Transcript Guidance

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts are a requirement for most documents issued by the Commission. In order for transcripts to be considered official they must be: 

• Printed on security paper directly and/or displaying an official raised seal from the college or university, per the institutions standard practice.

       OR

• If the college or university uses a transcript clearinghouse agency for printed transcript copies, these must include a cover letter identifying the degree granting institution and show that the physical transcript copy was mailed directly to the educator. 

       OR

• Electronic transcripts submitted directly to the Commission from a digital credential service are considered official transcripts. The Commission currently accepts these direct transmissions from:
  • Parchment - Educators must select the Commission as the authorized recipient of transcripts
  • eScrip-Safe - Educator should enter etranscripts@ctc.ca.gov as transcript recipient
  • TranscriptNetwork - Educator should enter etranscripts@ctc.ca.gov as transcript recipient
  • National Student Clearinghouse - Educator should enter etranscripts@ctc.ca.gov as transcript recipient
  • College/University - Educator should enter etranscripts@ctc.ca.gov as transcript recipient

Additionally, the following applies to all official transcripts regardless of format:

• Printed transcripts do not need to be kept in a sealed envelope. Opened transcripts are accepted so long as they follow the guidance listed here.
• Transcripts must be issued from a regionally-accredited college or university. Further information can be found under Regional Accreditation Information.

Acceptable Coursework and Degree Information

• When meeting a degree requirement, the official transcripts must clearly display the conferral date of the degree. It may also be listed as a degree granted date, or a degree issued date.
• Matriculation date is not the same as the conferral date. If a transcript only shows a matriculation date for a program it will not qualify as evidence of earning a degree. Similarly, if a transcript lists the program name and the date of enrollment into the program, this is not evidence of degree conferral. 
  
• Coursework submitted for evaluation must be non-remedial and be passed with a grade of C- or better. Coursework specifically used for the Basic Skills Requirement must be passed with a grade of B- or better.
• Coursework that is designated as “Pass” or “Credit” in lieu of a letter grade is acceptable as long as the student earned degree-applicable units for the course.

All transcripts submitted to the Commission for any purpose must have been issued by a regionally-accredited college or university. For further information, please review the Regional Accreditation Information.

Verified True Copies

Employers have the ability to submit verified true copies of official transcripts. Verified true copies are marked with a stamp, signature, or other notation from the employer or IHE to verify that what is submitted is a true and unaltered copy of an official transcript. File dating an application form also indicates that all photocopied documents included in the packet were copied from original documents. 

If submitting an electronic transcript PDF which was transmitted directly to the college/university or employer, we require the submission of verification that the PDF was sent directly to the college/university or employer, not the educator. This is usually noted in an email sent as part of the distribution process or the cover page of the transcript itself listing the recipient. 

The Commission maintains the right to request an official transcript through a traditional method if there is any reason to doubt the authenticity of the submission. Photocopies of diplomas, Word documents, and Registrar letters are not acceptable for degree verification.

Uploads through CTC Online

If a program sponsor is also the degree granting institution for the educator we can accept uploaded copies/screenshots from that IHE’s internal systems showing the conferral of a degree. These are considered “unofficial transcripts” and uploading through CTC Online is the only time such documents are accepted. The documentation must be uploaded during the online recommendation process. Recommenders should note that the CTC Online system caps attachment size at 10MB and will reject any larger file. 

If the educator earned a degree through another institution “unofficial transcripts” are not accepted. The Commission maintains the right to request an official transcript through a traditional method if there is any reason to doubt the authenticity of the submission. Photocopies of diplomas, Word documents, and Registrar letters are not acceptable for degree verification. 

Electronic Transcripts

If submitting an electronic transcript PDF which was transmitted directly to the college/university or employer, we require the submission of verification that the PDF was sent directly to the college/university or employer, not the educator. This is usually noted in an email sent as part of the distribution process or the cover page of the transcript itself listing the recipient. 

The Commission can only accept course work and degrees completed at regionally accredited institutions. Degrees and course work must have been completed while the institution was regionally accredited in order for the Commission to consider them for credentialing purposes. Course work completed in other states is acceptable as long as the institution holds regional accreditation through one of the accrediting bodies listed below. Course work and degrees completed outside of the United States must be evaluated by a Commission-approved foreign transcript evaluation agency before it may be used for credentialing purposes.

To determine the accreditation status of any college or university, the Commission uses a publication entitled Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education (AIPE) to verify accreditation. To obtain a copy, please visit the AIPE website at www.acenet.edu. This publication is revised and published annually. This book also contains institutions accredited by agencies that are NOT approved by the Commission for credentialing purposes in California.

The acceptable regional accrediting bodies are:

• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA)/Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  Website: www.msche.org
  States represented by MSA: Washington DC, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Island, and Overseas
• The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) (formerly Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges or NASC)
  Website: www.nwccu.org
  States represented by NWCCU: Utah, Idaho, Washington, Alaska, New York, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, and Costa Rica
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC) (formerly North Central Association of Colleges and Schools or NCA)
  Website: www.hlcommission.org
  States represented by HLC: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming
• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) (formerly New England Association of Schools and Colleges or NEASC-CIHE)
  Website: www.neche.org
  States represented by NECHE: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Overseas
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC)
  Website: www.sacscoc.org
  States represented by SACS-CC: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Latin America
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges/Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
  Website: www.accjc.org
  States represented by WASC-JR & SR: California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands, Pacific Basin and East Asia
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges/Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
  Website: www.wscuc.org
  States represented by WASC-JR & SR: California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands, Pacific Basin and East Asia

The Commission is able to receive electronic transcripts directly from digital credential services. Currently, the Commission receives direct transcripts from e-Scrip Safe and Parchment. If a different digital credential service agency would like to begin submitting transcripts directly, please email etranscripts@ctc.ca.gov. This email address is only for digital credential services. Any other questions not from a digital credential service will be deleted without a response. 

Individuals who have completed college or university course work at an institution in a country other than the United States must obtain a complete evaluation of foreign transcripts, degrees[1], and other relevant documents prior to applying to the Commission for a California credential, permit, or certificate. Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a Commission-approved organization in order to be accepted by the Commission. These organizations are private enterprises who charge a fee for their services. Individuals seeking a foreign transcript evaluation must follow the procedures outlined by the organization providing the evaluation. 

• A detailed, course-by-course, foreign transcript evaluation is required any time foreign course work is used to meet any credential requirement, even if the foreign course work has been accepted by a college or university in the United States. 
• All of the Commission-approved evaluation agencies offer rush services at an additional cost. Contact the agency for more information on fees and other requirements for the evaluation.
• In all instances, original, official documentation will be required when requesting the evaluation.

Note [1]: The bachelor’s degree requirement for California certification refers to the equivalent of a four-year (or more) college-level program. Individuals who obtained a credential or teaching certificate in a jurisdiction outside of the United States should also submit a photocopy of that document to the evaluating agency.

Foreign Transcript Evaluating Agencies

Refer to the Commission Approved Foreign Transcript Evaluating Agencies list for agencies that have been approved by the Commission to provide evaluation of college or university course work completed at an institution in a country other than the United States.