Transcript Request Information

Transcript Formats Available:

ˇ         Official paper transcripts are printed on security paper and can be requested by fax, by mail or in person.  Your written signature is required each time you order a transcript.  Please complete the transcript request form posted on our website.  Forms are also available in the Registrar's Office located in DeWitt. 

ˇ         Beginning March 1, 2013:  Official electronic transcripts are available (ONLY for attendees SINCE August 1984).  We have partnered with SCRIP-SAFEŽ International to offer official electronic transcript delivery service.  Hope College does not charge for the transcripts.  SCRIP-SAFEŽ charges a $3.00 (per transcript/recipient) online convenience fee.  Interested?  Create an account and submit your request online through Transcripts on Demand.  Your written consent form must be submitted to the vendor, SCRIP-SAFEŽ, before your transcript will be generated and delivered.  It takes SCRIP-SAFEŽ four hours to review and approve your consent form. The two business day processing timeframe begins once your consent form has been received.

ˇ         Unofficial transcripts (ONLY for attendees SINCE August 1984) can be viewed and printed by logging into KnowHope Plus.  If you do not know your KnowHope Plus ID number and/or PIN, it must be requested in writing with your written signature.  Call (616) 395-7760 for details.

Processing Details and Typical Turnaround Time:

ˇ         Transcripts are available from the Registrar's Office in two forms: Official and Unofficial. 

ˇ         Each time you request an official transcript, your written signature is required.

ˇ         Transcripts will not be released if you have a financial obligation with the college.

ˇ         A valid photo ID is required to pick up your transcripts.

ˇ         Allow two business days for processing your request.  Turnaround times may increase during registration week, over holidays and at the end of each semester.

ˇ         Campus is shut down for the week between Christmas and New Year's.

ˇ         Hope College DOES NOT guarantee delivery time, so please allow ample time for your needs.

ˇ         You may elect to have your paper transcript request held until semester grades have been recorded or your degree posted.  This service is not available for electronic transcripts.

Notary Services:

ˇ         Notary services for transcripts can usually be provided upon request.

ˇ         Contact Gloria Shay (shay@hope.edu) to obtain a replacement diploma.

ˇ         For more information about notary, apostille and true-copy authentication documents, please refer to the Michigan Secretary of State (www.michigan.gov/sos): Notary Services, Apostille Certificates and Authentication Certificates.

Frequently Asked Questions about Transcripts

1.      What is the difference between an official and unofficial transcript?

2.      How can I find out if I have a financial obligation with the college that would prevent my transcript from being released?

3.      Is there a cost for official transcripts? 

4.      May I order multiple paper copies at the same time?

5.      I'd like to send my electronic transcript to multiple organizations/schools.  May I order them all at the same time?

6.      Does Hope College issue official transcripts to students?

7.      The recipient has requested that I include their form as an attachment to my transcript.  How should I submit this to you?

8.      Does Hope College accept telephone requests for transcripts?

9.      Does Hope College fax official transcripts?

10. Does Hope College accept faxed transcripts as official transcripts?

11. Isn't an electronic and e-mailed transcript the same?

12. Does Hope College accept hand-delivered transcripts as official?

13. How long does it take to get my transcripts?

15. How do I release my transcripts to someone else?  I'm busy and they offered to pick them up on my behalf.

16. What types of credit can be found on my transcript? 

17. Will the courses I'm registered for print on my transcript?  The courses aren't graded yet.

18. Are my declared majors or minors printed on my transcript?

19. What is the R* column with "I" or "E" on my transcript?

20. When will my degree be posted on my transcript? 

21. Why do I keep receiving emails from SCRIP-SAFEŽ about my transcript?

22. Who should I contact with payment or refund questions?

23. If I print the electronic transcript, is it official?

24. How do I retrieve the transcript I sent electronically to myself?

25. I received the first email but not the second email with the link to download my transcript. Where is it?

26. Who should I contact with additional questions?

Frequently Asked Questions about Transcripts

1.      What is the difference between an official and unofficial transcript?

Official transcripts are for colleges or universities, job applications, scholarships, etc.  Official transcripts should be sent directly to the receiving institution and must be requested in writing.  Official electronic transcripts must be requested through the online ordering system, Transcripts on Demand.  Unofficial transcripts are for students who wish to see which classes they've taken, their grade point average (GPA), how many credits have been earned, and specific grades in courses they've attempted, etc.  Our best advice is to review your unofficial transcript on KnowHope Plus before placing an order.

2.      How can I find out if I have a financial obligation with the college that would prevent my transcript from being released?

Students are responsible for ensuring their student account is up to date before submitting an official transcript request.  Check the status of your account and make your payment online. If further assistance is needed, contact the Business Services office at (616) 395-7810 or e-mail busofc@hope.edu.

