Will the university send transcripts directly to the university or should the student send them in UK?
For UK undergraduate UCAS applications, your school reports grades, so you rarely send transcripts yourself. For postgraduate courses, you upload transcripts to the university portal yourself, and once you accept a conditional offer, your previous institution sends official transcripts directly to the admissions office to finalize enrollment.
Whether you send your own transcripts to a UK university depends on the level you are applying for. For undergraduate UCAS applications your school handles most of the reporting, while for postgraduate courses you do the initial uploading yourself, with an official copy following later from your previous institution.
Who Sends What, and When
| Application Type | Who Uploads Initially | Who Sends the Official Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate (via UCAS) | Your school or counselor reports grades through the reference section | University requests directly from your school only if verification is needed |
| Postgraduate (direct to university) | You upload scanned transcripts to the applicant portal | Your previous university sends official transcripts to meet your offer conditions |
Best Practices Before You Submit Anything
- Do not mail or email unsolicited transcripts unless the university explicitly asks for them.
- Check your specific applicant portal, since document requirements vary by university.
- Keep both scanned copies and access to sealed official copies ready, since you will likely need both.
My Advice
Log into your university portal as soon as you accept a conditional offer and read the exact conditions listed there rather than assuming the process is the same as your last application. If you studied outside the UK, contact your previous university's exams office early to check how long they need to prepare a sealed official transcript, since this step often takes longer than students expect.
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