How to Request Your College Transcript

It takes about five to 10 business days to get your transcript.

Requesting your college transcript may be necessary for you to apply to graduate school or to qualify for scholarships and grants. You may be able to use your college transcript to qualify for positions with different companies and to be exempt from specific training. Whether it has been 10 months or 10 years, follow a few simple guidelines to locate your transcripts and move on to the next step in your educational or professional life.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pen
• Computer or telephone

Instructions

1. Search online, call or go to your college. The registrar's office should be able to tell you who to talk to, and where to find the information you need to request your college transcript. Contact each college you attended. This includes community colleges.

2. Plan to pay a small fee for your transcript. Colleges often charge for transcript requests, and may want the money upfront before they send your transcripts.

3. Fill out the transcript request form either online or on the form provided. Make sure you include any name changes.

4. Specify the number of transcripts you want sent. Include where you want your college transcripts sent. Make a note of any colleges that will not ship to certain types of addresses. The departments handling transcript requests are usually very specific about using complete addresses.

5. Plan to include the dates that you attended the college, and your major area of study. This helps the college locate your information.

6. You may have to include your social security number or your PIN number when requesting your official transcript.

7. You may need to sign the request form and either fax or mail it to all of the colleges you request transcripts from.

8. Some transcripts may have to be sent with an official stamp. This means that you will have your college transcripts mailed directly to that particular college and the envelope holding your official transcript will be sealed. If for some reason you receive a sealed transcript and open it, the transcript may not be accepted.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, your official transcripts may have your social security number on them, along with other personal information, so guard them carefully.

References

• eLearners.com: How to Request Your Transcripts