Official electronic transcript requests will be cancelled if you have a financial hold with Hope College.  The $3.00 per transcript/recipient convenience fee will not be refunded by SCRIP-SAFEŽ.

3.      Is there a cost for official transcripts? 

Yes and no.  Hope College does not charge for official transcripts.  You may receive your official paper transcript by mail for free.  When choosing to expedite the mail, you will be responsible for the applicable priority or overnight mailing cost, currently $5.70 and $19.95 respectively.  SCRIP-SAFEŽ, the vendor for electronic official transcripts, charges a $3.00 (per transcript/recipient) online convenience fee.

4.      May I order multiple paper copies at the same time?

Yes, you may order what you need.  We recommend 10 or fewer per official paper request.  Be sure to indicate the number of copies needed on the transcript request form.

5.      I'd like to send my electronic transcript to multiple organizations/schools.  May I order them all at the same time?

Yes, you may order as many as you need.  Be sure to have the recipient name and e-mail address available before submitting your order through Transcripts on Demand.

6.      Does Hope College issue official transcripts to students?

Yes.  Each official paper transcript is individually sealed, stamped with the Registrar's signature and packaged in a separate envelope.  The envelope must remain unopened for the transcript to be considered official.  Students (who attended since August 1984) may order official electronic transcripts with the "Issued to Student" watermark through Transcripts on Demand.

7.      The recipient has requested that I include their form as an attachment to my transcript.  How should I submit this to you?

We can include the special form or attachment with your transcript.  It must be included with your transcript request form and submitted at the same time. Attachments can also be uploaded within Transcripts on Demand to be included with your official electronic transcript.

8.      Does Hope College accept telephone requests for transcripts?

No.  Your request must be in writing with your hand-written signature.

9.      Does Hope College fax official transcripts?

No.  Because of confidentiality, we do not fax transcripts.

10. Does Hope College accept faxed transcripts as official transcripts?

No.  Faxed transcripts are considered unofficial.

11. Isn't an electronic and e-mailed transcript the same?

No.  E-mail is not secure, so we will not attach your transcript to an e-mail message.  Electronic transcripts are ordered through Transcripts on Demand.  The transcript recipient will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to obtain the transcript.  They will log into a secure website to download your official transcript. 

12. Does Hope College accept hand-delivered transcripts as official?

Yes. The transcript must be in a sealed envelope with the college/university stamp or seal indicating that it's official.  We recommend that transcripts be mailed directly to the Registrar's Office.

13. How long does it take to get my transcripts?

There are many things that get factored into this question.  Generally, allow two business days to process your request.  However, all transcript requests are reviewed by the Business Services office.  If you have a financial hold, it must be resolved before your transcript will be released.  Hope College DOES NOT guarantee delivery time, so please allow ample time for your needs.  Additional time is necessary for United States Postal Service delivery.  The receiving institution also needs time to route and process your transcript once it's received.  Hope College is closed for the week between Christmas and the New Year's holiday. 

14. How can I expedite my request?  The deadline is approaching.

There are a few ways to expedite your request. One, priority or overnight delivery is available, for a fee, through the USPS.  Hope College's two business day processing time still applies to your request, but your transcript will be delivered faster through the respective mail services. Call (616) 395-7760 for processing details and applicable fees.  You should also indicate any special instructions on your transcript request form.  The other option, beginning March 1, 2013, for students who attended since August 1984, is to order official electronic transcripts through Transcripts on Demand.  Again, Hope College's two business day processing time still applies to this request, but the transcript can be obtained electronically by the recipient you've indicated.

15. How do I release my transcripts to someone else?  I'm busy and they offered to pick them up on my behalf.

Be sure to specify their legal name on your transcript request form.  We will not release your transcript without your written consent.  Check "Yes" for the Pick up "Issued to Student" copy on the transcript request form.  Write the authorized recipient's name in the "Mail To" section.  They will be required to show a valid photo ID (driver's license) to pick up your transcripts. 

16. What types of credit can be found on my transcript? 

In addition to the courses you've attempted at Hope College, you may have had credit approved and granted from Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), CLEP, and transfer credit (not the grades) from other accredited colleges/universities.  For more information, read the Transfer Credit section on our website.

17. Will the courses I'm registered for print on my transcript?  The courses aren't graded yet.

As soon as you're registered for the next semester/term, the course(s) will be printed on your transcript with the course title and show the grade as "In Progress". 

18. Are my declared majors or minors printed on my transcript?

No.  Majors and minors are only included on your transcript after your degree is granted.

