May I upload, to my online application, a student copy of my transcript from my college or university website?

The transcript copy you upload onto your online application must be an official copy, which is typically obtained from your college or university Registrar's office or the office that issues official transcripts to students, or a student copy. Do not upload screenshots of your student portal.

If you are a currently enrolled graduate student at Columbia Engineering applying again to another department or degree level you must upload a copy of your transcript to your online application. This is required even if you are a student at Columbia Engineering already and whether or not it is your first semester and grades are available.   

I uploaded copies of official transcripts to my online application. Do I still need to submit official transcripts from each college or university by postal mail?

All applicants must upload copies of official transcripts to the online application system for review purposes. The Office of Graduate Admissions will require all official transcripts at the point of admission.

I only have an “in progress” transcript for my current program. Do I need to submit this transcript?

Yes, transcripts must be submitted for all institutions attended.

I am a currently enrolled Columbia Engineering student applying again, do I need to submit my Columbia transcript?

Yes, you are required to upload a copy of your Columbia transcript onto your online application. Do this even if your grades are pending and this is your first semester. However, you will not be required to mail or deliver an official copy of your transcript if you are subsequently admitted into the program.

I have been accepted and now I plan to mail in my official transcript, but it is still in progress until a later time. Can I wait until the final official transcript is available before mailing it?

Official transcripts must be received shortly after the start of the semester.

If you are an international student and your transcripts are not in English, you also need to mail an official notarized translation and separate degree certificates indicating the conferral of your degree.  Although uploaded or other copies of transcripts may be used for review purposes, enrollment is contingent upon receiving all official transcript/s, translations (if required), and degree certificates (international students).  If we do not receive these documents in a timely manner it may cause admission delays.

How do I submit my official transcripts?

Admitted students who plan to enroll must submit official transcripts to Columbia Engineering. Certified and secure online official transcripts must be submitted directly to Columbia from your prior academic institution(s)’ Registrar Office to [email protected]; among these must be a transcript indicating conferral of a Bachelor’s degree. The policy for submitting official transcripts is as follows:

1) All students who have attended a college or university in the United States must submit electronic transcripts directly from their school to [email protected].

If a school does not offer electronic delivery, applicants must write to [email protected] to provide us with the link to their institution's webpage concerning transcript orders.  Applicants may also be asked to provide additional documentation to confirm the school cannot send transcripts electronically. After verifying that your institution does not provide an electronic option, we will then authorize a hardcopy submission mailed directly to us by the Registrar of your university in a sealed envelope.

 2) All students attending Chinese institutions will be required to contact CHESICC to arrange submission of a “Verification Report of China Higher Education Student's Academic Transcript” AND a “Verification Report of China Higher Education Qualification Certificate” or "Online Verification Report of China Higher Education Qualification Certificate" (for those earning a degree in China) to Columbia at [email protected].


 3) All other students who have attended an international university must submit an electronic transcript (if their school offers secure online delivery) to [email protected].

If the university cannot send transcripts electronically via a secure, password-protected system, applicants must order a Course-by-Course Evaluation and International Credential Advantage Package to be sent electronically to [email protected] from World Education Services (WES).

Can I submit my official transcript in person?

No. We will not accept hand-delivered transcripts to our office, nor will we accept transcripts mailed by the student.

Will my transcripts be verified?

Yes, all information submitted during the application process will be verified prior to enrollment. All students must provide written consent to participate in a verification process of all academic, professional, and reference information provided during their application process.  All students must sign and date an authorization and release form to conduct the verification process. The link to do so will be provided once the student has formally accepted our offer of admission.    

My transcripts are not in English. What should I do?

If your official transcripts are not originally in English and the college/university you attended does not provide a translation of your official transcript into English, you must include a notarized translation to English for each of your non-English transcripts along with proof of graduation.  The translation must include complete contact information for the service provider. You may find and select a translation service of your choice. The official or original language transcript must be sent in addition to the translated version.

I am an international student.  My course grades are based on a different grading scale than the typical U.S. grading system. How can I determine my GPA?

Many translation or evaluation services can convert your grades to the U.S. scale. We recommend you use a NACES accredited evaluator to accurately determine what your GPA would be on a U.S. grading scale.

The table below is the standard A-F grading scale used at most schools within Columbia University:

Grade

GPA Value

General Description

A+

4.33

 

A

4.00

Excellent

A-

3.67

 

B+

3.33

 

B

3.00

Good

B-

2.67

 

C+

2.33

 

C

2.00

Satisfactory

C-

1.67

 

D+

1.33

 

D

1.00

Poor

D-

.67

 

F

0.00

Fail

Pass grades have no GPA value.

What do you mean by an official transcript?

Official transcripts are a record of your grades or results of academic study and are valid when issued by the school you attended. We require that you upload copies of your official transcripts to your online application. Final transcripts state that a degree has been conferred and provide the date of conferral and type of degree. If your school does not indicate this on transcripts, a separate official degree statement will also be required.