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Official Records Policy

Send admission related documents to:
Admissions
Portland State University
PO Box 751
Portland, OR 97207-0751

Official Transcript and Degree Certificate

An official transcript or degree certificate is a verification of your academic record issued in the original language from the original issuing source (i.e., college, university, technical school, or secondary school). Official documents must arrive at Portland State in the original unopened envelope as issued by the originating institution, with an institutional stamp or signature on the closed envelope flap.

Official transcipts or degree certificates issued in languages other than English must be translated into English and submitted to Portland State along with the original official documents.

An official transcript or degree certificate is not:

  • a document that has been authorized by an official notary or goverment office;
  • a photocopy of a document;
  • a document that arrives at Portland State without an envelope or in an open envelope; nor
  • a translation of a document.

Attested Documents

Many international schools issue only one original transcript or degree certificate. Please do not submit your original copy to Portland State. Instead, request that the issuing institution attest a copy of the document.

To request an attested document, send a photocopy (never the original) of the document to the institution that originally issued it. They will verify the photocopy against their records, place the institutional stamp or seal on the photocopy (thereby attesting to its accuracy), put the attested copy into an institutional envelope, and affix their stamp or seal over the envelope closure. The issuing institution can mail the attested copy directly to the Office of Admissions or you may deliver the unopened envelope to the office in person.

Official Translation

An offical translation is an exact, precise English translation of your academic documents that has been prepared by the issuing institution or a professional translator.

An official translation is not:

  • a document that has been authorized by an official notary or goverment office;
  • a photocopy of a translation; nor
  • a document translated by you, your friends, or your family.

Official Exam Results Certificate

An official exam results certificate is a verification of your exam results issued by the examining body (O-Levels, A-Levels, WAEC, or others). An exam results certificate is not a transcript. Certificates must arrive at Portland State in the original unopened envelope as issued by the examining body, with an institutional stamp or signature on the closed envelope flap.

An official exam results certificate is not:

  • a document that has been produced or authorized by a school;
  • a photocopy of a certificate; nor
  • a document that arrives at Portland State without an envelope or in an open envelope.

Policy on Unofficial Documents for International Transcripts

Although Portland State can use unofficial transcripts from international institutions to evaluate your application for admission, you are required to submit official documents before the end of your first term of enrollment. Failure to provide official documents may result in processing delays and registration holds and will delay your transfer credit evaluation.  Please note: to evaluate applications for admission, official transcripts must be submitted from all U.S. colleges and universities.

All documents submitted to Portland State become the property of Portland State and cannot be photocopied or returned.