How Do I Know if the AMCAS Program Requires an Official Transcript?

One official transcript is required from each U.S., U.S. territorial, or Canadian postsecondary institution at which you have attempted coursework, regardless of whether you earned credit. The transcript requirement applies but is not limited to:

  • College-level courses attempted while in high school, even if the courses did not count toward
    a degree at any college.
  • Colleges at which you originally attempted a course, even if the credit was subsequently transferred to and accepted by another school.
  • Colleges where you registered but did not earn any credit (e.g., incompletes, withdrawals,
    failures, audits).
  • Courses that did not count toward a degree regardless of whether credit was earned or transferred.
  • Extension programs through which you attempted courses if the extension division provided a separate transcript.
  • Correspondence and home study programs.
  • Military education and Joint Services Transcripts (JSTs).
  • American colleges overseas.
  • U.S., U.S. territorial, and Canadian medical schools.

The AMCAS program does not accept any transcripts from international evaluation services. Please refer to the Study Abroad Coursework section for further instructions.

Electronic Transcripts

The AMCAS program accepts official transcripts mailed by your registrar or electronically submitted as an eTranscript by an approved vendor, either National Student Clearinghouse or Parchment. Contact your school’s registrar’s office to find out what their transcript transmission process is. The AMCAS program prefers electronic transcript submission. For efficient processing, please submit your transcript electronically to the AMCAS program. If you request an electronic transcript, do not send a paper transcript. When requesting e-transcripts, make sure to provide your accurate AAMC ID and Transcript ID to prevent delays. 

The AMCAS program will not accept transcripts sent by fax or email. If your institution is not set up with a vendor to send transcripts electronically and can’t mail a paper transcript, please have your registrar contact etranscripts@aamc.org. Additional information about mailing transcripts be found on our website.

If No Official Transcript Is Available

If the institution provides only a certificate of completion or does not provide an official transcript, the registrar of the institution must send the AMCAS program an official letter verifying that no official transcript is available.

If the Institution Closed

If an institution has closed, archived transcripts should be available. Ownership of the archived transcripts varies from state to state, but we suggest the following list to start your search, in addition to a basic Internet search:

  • State Department of Education.
  • State Department of Commerce.
  • Another campus if the school was part of a multicampus system.
  • The National Student Clearinghouse.

Your application will not be processed without an official transcript or detailed letter from the registrar’s office indicating that no transcript is available.

College-Level Courses Taken While in Middle and High School

Many students attempt college-level courses while still in middle and high school. The courses primarily fall into the following categories:

  • Advanced Placement (AP) Prep Courses and Exams
    Unless a U.S. or Canadian postsecondary institution has granted credit for an AP course or an AP exam, such information should not be listed on the application. If credit has been granted, courses and exams should be listed according to the instructions regarding AP credit.
  • Other Courses
    Many students take other types of college-level courses either independently or through special programs offered by their school. Courses should be listed on your application under the name of the college, regardless of where the course was held.

Before completing your AMCAS application, contact the relevant college to determine transcript availability. If a transcript from the college is available, you need to have it sent to the AMCAS program and make sure the courses are listed in the Coursework section of your application.

If a transcript is not available from the relevant college, the college’s registrar should send an official, detailed letter (with a Transcript Request Form attached) indicating that no transcript is available because of institutional policies. Do not send middle or high school transcripts to the AMCAS program.