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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Help! University not processing transcript so son can't apply for Masters degree.

204 replies

rosiethehen · 22/08/2020 08:58

Ds completed his degree this year and was awarded a First. He wishes to start a Masters this autumn, but his applications are stalled due to his university not forwarding a pdf of his transcript to prove he has actually graduated. One of his application deadlines is next week.

He has contacted his tutors and the department responsible, but nobody appears to be interested.

He is also planning on applying to the Civil Service this autumn and it may affect this process as well.

Please, does anybody have any advice on what to do?

OP posts:
FortunesFave · 22/08/2020 09:14

What do you mean "nobody seems interested"?? What have they said about it? Exactly?

Original poster
rosiethehen · 22/08/2020 09:16

He's applied for a transcript and has been told it will take 21 days. Other than that, there's nothing they can do.

OP posts:
LittleMissNaice · 22/08/2020 09:16

I don't think this would be the responsibility of the department or the teaching staff. Is there a central admin service he can contact.

thereinmadnesslies · 22/08/2020 09:17

Is he trying to get a paper transcript or an electronic one? At the university I work at we are unable to issue paper transcripts because the building where these would be printed is locked still. Students can get electronic transcripts but they have to register for a service that provides this - is this an option for your son? Some students are uncomfortable at not having a paper copy but there’s nothing we can do until the building reopens.

BackwardsGoing · 22/08/2020 09:24

It's usually Student Administration or the Registry that issues transcripts. A 21 day turnaround seems long.
Contact the university he's applying to and explain. They might be flexible.

Hargao · 22/08/2020 09:24

Did he leave applying for it late? 21 days seems about normal to me.

Original poster
rosiethehen · 22/08/2020 09:25

Yes, he's registered for the electronic version, but it will still take 21 days and one of his application deadlines is next week, so he's now missed it.

OP posts:
Chemenger · 22/08/2020 09:26

We also are not producing paper transcripts but students can download an electronic one pretty much instantly . They are also know as Higher Education Achievement Reports, searching for that might help. I agree that academic staff probably know little or nothing about the process of producing transcripts. I would get in touch with the universities he is applying to and explain the problem. Does he have an electronic degree certificate?

SueEllenMishke · 22/08/2020 09:26

This wouldn't be the responsibility of his tutors or department. It will be a central registry department.
Everyone in universities are extremely busy right now but you should chase it with Registry ( or whatever his university calls it) and not his tutors. You'll just be delaying matters by adding a third party.

SueEllenMishke · 22/08/2020 09:27

@rosiethehen

Yes, he's registered for the electronic version, but it will still take 21 days and one of his application deadlines is next week, so he's now missed it.
Has he explained the situation to the university he's applying to? I'd be very, very surprised if they weren't flexible given the current situation.
Noneformethanks · 22/08/2020 09:28

He should be able to download an electronic HEAR or transcript off his student portal?

GCAcademic · 22/08/2020 09:32

@Noneformethanks

He should be able to download an electronic HEAR or transcript off his student portal?
This.
ItalianHat · 22/08/2020 09:32

He's applied for a transcript and has been told it will take 21 days. Other than that, there's nothing they can do.

That's hardly "not interested." It takes 21 days.

I know you won't agree with what I'm about to say, but just to remind you that universities are dealing with the Government's almighty stuff up around A levels. At my place, most admin staff are dealing with trying to find a fair way to allocate limited places, finding suitable accommodation (they've booked almost 1000 rooms in the city for extra incoming students) chartering planes to get returning international students back in time, and working on adapting all the university buildings for COVID safety. It's costing around £8 mill extra to start this academic year.

So 21 days to get a transcript put together, double-checked, and officially stamped etc might be just the time it takes at the moment.

Carriemac · 22/08/2020 09:32

This is what my daughter is experiencing too, she needs a transcript by the end of August or she loses her masters place but , despite having applied for it on August 1st , it has not been issued yet. I understand that the uni buildings may be inaccessible but surely this is an electronic process ? 30 k in fees, staff in full pay ‘working from home’ and the lack of interest and help from the university is appalling.

