Final Transcript/Proof of Degree
Every enrolled student at Boston University is required to provide proof of degree earned for each prior degree earned to Boston University. This requirement should be completed prior to the start of your program. We will accept an official transcript stating your name, the institution awarding the degree, the name of the degree earned, and the date the degree was conferred. We will also accept an official degree certificate or diploma (must be in a sealed envelope from the institution or translation service).
The deadline for Fall entering students is October 15. Please note that students will not be able to register for Spring semester courses if they have not submitted proof of previous degree/s earned by this deadline. If you have not yet been awarded the degree by that time, you will need to provide an official letter or meet with administrators in the Graduate Programs Office.
In order to provide proof of degree, the transcript or certificate you provide should contain:
- The name and/or seal of the institution awarding the degree
- The name or title of the degree that has been conferred
- The date upon which the degree was conferred (month and year)
Proof of final degree must be received in an official manner and be issued or translated into English. These documents will not be considered official if:
- The transcript or degree certificate is received directly from the student and the document is not sealed (& signed or stamped over the seal) by the issuing institution/translation service. No opened or unsealed transcripts/degree certificates can be accepted by the College of Engineering.
- The documents are received electronically, directly from the student and not the issuing institution or translation service.
- The documents are unofficial copies or faxes.
- The documents are received open (not in sealed envelopes as issued by the university).
- The documents have been written on or changed in any way.
If the documents are not sealed by the previous institution, the documents may be deemed as unofficial, and the GPO will request new documents.
If you are unable to provide proof that your degree has been awarded, we ask that you provide an official letter from an official at your previous institution, on official letter head, with a date and signature, stating that all degree requirements have been met, and the date that the degree will be awarded in the future. This letter does not waive the requirement of a final, official transcript/degree certificate, but it will allow students to register for spring courses. Students will need to submit the final transcript/degree certificate after it becomes available.
How to Submit Your Proof of Previous Degree
You may submit your required Final Transcript(s)/Degree Certificate in one of two ways- electronically or paper version.
Request your previous institution(s) send official transcript(s)/degree certificate(s) directly to the graduate programs office: enggrad@bu.edu. We will not accept electronic official transcripts directly from students. If using Parchment for electronic transcript delivery, please select ‘Boston University – Graduate Programs Office – College of Engineering’ as the recipient. If using National Clearinghouse, please select ‘Boston University – College of Engineering – Graduate Programs’ as the recipient. If you select the generic ‘Boston University’, it will not go to our office and you will need to order it again.
Request your previous institution(s) send official transcripts directly to the graduate programs office.
Mailing Address:
Boston University College of Engineering
Graduate Programs Office
Attention: Transcripts
44 Cummington Mall, Room 114
Boston, MA 02215
United States of America
- Request an official transcript/degree certificate be sent to yourself. Leave the official version in the sealed envelope provided to you by the institution, and bring this official version with you to Boston. You may submit the documentation in person at New Graduate Student Orientation, or to the Graduate Programs Office, Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.
US, Canadian, and Western European Transcripts
Transcripts from schools in these countries often will list the degree earned and date it was conferred directly on your official transcript. An official, sealed final transcript should be turned into the graduate programs.
Chinese Transcripts
Chinese schools often issue a degree certificate with a transcript. If your transcript indicates that your degree was awarded and the date it was awarded, a final degree certificate is not required.
If your school’s transcript does not list a final degree awarded and the date, we do require an official degree certificate to be sealed with your transcript. Unfortunately, if the degree certificate is not sealed, we will be unable to accept it as official. You may submit a sealed transcript, an unsealed degree certificate, and an Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate from CHSI (CHSI) which we will then verify independently.
Provisional Certificates
If your previous school issues a “provisional certificate” prior to issuing your degree, please provide a copy of this certificate with an official transcript. When your degree is ultimately awarded, we ask that you provide a copy of your official diploma to the Graduate Programs Office.
FAQ
I already uploaded my transcript when I applied, do I need to send another transcript?
Any transcript uploaded with your application or emailed directly to our office is not considered an official transcript. Before you matriculate you will need to provide an official transcript, directly from your previous institution, to verify and authenticate the degree(s) you have previously earned.
Can I bring my transcript to your office in person when I arrive in Boston?
Yes. As long as your official transcript or degree certificate is in a sealed envelope issued by your institution and it has not been opened, we will accept transcripts that are delivered in person.
I went to school in China and was only able to get my transcript in a sealed envelope. My degree certificates are not, what can I do?
