Transcripts enable the GRFP reviewer to review the coursework completed by an applicant and her/his performance in those courses. This permits the reviewer to establish the applicant’s preparation and readiness for the challenges of graduate education and rigors of graduate research. For this reason, transcripts constitute a key component of the GRFP application process. Many GRFP applicants have superior academic abilities with high GPAs, so an applicant with somewhat lower GPA needs to clearly explain how s/he has prepared for the challenges of graduate studies and research. In such a case, it will also be helpful if a letter writer comments on the applicant’s academic GPA and contrasts it with her/his potential for original research and broader societal impact.
A transcript is required for each undergraduate and graduate institution that the applicant records in the GRFP application portal. In case, a transcript contains applicant’s academic records for more than one degree, that transcript needs to be uploaded only once. Applicants can select a checkbox on the application system that the information on the transcript also contains records for additional education and/or work experience portion of the application.
Applicants can submit scanned copies of printed transcripts or e-transcripts issued by their institutions. It is strongly suggested that the applicants ensure that, once uploaded, the e-transcripts are viewable since encrypted documents may not upload correctly in the GRFP application portal.