High School Transcript
Your complete academic record from all 3 years of SHS — grades, subjects, and term-by-term performance, on official school letterhead.
1-3 weeks per request
GHS 50-200 per copy
Your SHS administration office
What it is
A formal record of every subject you took during SHS Forms 1-3 with the corresponding grades, ranks, and any remarks, prepared by your school administration. Different from your WASSCE certificate — the transcript covers ongoing assessment, the WASSCE is a single end-of-school exam.
Why it matters
Universities use the transcript to see your trajectory over time, not just one exam day. Improvement from Form 1 to Form 3, consistency in core subjects, and class ranking all signal your work ethic.
How to get it
- 1
Visit your SHS administration office — ideally in person, with a parent or guardian if you have already left school.
- 2
Make a written request for an official transcript. Some schools have a request form; others accept a hand-written letter.
- 3
Pay any administrative fee charged by the school (varies; usually GHS 50-200 per copy).
- 4
Wait — most schools take 1-3 weeks to prepare the document. Follow up politely if it takes longer.
- 5
Collect the original on official letterhead with the school stamp and signature, then scan at high resolution.
- 6
Request multiple sealed copies if any of your universities require sealed envelopes.
Tips & best practices
- •The transcript should be in English — Ghana's medium of instruction is English, so this is automatic.
- •Ask for the document to include your class rank if available. US schools care about relative performance.
- •Request at least one extra sealed copy — some universities want the original sealed envelope sent directly from the school.
- •Keep a high-resolution PDF scan you can re-upload for additional applications without going back to the school.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Submitting unstamped or unsigned transcripts — they will be rejected as unofficial.
- •Photographing the document with a phone in low light. Use a proper scanner or scan-app like Adobe Scan.
- •Leaving the request to the last 2 weeks before the application deadline — schools work on their own timeline.
Ghana-specific notes
Some Ghanaian schools do not produce transcripts as a default — they only issue WASSCE results and a leaving certificate. If your school does not have a transcript template, ask them to prepare one on letterhead and sign each page. Many US universities will also accept a school-prepared mark sheet provided it is on letterhead.
Official sources & references
Related documents
WASSCE Results
Your West African Senior School Certificate Examination results — accepted by US universities in place of A-Levels or IB.
JHS3 / BECE Results
Your Junior High School year-3 records or BECE results — sometimes requested by US universities to bridge the 3-year-vs-4-year high-school gap.
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