should have an identification number, title, and course description and appear in the
school’s academic bulletin or elective handbook, or both. When a student is currently
enrolled in a course, that course may be listed on the academic transcript with an
indication that the course is “in progress.”
11. The transcript should include a legend that explains:
○ the school’s name, address and contact number(s)
○ the school’s grading system(s) and symbols
○ the inclusive dates for grading systems, when changes in the grading
system have occurred
○ graduation honors
○ units of credit, and
○ notation of courses in progress, if not represented in the body of the transcript.
If the school requires a student to either record a score on, or pass, the USMLE Step
examination(s) for promotion and/or graduation, this policy should be included in the
transcript legend. Additionally, the legend should include the accreditation status of the
school, a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) disclaimer, and
information regarding how the authenticity of the transcript can be determined.
12. Issuing official academic transcripts is a central and unique function of the Registrar’s
Office. Transcripts should be issued only with the express permission of the student or
former student who has completed identification authentication procedures (i.e. written
or electronic signature, authenticated portal login, etc.)
○ A transcript is issued only at the request of the current student, former student
or a specified third party whom the student or former student has authorized to
obtain a transcript for a specific stated purpose. The third party must be
specified, and the release form must state that the school may release the
student’s or former student’s transcript for that purpose.
○ To minimize potential fraud, a transcript issued directly to the student or former
student should be identified as “Issued to the Student.”
○ An institution that issues “unofficial” transcripts should define the characteristics
of an unofficial transcript on their website and/or transcript legend (i.e. issued on
white paper, labeled as “unofficial,” etc.)
○ A transcript ceases to be an “official” transcript if it is photocopied, faxed or
replicated in an unofficial way.
○ The Registrar’s Office must maintain a record of transcript transmittals in
accordance with their institution’s retention and disposal policies. This record
must show the date on which and the party to whom a transcript was
transmitted, as well as the purpose for which the transcript was issued, if
known.
○ If the school has a policy that requires withholding transcripts due to a student’s
failure to fulfill institutional obligations, such as an outstanding balance, a
default on a student loan, or other reasons, the policy should be stated clearly
in both the school’s academic catalog and student handbook.
13. Schools must implement security measures to minimize fraudulent representation of
the school’s academic transcript, such as: security paper, multicolored ink for the
registrar’s signature, embossed seal, inclusion of a physical description of the
transcript in the transcript key, and institutional contact information.
14. When a transcript is transmitted electronically (e.g., for the Electronic Residency
Application Service [ERAS], Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS), Medical