Transcripts & Degree Certificates

Uploading transcripts and degree certificates in the application system

Applicants must upload at the time of application a scanned PDF copy of their official transcripts in English (including the marking key for the transcripts) and degree certificates for all universities/colleges attended or currently attending (including exchange programs), except for UBC transcripts. Applicants must arrange for one copy of their official transcripts, open the envelope, scan and upload the transcripts online. Transcripts issued in a language other than English must also be accompanied by a certified English translation. There is no need to any provide information for secondary or high school attended.

If the official transcript has information (such as a marking key) written on the back of the document, applicants will need to upload one scanned copy of the back of the transcript. If the same information appears on the back of all transcripts, simply upload one PDF copy of the back page at the end of transcripts.

If the institution only issues the transcripts in a non-English language, applicants must provide certified English transcripts translated by a certified English translator. The translation must be a complete, word-by-word, literal English translation. Academic records must be translated in their entirety, including any information that appears on the reverse side of any document. Please ask the translator to certify the documents by stamping every page of the transcripts.

We will review the application based on the PDF copy of the official transcripts and degree certificates. If an offer is made, it will be conditional admission based on documents uploaded to the application system. However, admission offers will not be finalized, and applicants will not be allowed to register in a graduate program until hard copies of all required official academic records are received and validated by the University prior to arrival.

UBC transcripts

Applicants who have attended UBC are not required to upload or submit UBC transcripts, as the data is already available through the student database system.  Please be aware that applicants are still responsible for submitting transcripts from all other post-secondary institutions attended (e.g. exchange year, transfer year, etc.).

Sending Official Transcripts to fulfill the condition of admission

Only applicants who have been offered admission will be required to submit official academic records in sealed envelopes that have been endorsed by the issuing university. Transcripts and degree certificates must arrive in the UBC required format (see below).

Students will not be allowed to register until all official copies of the academic records have been received.

Official Academic Records

In order for transcripts and degree certificates to be considered official, academic records must either be received in official university envelopes, sealed and endorsed by the issuing institution; or be sent via secure electronic delivery by the issuing institution.   For electronic copies, the issuing institution should send the transcripts to graduate.sas@ubc.ca.

Mailing address:
Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies
The University of British Columbia
170-6371 Crescent Road    
Vancouver, BC  Canada   
V6T 1Z2 

Applicants must arrange to send one set of official transcripts in English from all colleges and universities attended in envelopes that have been sealed and endorsed (envelope stamped with the university stamp) by the issuing institution. Please do not send academic records that are from a third party, or not in envelopes that are endorsed by the issuing university, as this will only delay the processing of your application.

If you have completed your degree, you should ensure that your transcripts clearly indicate that you have successfully completed the degree (i.e. graduated).  The degree name and graduation date should be on the transcripts. If the official transcript does not indicate the degree name and the degree conferral date, then two official copies of the degree certificate are required (in original language and certified English translation). A provisional degree certificate is acceptable if your degree certificate will be issued at a later date.

Please note: Applicants who have completed a degree from the People's Republic of China must submit two sets of official degree certificates: in original language and certified English translation, regardless of whether or not the degree name and graduation date are noted on the transcript.

If your university does not endorse the envelope:   
If your university does not endorse the envelope, you will need to ask your university to send the documents directly to us by courier.  The waybill must clearly indicate that the sender name is the university or department and not from a person at the university.

If your university issues only one original copy of transcripts/degree certificate:   
Make photocopies of your original academic records and send them to your home university. Ask your home university to:

• verify that the photocopies are consistent with their records
• attest that the copies are true photocopies and stamp them with an official university stamp
• put the attested, stamped photocopies in sealed envelopes endorsed by the Registrar
• mail the sealed, endorsed envelopes directly to the Computer Science department.

Translation of Transcripts

If you have graduated from institutions where the transcripts are issued in a language other than English, and your university is able to provide English translations, you must: 

• mail one set of official transcripts in original language in sealed envelope endorsed by the issuing university to UBC Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, and
• mail one set of certified literal English translations of your transcripts from your home university to UBC Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.
• Note: both the original transcripts and the literal English translation must be in sealed envelopes endorsed by your university

If your home university does not provide English translations of transcripts, you must do the following:

• request for two sets of official transcripts in original language 
• mail one set of official transcripts in original language in sealed envelope endorsed by the issuing university to UBC Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and
• mail one set of the following documents in sealed, endorsed envelopes from the translator to UBC Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies:
  • make a photocopy of the other set of transcripts in original language. Do not open one set of transcripts, as it is intended for the graduate program.
  • take the copy to a certified English translator and ask them to provide a complete, word-by-word, literal English translation.  Academic records must be translated in their entirety, including any information that appears on the reverse side of any document.
  • tell the translator to put the original language photocopy and the English translation into sealed envelopes, and endorse the envelopes by signing across the seal
  • send the sealed, endorsed envelopes from the translator to UBC Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies

UBC does not accept the following:

• photocopies that have not been stamped, attested and endorsed by the Registrar at your home university
• documents in envelopes that have been opened
• documents that do not arrive in sealed envelopes endorsed by the issuing institution or certified translator
• documents that arrive without the official seal of the university
• photocopies notarized by a notary public
• photocopies endorsed by a lawyer, professor, judge, etc.
• unofficial translations
• non-literal translations

For information on universities issuing only a single copy of academic records, or that only issue academic records in languages other than English, see the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies website.

FAQ

Upload Transcripts and Degree Certificates for your application

Sending Transcripts and Degree Certificates AFTER an offer is made