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Transcript Requirements

All Applicants

All applicants must have received—or be on track to receive before matriculation as a graduate student—a baccalaureate degree from a college or university of recognized standing. For students with international credentials, an equivalent international degree is required. Transcripts are required for every college or university you have attended. If transfer credits are noted on your undergraduate transcript, you should list the transfer school on your application but there is no need to upload a separate transcript. Please inform your prospective graduate field if your name on any of your credentials will be different from the one noted on your application.

The online application requires you to upload an unofficial copy of each official transcript. To prepare your transcripts, follow the steps below:

  1. Do not upload transcripts that include a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN). Redact, cross out, or cover your SSN, if applicable, before scanning the document.
  2. The online application will not accept or properly display encrypted or password-protected documents. Official electronic transcripts (e-transcripts) must be printed first, then scanned and uploaded.
  3. Scan or save each transcript (and the English translation, if applicable) as a PDF, TIFF, JPEG, or GIF file. Combine multiple pages from the same transcript into one file; the file size for each upload cannot exceed 10MB. 
  4. Ensure each scanned or saved image is clear and easy to read before submitting your application.

Admitted students are required to submit official electronic transcripts (e-transcripts) directly to the Graduate School Admissions Office after accepting the offer of admission. Please see below for additional details.

Applicants with International Credentials — Additional Requirements

In addition to transcripts, applicants with international credentials must also provide a certified copy of the diploma and/or degree certificate for any conferred degree. All academic records must be official documents issued by the college or university and provided in the original language. A certified or notarized English translation must accompany the academic records if the original language is not English.

A complete set of academic records should include the name of the degree program in which you were enrolled, your dates of attendance, a list of courses taken each year, grades received in each course, and the date your degree was conferred (if applicable). Combine multiple pages from the same set of academic records into one file; the file size for each upload cannot exceed 10MB. 

Admitted students are required to submit official electronic transcripts (e-transcripts) directly to the Graduate School Admissions Office after accepting the offer of admission. Please see below for additional details.

Admitted Students

This section is only applicable to admitted students who have accepted an offer of admission from Cornell.

You must submit an official electronic transcript of your undergraduate degree, with the degree marked as conferred or awarded, to the Graduate School Admissions Office. Submit your documents as soon as possible to avoid processing delays. Documents must be received before October 1 for summer and fall admits, or before March 1 for spring admits.

  • If you earned your undergraduate degree from Cornell University, you do not need to submit an official transcript.
  • The Graduate School Admissions Office requires its own official electronic copy of your documents. Any transcripts or other academic records that you submitted with your application, or sent directly to your admitting program, will not fulfill the final transcript requirement. 
  • If you earned your undergraduate degree at an institution outside the U.S., you must provide the transcript, a certified copy of your diploma and/or degree certificate, and a certified translation of all documents if they are not already in English. All documents must be delivered electronically.
  • Any documents sent to the Graduate School Admissions Office will become the property of the university and physical copies will not be retained.

Electronic submission is required

Transcripts and other required academic records must be delivered to Cornell electronically either by your institution OR by a credential verification service. We do not accept transcripts directly from students. Preferred providers include:

Important Notes:

  • We have download accounts with CertiFile, Parchment, TEC, and WES.
  • If you are using another service, or if documents are being electronically delivered by your institution, please have transcripts or retrieval instructions delivered to gradtranscripts@cornell.edu.
  • E-transcripts with a retrieval deadline or expiration date should not be submitted to the Graduate School Admissions Office between March 1-June 1.
  • Due to the volume of transcripts we receive and process, we are unable to send a confirmation receipt when we receive your transcript. We will only notify you directly if we are missing any documents.
  • If you are having financial or logistical difficulties meeting the final transcript requirement, please use our online request form to contact us regarding your options.

CertiFile

What is CertiFile? Is it required?

The CertiFile service provides Cornell with verified official transcripts and other required documents and prevents the submission of fraudulent or unsuitable credentials. The documents are delivered directly to our office, you will be notified immediately when they arrive, and there is no expiration date for us to retrieve them. Additionally, your verified credentials will be stored in your Digitary wallet so you can access and share them with employers, recruiters, or other schools whenever you need to. Using CertiFile fully satisfies the Graduate School Admissions Office’s transcript requirements.

How much does it cost?

Students with international credentials (or a combination of U.S. and international credentials) will pay $205 USD to have them verified, evaluated, and delivered electronically to Cornell. Students with U.S. (domestic) credentials will pay $56 USD to have them verified and delivered electronically to Cornell.

How do I place a CertiFile order? When should I start?

You can initiate a CertiFile order from your ApplyWeb activity page at any time after accepting your offer of admission. If you are still enrolled in your current degree program, wait until after you graduate to place your order. Please confirm with your school that your degree has been posted before ordering. An applicant can update an existing order for $65 USD (international) or $25 (domestic).

I already have credentials stored in my Digitary or MyEquals account. What should I do?

Initiate a CertiFile order through the Admission Supplement or your ApplyWeb activity page. When prompted, indicate that you want to attach existing academic credentials from your Digitary or MyEquals account, then follow the directions to select the documents you wish to have delivered to Cornell. The CertiFile service will deliver the credentials directly to Cornell on your behalf for free.

Who should I contact for help with my order?

You can find the answers to many of your questions using ApplyWeb’s CertiFile help page. For additional technical assistance, email help@applyweb.com.