How Do I Request A Transcript?

Official transcripts cannot be released unless the student (or alumni) has satisfied all financial or other obligations to the University.

Transcript Requests are not accepted via phone or email.

Online

Alumni and Current Students
SMU has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to provide transcript ordering via the internet.  This provides students and alumni online ordering service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Transcript requests are processed in the order they are received twice a day during business hours.  That is, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  Requests placed after 1:00pm are processed the next business day.  Requests that are placed during holidays will be processed in the order they are received when the office reopens. 

To order a transcript, login to the National Student Clearinghouse secure site

The website walks you through placing an order, including delivery options and fees (see below).  You may order as many transcripts as you like in a single session.  To ensure confidentiality and to comply with federal regulations governing education records, you must authenticate yourself.  This is done during the ordering process. 

Current Students only
Current students may request their official transcript through the Student Center in Access.SMU.  Students are authenticated by logging into Access.SMU.  Click on Official Transcript/Verification on the Student Center page to place your order.

Email notifications are provided to the requestor after orders are received and processed by the University Registrar.

If you need assistance or have questions about the National Student Clearinghouse’s transcript ordering service, please contact them via email at transcripts@studentclearinghouse.org or phone at 703-742-7791.

Walk-In

Walk-in requests for official transcripts may be made at the University Registrar located in the Laura Lee Blanton Student Services Building Room 101, 6185 Airline Road, Dallas, Texas.  Office hours are as follows:

Monday            9:00am – 4:00pm
Tuesday           9:00am – 4:00pm
Wednesday    10:00am – 4:00pm
Thursday          9:00am – 4:00pm
Friday                9:00am – 4:00pm

Photo identification is required in order for a transcript to be picked up.    

Delivery Options

Mail
Official transcripts can be mailed to students, alumni and other third parties.  Transcripts requested to be mailed to other institutions must be requested via the National Student Clearinghouse secure website. 

PDF
Transcripts can be sent electronically via PDF to other institutions or third parties for students who attended after summer 1996.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the receiving institution or person accepts electronic PDF transcripts.  The PDF option must be selected when ordering online. PDF transcripts can only be requested online. 

NOTE:  Recipients must be designated under the original order placed through the NSC secure website which is where they must retrieve the official transcript.  The PDF bears the SMU logo in the background.  Forwarded copies are classified as unofficial transcripts.  Recipients have 30 days in which to view or print the PDF transcript from the first day it’s made available to the recipient.  After 30 days the PDF will expire.  PDF transcripts may NOT be saved to the recipient’s computer.

Pick-Up
Students and alumni may pick-up their transcripts at the University Registrar located in the Laura Lee Blanton Student Services Building Room 101, 6185 Airline Road, Dallas, Texas.  Business hours are listed above.   Photo identification is required. 

Transcript Fees

Transcripts are $10 each per mailing address plus an additional $2.25 processing fee for each order and address.  For multiple transcripts being sent to the same address, there is a $3.50 charge for each additional transcript.   

PDF transcripts are $16 per email address. 

Express Delivery Options

Payment Options

SMU accepts cash, check, Mastercard or Visa.  Credit cards are charged after the transcript request has been processed. 

Additional Forms Accompanying Official Transcripts

Students may attach a form to be sent as part of their transcript request. The following stipulations apply:

• Forms must be two pages or less.

• Requested delivery method must be mail or overnight express delivery. (Forms cannot be sent when delivery method is an electronic PDF.)

• Acceptable formats for attached forms are jpg, jpeg, pdf, doc, and docx.

• We will not accept forms that contain a section to be completed by the University Registrar. Forms requiring additional sections to be completed must be mailed, faxed or delivered to our office (see Walk-In information above).

Parents and Other Third Parties

Transcripts may be released to a third party as specified by the student on the “Student’s Consent for SMU to Release Information to Student’s Specified Third Party” form accessible at http://smu.edu/registrar/ferpa/forms.asp. 

Parents may obtain their student’s transcript provided their student has authorized release of their academic record via the Release of Education Record in Access.SMU or they have written authorization from their student.  SMU is permitted, but not required, to disclose to parents of a student, information contained in the education records of the student if the student is a dependent as defined in the Internal Revenue Code.

Photo identification is required before a transcript will be released to a third party.

Status of Transcript Requests

If you wish to inquire about the status of your transcript request, please contact Enrollment Services at 214-768-3417 or enrol_serv@smu.edu.

Unofficial Transcripts

Currently enrolled students may obtain an unofficial transcript through Access.SMU.

To report a complaint or suggestion regarding transcript services, please contact the University Registrar at registrar@smu.edu.