A conversion request should identify the exact academic transcript, include the relevant results as recorded, and provide the corresponding grade-guide details: result code, result name, mark range and description. The University of Sydney states that its transcript includes all attempted, completed or failed units and the grade for each unit, while its grade guide publishes the information needed to interpret those results.
What to include in the request
| Request element | What to provide | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Transcript identification | The student’s name, any student identifier used, institution, course or award, and transcript date or issue date | Identifies the academic record being assessed. The cited guidance does not state that these particular details are mandatory at every institution. |
| Transcript results | The full transcript or a complete extract, preserving the unit status and grade shown for each relevant unit | Provides a traceable record rather than an unexplained grade. For a University of Sydney transcript, this includes attempted, completed and failed units. |
| Grade-guide information | The applicable result code, result name, mark range and description | Shows how the recorded result is defined within the source grading system. |
| Destination and request | The receiving institution and course, plus a clear request asking how the grade will be treated | Enables the recipient to identify its relevant conversion requirements. The outcome cannot be assumed from the source transcript or grade guide alone. |
A student does not need to calculate a destination grade before making the request. The academic record and the source grading information provide the evidence from which the receiving institution can assess it.
How to check the information
Before sending the request, the student should compare the transcript with the relevant grade guide. Each result should be matched to the guide’s result code, name, mark range and description so that the two records can be read together.
The full transcript should also be checked for attempted, completed and failed units. Omitting a result solely because it was not completed may leave the recipient with an incomplete picture of the academic record.
Any difference between the transcript and the grade guide should be raised with the relevant academic records office rather than resolved by guessing. The student should preserve the original result names and codes and avoid assigning an equivalent grade without confirmation from the receiving institution.
What still needs confirmation
The transcript and grade guide do not, by themselves, establish how another institution will convert the result. The student must still confirm:
- whether the recipient requires a full transcript, a certified copy, direct electronic delivery or another format;
- how attempted, completed and failed units are treated;
- which grade-conversion rules apply to the intended course or program;
- whether a mark, result code, percentage or descriptive grade must be supplied;
- whether an English translation or other documentation is required;
- whether the receiving institution charges a fee or imposes a deadline.
The cited information provides no universal conversion formula, fee, deadline or guaranteed equivalence. A complete request should therefore supply verifiable academic records, identify the intended destination and ask the receiving institution to apply its own current requirements.