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Transcript
Creating a Transcript - What is a US GPA? - Conversion of UK Marks to a US GPA - Credential Evaluators
What is a Transcript?
Most US universities will require applicants to submit a transcript. A transcript is a document listing your academic qualifications and marks during the final four years of school (US grades 9 - 12, UK Years 10 - 13: ie GCSEs, A-levels, IB, BTEC, etc).
US universities are of course interested in your final and predicted results. However, they are also interested to see how your performance has changed over time. You want to be on a steadily positive or upward trend if possible. Universities will also be interested to know what subjects you have selected to study. The most competitive universities will want to see that you have pursued the most rigorous options available to you (A-levels, IB or Pre-U for example). See the admissions criteria page for more information.
Transcripts are generally one page in length and succinct, such that they can be easily read by a university admissions counsellor or scholarship selection committee. The information should be provided in chronological order and by subject or exam.
Although your UK school/college may not be accustomed to producing such a document, you will still be required to submit one as part of your university application. Please see our sample transcript handout as a guide, as well as our sample school transcript and report from an American High School for reference. We also provide an Annotated School Report and Transcript Template along with a Blank School Report and Transcript Template.
Along with the transcript, you may be asked to provide a school report. A school report is information about your school to provide context to the student's application. It is required for those students using the Common Application but would be a helpful addition to any application alongside the transcript. See our guide for tips on what information you may wish to include. Note you do not have to include all of the fields we have listed if they are not applicable to your school or if you are not able/willing to provide the information. See our sample school transcript and report for additional guidance.
Creating a Transcript
US students will have an official school transcript, printed on school letterhead, listing end-of-term and final exam marks for each class taken over their four years of high school, as well as any academic honours earned while in school. Therefore, it is important for your school to include as much information about your final and predicted results as possible, as well as any internal assessment by your teachers.
You should inform your careers advisor or appropriate school administrator of your request for a transcript well in advance of your application deadline. Your UK school/college may not be accustomed to producing such a document. Therefore, we provide a sample transcript handout. Your transcript should be printed on school letterhead, signed by a school official and stamped with a school seal of certification.
For a student educated within the UK system, a transcript will typically include:
- GSCE scores
- AS levels and predicted A-levels (or other post-16 qualifications)
- Academic honours
- Information about other qualifications earned
- Information about the school
- Years attended, etc.
Some US universities may be unfamiliar with UK qualifications and/or the curriculum for particular subjects. Therefore, you may also ask your school to include explanatory notes about the evaluation/grading scale and assessment methods. You may also wish to explain any discrepancies or special circumstances impacting your academic performance.
Unless you are required to use a credential evaluator, it is unlikely that you will have to submit original copies of your qualifications at this point. Rather, your school will sign off on your results (after you receive your final results in the summer, you may be asked to submit or physically present the certificate to the admissions office). If your sixth form college will not sign off qualifications completed at your previous secondary school, you may need transcripts from both your Sixth Form College and secondary school to cover all four years equivalent to US high school (US 9-12 grades, UK Year 10-13).
What is a US GPA?
In the US, students are assigned a cumulative grade point average (GPA), usually on a 4.0 scale, for all courses taken throughout their four years of high school. To determine their GPA, schools take the numerical value assigned to the letter grade a student has achieved for each course (typically 4 points for an A, 3 points for a B, and so on), then add these numbers together and divide by the total number of classes taken. The following is a general percentage/letter grade scale for classes taken at US schools:
| US | ||
| Letter Grade | Percentage | Grade Point Average |
| A | 90- 100% | 4.0 |
| B | 80 - 89% | 3.0 |
| C | 70 - 79% | 2.0 |
| D | 65 - 69% |
1.0 |
| F | Below 65% | 0 |
Conversion of UK Marks to a US GPA
In one of the fields on the application form, a US university will likely request that you report your GPA, or Grade Point Average. As there is no official direct conversion between UK marks and a US GPA, we recommend that students leave this field blank or find a way to type in your UK results. US admissions officers will understand the reason for this omission and will instead consult your transcript for detailed information about your academic performance, expressed in UK qualifications and results. However, as you make decisions about choosing universities, you may wish to view this chart of approximated grade conversions.
Credential Evaluators
Some universities may ask that you have your qualifications assessed by a professional credential evaluator before submitting your application. Many universities will specify the credential evaluation service they prefer. However, if the university does not specify an evaluation service, you may wish to consult the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website for a list of their recognised organisations.