How to send an IB transcript to a university

Before results: use the school coordinator

Give the coordinator the exact institution and campus, applicant or university ID, programme and admissions centre where relevant. The IB’s transcript guidance lists up to six destinations worldwide and counts an admissions centre such as UCAS as one request. Ask the coordinator to confirm the free-request allowance and any destination restrictions applying to your choices before submission.

The published dates are 5 July for May-session candidates and 16 December for November-session candidates. Ask the coordinator for the school’s exact submission date, clock time and time zone, and send your choices in time for that confirmed cutoff.

• Check the receiving institution in the IB system instead of guessing from a similar name.
• Include an applicant ID so admissions can match the result to the correct file.
• Confirm whether UCAS or another centre should receive the transcript instead of each university.

After results: use the IB request service

Graduates and candidates who missed the school deadline can order through the IB request for results service. The published IB fee is USD 19 per transcript after results. The personal code and session number are not mandatory fields, so losing portal credentials does not prevent an order; provide the other identifying details accurately.

A transcript is sent electronically when the institution participates in the IB system; otherwise it may be sent on paper. You cannot choose electronic delivery for a university that only receives paper copies.

What the university receives

The transcript lists the candidate’s full name, date of birth, school, subjects and grades. For candidates who have achieved the Diploma or bilingual Diploma, including under a retake registration, it also displays total points and the overall Diploma result. Do not assume that every candidate who resits receives a Diploma award.

The candidate results portal lets you check your grades; it does not provide an official transcript download. Delivery is normally to the receiving institution. Keep your PIN private and use your applicant ID when contacting the university.

For India, follow the country-specific RRS delivery instructions: the form says transcripts are sent to the contact details you provide rather than directly to the university.

Timing and common reasons for delay

The IB says requests should be processed within 14 working days. During peak periods in December–January and July–September, processing may take longer. Paper delivery and university matching can add more time after the IB has processed the request, so submit early when enrolment, visa or scholarship deadlines depend on it.

If a university cannot find an electronic result, check the spelling of your name, date of birth and examination session, then ask its central admissions office to locate the record. If it still cannot, the IB transcript FAQ directs you to IB support with your name, school, university and request date. Keep the order confirmation so those details are available.

Retakes, remarks and updated results

If a grade changes after a re-mark and the university already received the original transcript, the IB sends an updated version without another transcript charge. Electronic recipients receive a change notification and can retrieve the new record; paper recipients receive a replacement copy. A later retake is a new examination session: confirm the required request and delivery date with admissions and the IB service. For the separate review process, see the IB remark questions and risks.

A transcript is also different from a replacement Diploma or certificate. Replacement award documents follow a separate process and can take longer; order the document the institution actually requests.

Transcript request checklist

• Official institution name, campus and country.
• Applicant, UCAS or university ID.
• May or November session and graduation year.
• Name and date of birth exactly as held by the IB.
• Admissions deadline and accepted delivery method.
• Confirmation number saved after submission.