia University  525 West 120th Street  New York, NY 10027

By fax to: (212) 678-4071

By email to: transcript-registrar@tc.columbia.edu. A scanned image of a signed transcript request form must accompany the message. We will not process transcript requests without a student's handwritten signature. Please include your last name in the subject line of your email.

Please note that you do not need to request to have your TC transcript sent to the TC Admissions Office in support of an application to another TC program. The Admissions Office will already have access to your academic record.