If your degree certificates are not sealed, you can do one of the following options:
- If you have friends or family that live near your former school, you may ask for their assistance in obtaining your final transcript and degree certificate in a sealed envelope. They can then mail these documents to you, and you may submit directly to our office in the sealed envelope.
- If you are returning to China during a school break and live close to your previous school, you may work with your academic department during the break to obtain an official, sealed final transcript & degree certificate. When you return for the following semester, you may submit the documentation in the sealed and stamped degree certificate to the Graduate Programs Office.
- You may have your degree verified and authenticated through the China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center (CHESICC) – www.chsi.com.cn . You can then email or bring in the verification report for our office to authenticate with the Chinese Ministry of Education and verify the final degree you have earned. Graduate Programs Office E-mail: enggrad@bu.edu Example of a Verification Report here: CHSI-Report
- You may wish to use a U.S.-based translation and evaluation service such as Education Credential Evaluators – www.ece.org – or World Education Services – www.wes.org. If you choose to use one of these services, be sure to submit the course-by-course evaluation to Boston University College of Engineering.
I am issued only one official, final transcript and degree certificate
If your previous institution only provides one official transcript upon graduation, students may bring the original transcript and degree certificate to a notary/translation service, who can attest they have seen the original documents and provide a certified or true copy. The original, certified copy should be provided to Boston University in a sealed envelope directly from the notary/translation service. The notary or translation service can then stamp or sign their name over the seal of the envelope to ensure that you have not opened it. You can then submit the official copy to the Graduate Programs Office.
I will not be awarded my degree for a few years, but have finished the program...
If students have completed their degree program but their official degree will not be awarded until a point in the future, students should provide a provisional certificate from their previous institution indicating that they have completed their degree program and will be awarded their degree in the future. Once these students are awarded their official degree certificate, they should provide an official copy of this document to the Graduate Programs Office. Verification of previous degrees are required prior to graduation from Boston University.
My transcript does not list the degree I earned on it...
For many institutions, the certified document indicating your awarded degree may be separate from the transcript, such as a diploma. The certified document must contain the name of the degree earned, the date the degree on which the degree was awarded, and the name of the awarding institution.
If the degree awarded and date conferred is not listed on the official transcript, students should submit an official document from their previous institution indicating that they have received their degree. This document can be your degree certificate or a certified copy of your diploma. (A letter from your institution will not satisfy this requirement). This official document should be provided with a final transcript and should be received in a sealed envelope from the previous institution.
My previous institution does not issue final transcripts in sealed envelopes...
Many international schools will issue transcripts in sealed envelopes if you speak to your academic offices. We understand that this process may take a bit more time, but it is important for us as a way to authenticate every degree that we receive from our incoming students.
If your college or university does not issue your final transcript or degree certificate in sealed envelopes, you can bring in your original diploma along with your official transcript (containing the University stamp or seal on it). We can make a true copy of the original diploma after we evaluate it in our office. If your original diploma is not in English, please see the FAQ “My final transcript is not issued in English?”.
Our office will evaluate every transcript that arrives and authenticate them as they are received. If your transcript and/or degree certificate is unsealed, you are welcome to send it to our office and we will evaluate it in person. However, we will be unable to say if it will be accepted as official without seeing the document in person.
My final transcript and/or degree certificate is not issued in English...
If your previous degree is provided in a language other than English and your previous institution does not offer a translated, official copy; students should provide the original document with an official translated copy. The translation will need to be the original official translation; photocopies will not be accepted.
If your university does not provide your transcript in English, you can contact an embassy/consulate to determine if they provide translation/notary services of academic transcripts and records:
U.S. Department of State – List of Embassies
Consulate Offices in Boston
Do you accept electronic transcripts?
We do accept secured electronic delivery of transcripts through companies like the following: Avow, eScrip-Safe, National Student Clearinghouse, Parchment, Docufied, and Digitary. Electronic transcripts will not be accepted as official if they are emailed from the student or uploaded through the online application system.
Electronic transcripts should be sent to enggrad@bu.edu.
What are some common mistakes when requesting final transcripts?
Make sure your previous college or university has updated your degree and it is reflected on your final transcript. Our office will need to see the degree you earned and the date it was conferred on your transcript; check with your previous university to make sure your transcript has been updated before you request one.
Make sure you mail your transcript to the correct office. BU has many admissions offices, all of them are for different schools and programs within Boston University, and we will not know if your transcript was delivered to the wrong office. Make sure your transcript comes to the Graduate Programs Office.