MIT graduate transcript workflow and department-specific rules

Begin at the graduate department

The central procedures page provides a framework rather than one complete checklist for every program. Identify the degree program and its current application page. Do not apply MIT undergraduate translation guidance to graduate admissions without confirmation.

Map the transcript coverage rule

The observed central page discusses unofficial records from institutions with letter grades and identifies particular exceptions. Read that wording directly for the application rather than assuming every past enrollment is handled identically.

Ask language and official-delivery questions separately

Ask the intended graduate department about translation, updates and later official delivery when its published application page leaves a gap. Include the source language, document type and current award status in the question. Preserve the department’s answer with that application rather than borrowing a translator rule from an undergraduate page.

A practical review for this handoff

Save the department’s page beside the central procedures page and mark any differences in scope. A central overview can mention an option that a particular program does not offer. For translation questions not answered publicly, ask the responsible department and retain its dated response rather than applying an undergraduate policy by analogy.

Combine the central procedure with the program's instruction

MIT's Office of Graduate Education procedures page is a central framework, while graduate programs administer their own application details. Identify the intended department and degree before preparing a translation order. A rule found on an undergraduate page or another department's portal should not be treated as the instruction for the graduate application in hand. Keep the central and program pages side by side.

The central procedures discuss unofficial academic records and particular coverage exceptions. Apply the actual wording to the institutions attended rather than assuming that every enrollment requires identical treatment. A transferred course, exchange period or additional degree may need a specific question to the program. Record the source institution and what the available transcript actually shows so an exception does not become an unexplained missing record.

Resolve language and later delivery as separate questions

If the program page does not explain translator qualifications or certification, ask the responsible department with a description of the source and language. Do not import a different MIT school's policy to fill the gap. Ask whether the original-language companion is required, whether an institution-issued English record is acceptable and what later official delivery will involve. Those questions identify the actual product before a provider is paid.

For a sample application file, pair each institution's transcript with its grading key and any requested translation, keeping program-specific correspondence with the organizer. A current transcript may omit later conferral, so identify the final award evidence separately when the program asks for it. Do not create a U.S. grade conversion unless the designated process requests an evaluation. The resulting packet should answer the department's published requirements with actual records, rather than a university-wide checklist assembled from unrelated MIT pages.