PhD & MFA: Transcripts

All applicants must upload copies of their transcripts directly to the appropriate section in the online application. Please ensure you upload a high-resolution image of your transcript; scans are preferred. Foreign language transcripts need an English Translation.

Do not send any transcripts by mail.  Do not email your transcript to our office.

Do not have your institution or a third party (ex: Parchment) send us any transcripts.  We do not accept transcripts that are not submitted through our online application.

Unofficial transcripts are available to current students via the institution’s student information system (SIS). They are a means by which students may review their academic record. An unofficial transcript is printed on plain paper and may not have an original raised college seal or registrar’s signature.

Official transcripts are documents produced by the registrar’s office and printed on special security paper.  They contain the raised seal of the university and the signature of the University Registrar.

Copies of official transcripts are considered to be unofficial for admissions purposes as they are lacking the above-mentioned special features (signature, seal, security paper). All transcripts (official or unofficial) that you submit through our online application will be treated as copies. It is not possible to transmit documents containing an original signature and seal, that are printed on security paper. They will be copies, they are not originals, and therefore, they are unofficial. We also do not require official transcripts for the application, only a copy of your (official or unofficial) transcript.

To apply to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, you must upload a copy of your unofficial or official transcript(s) to the application.  You will not be not submitting any original documents. We cannot and will not accept any original documents.  Therefore, all transcripts are treated as unofficial copies even if you and your school consider the document in your possession to be official. Do not have your current or previous institution send us any unsolicited official transcripts as they will be destroyed. Transcripts that are sent or emailed directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences by you, your institution, or a third party (ex: Parchment) cannot be added to your application.

Should you be admitted to one of our programs, and you accept the offer of admission, our office will contact you and ask you to request from your previous institution(s) an official, sealed, signed, final transcript that must be sent to our office before the start of your first semester.

You don’t.  If you are currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s program outside of Boston University, you cannot re-submit your transcript as soon as your fall grades have posted.  Most of our programs have deadlines in early to mid-December, before fall grades are posted, and therefore, the fall grades are not part of the review.  Our programs start reviewing applications immediately after their posted application deadline.  We cannot replace any documents when faculty has already started reviewing them.  If you wish to make the program aware of any strong, favorable fall grades, we recommend that you reach out to the program directly.

If you have multiple transcripts for the same school (ex: one for a bachelor’s degree, one for a master’s degree) you will need to combine all these documents into a single document and then upload it under that one school.

Yes, applicants are required to upload transcripts of each college or university attended to the online application.

• Do not submit transcripts from your High School.  College courses completed while in High School must appear as credits on your college transcript.
• If you attended a study abroad program we do not need separate transcripts sent if the course names, credits, and grades are listed on your main institution’s transcript.
• A college senior must submit a transcript of work completed in the first semester of their senior year.
• Do not email or mail official transcripts directly to our office.  You will be required to submit official transcripts only if you are admitted and accept our offer of admission.
• Applicants who have studied outside of the United States and Canada are required to upload international transcript(s) and certified translation(s) for all institutions attended. Please combine your transcript, certified translation, etc. for each institution into one document and then upload it to the appropriate section of the online application.

We are aware that the application asks applicants who attended a foreign institution to submit an “Unofficial Uploaded Evaluation.”  This is incorrect.

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences does not require “an unofficial foreign evaluation with a course-by-course equivalency report.”  An evaluation is not a required component of the application.

If you have attended an institution that is not located within the United States, we request that you simply upload your transcript(s) in the appropriate section of your application.  The program you are applying to may contact you at the time of review if an evaluation is necessary (ex: WES/ECE).

Yes, all transcripts submitted to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences need to be in English. If your school does not provide English copies, you must submit a certified English translation of your transcript and academic records (coursework, graduation/diploma certificates) with the originals. The translation may be completed by an embassy (if available) or professional translation service or public notary. If you have two separate documents, a foreign language transcript and its certified translation into English, you will need to combine these two documents into a single document and then upload it where it says “Unofficial Uploaded Evaluation.”

Only if you are admitted and accept an offer of admission.  In this case, you will need to submit official transcripts and certified documents showing all degrees conferred or awarded as soon as they become available, even if the degree will not be conferred until the semester of matriculation begins.

No.  All credentials, including transcripts and reference letters, submitted in support of an application become property of Boston University. Neither originals nor copies may be returned.