Differences Between Official and Unofficial Transcripts

Body

Transcript Type	Description	Target Audience	General Use (example)
Unofficial Transcript	Displays student's U-M coursework to date, Advanced Placement and examination credit Breakdown of accepted transfer course credit from external academic institutions Academic standing and discipline actions U-M degrees conferred Honors Milestones Previous academic institution degree and address information Academic Program/Plan activity Student's address and phone number Printed on plain white paper	Primarily Internal Document	Academic Standing evaluation tool General university (U-M) business Degree clearance tool (in lieu of Academic Advisement Report) Advising tool (in lieu of Academic Advisement Report)
Official Transcript	Displays student's U-M coursework to date, Advanced Placement and examination credit Total number of transfer course credits accepted from external academic institutions (courses not listed) U-M degrees conferred Honors Milestones (depending on the school or college policy) Does not include: Academic Program/Plan activity Detailed academic discipline actions (e.g., academic probation and academic progress notices) Student's address and phone number Printed on official transcript paper or sent as a secure electronic (PDF) document with Registrar's signature and U-M seal Printed and/or sent only by Registrar's Office	Primarily External Document	Application for admission to another institution Application for employment Used for all off-campus purposes

Transcript Type

Description

Target Audience

General Use (example)

Unofficial Transcript

Displays student's U-M coursework to date, Advanced Placement and examination credit
Breakdown of accepted transfer course credit from external academic institutions
Academic standing and discipline actions
U-M degrees conferred
Honors
Milestones
Previous academic institution degree and address information
Academic Program/Plan activity
Student's address and phone number

Printed on plain white paper

Primarily Internal Document

Official Transcript

Displays student's U-M coursework to date, Advanced Placement and examination credit
Total number of transfer course credits accepted from external academic institutions (courses not listed)
U-M degrees conferred
Honors
Milestones (depending on the school or college policy)

Does not include:

Academic Program/Plan activity
Detailed academic discipline actions (e.g., academic probation and academic progress notices)
Student's address and phone number

Printed on official transcript paper or sent as a secure electronic (PDF) document with Registrar's signature and U-M seal

Printed and/or sent only by Registrar's Office

Primarily External Document

Important points:

The unofficial transcript is not an official transcript and cannot take the place of an official transcript.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) rules and regulations apply to the information contained within all types of transcripts.