An official transcript is a certified copy of your academic record sent directly from your school, or the vendor your school uses, to the recipient. An unofficial transcript is a self-service copy you download for your own reference. Admissions offices almost always require the official version, and they usually require it to arrive from the school rather than from you.
You will need one when you apply to transfer, apply to graduate school, or when an employer or licensing board verifies your education. This guide covers the three ways schools deliver transcripts, how to place a request step by step, how high school and college requests differ, how long the process takes, and what to do when you need transcripts sent from more than one school at once.
Official vs. unofficial transcript: which do you need?
For a transfer application, you need the official transcript. Unofficial transcripts are for your own planning and are not accepted for admissions, credit evaluation, or employment verification. The difference is not the information on the page, which is largely the same, but who sends it and how its authenticity is verified.
Official transcripts
Official transcripts are issued by the registrar's office or its designated vendor. They arrive sealed in a signed envelope or through secure electronic delivery, and they carry the school's seal or certification.
The defining feature is the chain of custody. An official transcript travels from your school to the recipient without passing through your hands, which is how the receiving institution knows it has not been altered. This is also the document a university's credit evaluation runs on, so it determines which of your courses count toward your degree, not just whether you are admitted.
If you are curious how that evaluation works, the guide on transferring credits from a completed degree walks through what schools look for.
Unofficial transcripts
Unofficial transcripts are usually available instantly and free through your student portal. Download one whenever you want to check your GPA, confirm how many credits you have earned, or plan which courses to take next term.
They are genuinely useful for your own planning, and many students use them to double-check their class standing before a transfer application. They just cannot be submitted in place of the official version.