Carriemac · 22/08/2020 09:33

And some universities ( Bristol for example) can manage to do this on time

Noneformethanks · 22/08/2020 09:34

@Carriemac

This is what my daughter is experiencing too, she needs a transcript by the end of August or she loses her masters place but , despite having applied for it on August 1st , it has not been issued yet. I understand that the uni buildings may be inaccessible but surely this is an electronic process ? 30 k in fees, staff in full pay ‘working from home’ and the lack of interest and help from the university is appalling.
Get her to check her student portal. I have experience of 3 different universities and ALL had facility to download a copy of HEAR and student transcript from portal.
BackwardsGoing · 22/08/2020 09:39

@ItalianHat

He's applied for a transcript and has been told it will take 21 days. Other than that, there's nothing they can do.

That's hardly "not interested." It takes 21 days.

I know you won't agree with what I'm about to say, but just to remind you that universities are dealing with the Government's almighty stuff up around A levels. At my place, most admin staff are dealing with trying to find a fair way to allocate limited places, finding suitable accommodation (they've booked almost 1000 rooms in the city for extra incoming students) chartering planes to get returning international students back in time, and working on adapting all the university buildings for COVID safety. It's costing around £8 mill extra to start this academic year.

So 21 days to get a transcript put together, double-checked, and officially stamped etc might be just the time it takes at the moment.

Academic transcripts are standard requests and not difficult to produce. They are largely automated (unless the student had a non-typical student journey).

Admissions and student accommodation staff are not involved in the process so that debacle should not affect timescales.

SueEllenMishke · 22/08/2020 09:39

@Carriemac

This is what my daughter is experiencing too, she needs a transcript by the end of August or she loses her masters place but , despite having applied for it on August 1st , it has not been issued yet. I understand that the uni buildings may be inaccessible but surely this is an electronic process ? 30 k in fees, staff in full pay ‘working from home’ and the lack of interest and help from the university is appalling.
Why write 'working from home' like this? Have you any idea how busy university staff have been throughout the whole pandemic?

As others have said this should be available from the student portal.

Noneformethanks · 22/08/2020 09:42

Admissions and student accommodation staff are not involved in the process so that debacle should not affect timescales.

At one of the universities I worked at, registry staff doubled up and moved to admissions during a level processing.

Registry staff would normally process requests for transcripts.

Noneformethanks · 22/08/2020 09:44

Also, have you any idea of what an utter fuck up admissions is this year?

Three weeks to process is not unreasonable.

Noneformethanks · 22/08/2020 09:47

In addition, if he has completed his degree, he should still have access to his portal so should be able to screenshot all his specific exam results and send those to the uni he’s applying to, with a covering email stating he’s awaiting his official transcript.

Really, he should be more than capable of thinking through this himself.

bellinique · 22/08/2020 09:47

I agree with others that if you contact the PG university and explain the situation they are likely to understand and extend the deadline.

Universities are having to be flexible in many ways at the moment and most will be keen to keep as many PG students as possible to make up for the shortfall in international numbers.

Good luck!

SueEllenMishke · 22/08/2020 09:47

@Noneformethanks

Admissions and student accommodation staff are not involved in the process so that debacle should not affect timescales.

At one of the universities I worked at, registry staff doubled up and moved to admissions during a level processing.

Registry staff would normally process requests for transcripts.

The same happens at my university. It's all hands on deck! Also people forget that exam boards are still happening plus this year courses are having to be re-validated/changed due to all the changes we need to implement for next academic year. They're all completely snowed under!
kshaw · 22/08/2020 09:48

Can he not screen shot his results page and include it in his application with a note saying awaiting transcripts?

SueEllenMishke · 22/08/2020 09:49

Not to mention all the requests for extenuating circumstances....these have increased exponentially this year