19. What is the R* column with "I" or "E" on my transcript?

The R* column is for a repeat course. Courses with the same number will have "I" for both the lecture and the lab/drill.  The "I" indicates that the course will be included in your GPA.  Courses with an "E" have been excluded from your GPA.  If you repeat a course, the second attempt (most recent) will be included in your GPA.

20. When will my degree be posted on my transcript? 

Final grades are due at 4:00PM ET on the Wednesday after semester exam week.  After grade processing, which usually takes one to three business days, we check the requirements for students who have applied to graduate.  Degrees are posted to the transcripts whose degree evaluation requirements are met.  We continue to graduate others as tardy grades are received, paperwork for substitutions are completed, etc.  Priority is given to those who have submitted transcript requests marked waiting for the posting of degree.  For more information, read the graduation section on our website.

○     Minimum requirements for graduation:  Overall minimum 2.00 GPA, 126 earned semester credits, completion of all general education requirements, completion of at least one major with a minimum 2.00 GPA. Some majors have more rigorous requirements; please consult the college catalog or the department. 

○     You may not have any No Report (NR) or Incomplete (I) grades on your transcript. 

○     December graduates are complete with their fall semester courses; May graduates are complete with their spring semester courses; July graduates finish with coursework in May Term, June Term or July Term.

21. Why do I keep receiving emails from SCRIP-SAFEŽ about my transcript?

You will receive a daily notification from SCRIP-SAFEŽ until the transcript has been viewed or has expired. You may also receive other notifications if any other action is pending (for example, if you have not uploaded your signed consent form request, you will receive an alert until you upload the document). Read the notifications sent to see what action is required.

22. Who should I contact with payment or refund questions?

Electronic transcript payment or refund inquiries should be directed to SCRIP-SAFEŽ.  In addition to your name, they may ask for your account number, order number and order date.  Have your receipt available for reference, then call SCRIP-SAFEŽ International toll free at 1-877-334-4062, Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 7:00pm (Eastern Time).

23. If I print the electronic transcript, is it official?

No.  If you print an electronic transcript it becomes unofficial.  Electronic transcripts are official in their original electronic format only (PDF).  Save the electronic transcript in a secure manner.  When you request a paper copy of your official transcript, it is printed on watermarked security paper, contains the Registrar's signature and the school seal. 

24. How do I retrieve the transcript I sent electronically to myself?

If you send your transcripts electronically to yourself, you will receive two emails from SCRIP-SAFEŽ. One email simply confirms your order and states that your transcript has been transmitted. A second email will state you have been sent an official academic transcript and contain a link for you to click on to download your transcript. The link is located below the section that states, "To obtain this transcript, select the following link and complete the required registration".   

Click the link to download your transcript. ONCE CLICKED, THIS LINK WILL ONLY BE ACTIVE FOR 24 HOURS. BE SURE TO SAVE THE TRANSCRIPT IN A CONFIDENTIAL MANNER WITHIN 24 HOURS OF CLICKING THE LINK. IF LEFT UNCLICKED, THE LINK BECOMES INACTIVE AFTER 14 DAYS.

Once the link is clicked, you will receive a pop-up screen that asks for the Organization, Name, and Password.      

○     Type "Self" in the Organization field.

○     Type your name in the Name field.

○     Create your own password in the Password field. Passwords must be at least 8 characters long and contain at least one number and at least one special character.

○     Enter your password again in the next field provided.

○     Click "Continue".

○     Select your purpose for downloading the transcript. If your reason is not an option, select "Other".

○     Click "Continue".

○     Choose to "Download & Save" your transcript. Make sure to save your transcript in PDF format.

○     A pop-up window will appear stating that you cannot make any changes to the document.

○     Click "Okay" and save the transcript.

25. I received the first email but not the second email with the link to download my transcript. Where is it?

Sometimes SCRIP-SAFE'sŽ second email (that contains the link for your transcript) gets jumbled in your spam/junk folder. Check your spam/junk mail thoroughly because the email can be inserted in the middle of your folder. Once in your spam/junk folder, you can click "CTRL" and "F" to generate a search window. Type in "scrip-safe" in the field on the pop-up window and hit "Enter". This will take you to where the second email is located.

26. Who should I contact with additional questions?

○     For general questions and transcript request status, contact the Office of the Registrar by e-mailing transcripts@hope.edu or by calling 616-395-7760.

○     If your question is about the electronic ordering service, login difficulties, payment or refund inquiries, or email message notifications contact SCRIP-SAFEŽ International toll free at 1-877-334-4062, Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 7:00pm (Eastern Time). You may also send an email inquiry to todsupport@scrip-safe.com

○     Transcript on Demand FAQs are available online from Scrip-Safe:  http://www.scrip-safe.com/products/transcripts-on-demand/frequently-asked-questions.aspx