The guidelines below are being provided as a supplement to the University of La Verne’s international admissions requirements in order to address the common issues and questions faced by international applicants. Please select a content area below to begin:
Submitting Official Documents
What do you mean by “official”?
In order to be considered official, transcripts must arrive in an original, sealed envelope issued directly by the university. Applicants should also request that their university provide an official English language version of transcripts and accompanying degree verifications in addition to the original language transcript. The academic record must be issued by the institution’s central administrative office responsible for preparing and verifying official student records. Documents issued by an individual academic department or by a notary public are not considered official. Transcripts should be postmarked from the university in their original out-going envelope (the envelope should not be written upon) and must be received within 45 days of their issue date. Transcripts should be on official school transcript paper. Photocopies are not permitted and are never considered official.
In many countries, transcripts do not list the degree earned and/or the date of conferral on the transcript, therefore it is highly recommended that students ask for an official degree verification/certification to accompany the transcripts; again, this must be sealed to be considered official and should be on school letterhead. This is typically a one-paragraph letter from your university issued on university letterhead that contains the school name, your name, the specific degree you earned, and the date your degree was conferred.
- Chinese students: Please contact the Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD) to complete their verification process. CSSD offers qualification services for a fee, and due to their relationship with Chinese institutions, is able to complete the verification process efficiently. We require the following documents to be verified and sent to us by CSSD: all graduation diplomas, graduation certificates, and academic records (official transcripts) issued by your post-secondary institution(s) of study. For incomplete programs, the Academic Records (official transcripts) are sufficient. It is highly recommended that you utilize CSSD services to ensure your transcripts will be considered official.
What if my university will only issue the transcripts to me?
It is highly preferred that applicants arrange for their university to mail transcripts directly to the University of La Verne (often times, applicants can supply the university with a prepaid shipping label to facilitate the process). If the university will only release transcripts to the applicant, applicants should request that the transcripts are placed into an official university envelope, sealed, and signed by the issuing body (i.e. Registrar). The original envelope (i.e. FedEx/DHL/etc) including the postal mailing information (i.e. stamps or the original waybill) should be forwarded as obtained, unopened, to the admissions office. The applicant should not write on the envelope. Transcripts submitted in this fashion may be submitted for validation, which may delay the application process.
- Chinese students: Please contact the CSSD to complete their verification process. CSSD offers qualification services for a fee, and due to their relationship with Chinese institutions, is able to complete the verification process efficiently. We require the following documents to be verified and sent to us by CSSD: all graduation diplomas, graduation certificates, and academic records (official transcripts) issued by your post-secondary institution(s) of study. For incomplete programs, the Academic Records (official transcripts) are sufficient. It is highly recommended that you utilize CSSD services to ensure your transcripts will be considered official.
What if my university cannot issue the transcripts in English?
If English language transcripts cannot be provided, applicants should provide the official original language transcript along with a notarized translation conducted by an accredited translation service (transcripts cannot be translated by the applicant, a friend/family member, or a professor or other university personnel unless done so through a dedicated office, such as a Registrar’s Office). In order to be considered official, transcripts must arrive in their original, sealed envelope issued directly by the translating agency. If the translation is being sent to the applicant, the original envelope should be forwarded, unopened, to the admissions office. Students already in the US should obtain a translation from a member of the American Translator’s Association.
What if I cannot obtain official transcripts?
Applicants unable to obtain official transcripts may contact the appropriate authority (typically the Ministry of Education) in their home country for assistance. Transcript and degree verifications/notarizations obtained by the Ministry of Education must again arrive in the original, sealed, ministry-issued envelope in order to be considered official and should be sent directly from the Ministry of Education to the University of La Verne. If no additional documentation is available through the school, and you are not able to have your documents verified through your Ministry of Education, you may wish to submit your transcripts for evaluation through an approved NACES institution (fees will apply for these services).
- Chinese students: Please contact the CSSD to complete their verification process. CSSD offers qualification services for a fee, and due to their relationship with Chinese institutions, is able to complete the verification process efficiently. We require the following documents to be verified and sent to us by CSSD: all graduation diplomas, graduation certificates, and academic records (official transcripts) issued by your post-secondary institution(s) of study. For incomplete programs, the Academic Records (official transcripts) are sufficient. It is highly recommended that you utilize CSSD services to ensure your transcripts will be considered official.
In Progress Transcripts
I have not yet graduated from my bachelor’s program. Can I apply?
Please request transcripts from your university showing the work you have completed to date. Once you complete your degree, you will need to submit official transcripts showing that the degree has been granted/conferred/completed in the manners described above.
Other Questions
I studied in a three-year bachelor degree program. Will my degree be accepted?
To be admitted as a regular graduate student, an applicant must normally have received a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical school of acceptable standing. Three year bachelor degrees from Bologna system schools are recognized by the University of La Verne. Applicants from Bologna schools should request that a diploma supplement accompany their transcripts. Applicants from other three-year degree programs will have their transcripts evaluated by the department they are applying to on the basis of their prior performance and professional promise.
I completed a self-study bachelor degree program. Will my degree be accepted?
Applicants who obtained a bachelor degree from a self-study program must obtain a course-by-course credential evaluation by an approved NACES institution (fees will apply for these services) to be considered for admission.
Do I need a credential evaluation?
A credential evaluation may typically be waived if the foreign transcript meets all the following criteria: a) is official (see above for definition of official) b) can be obtained in English, and c) indicates credit hours as measurement for classes attended. A credential evaluation may be required by the admissions office or department chair in some circumstances. These students should obtain a course-by-course credential evaluation by an approved NACES institution (fees will apply for these services).