Country Guide for Academic Credentials

The following is a credentials guide for countries from which the majority of Rutgers' international applicants come. Some "helpful hints" are also provided. These guidelines will not apply to every applicant from a particular country, but will provide accurate guidelines for most applicants.


India
First Year (India)
  • Secondary School Certificate (awarded after standard examinations at the conclusion of the equivalent of U.S. tenth grade) and Higher Secondary Certificate (awarded after examinations at the conclusion of school-year equivalent to U.S. twelfth grade) are required. These documents must show marks achieved in each subject. Documents must be original official certificates or certified true copies. Statements of these exam results issued by a student's school are not acceptable. We do not make decisions until these official exam results are provided.
  • When the Higher Education Secondary Certificate is not yet available, an 11th Standard mark sheet showing marks achieved in each subject must be provided.
  • See Required Test Scores
Transfer (India)
  • Secondary School Certificate (awarded after standard examinations at the conclusion of the equivalent of U.S. tenth grade) and Higher Secondary Certificate (awarded after examinations at the conclusion of school-year equivalent to U.S. twelfth grade) are required. These documents must show marks achieved in each subject. Documents must be original official certificates or certified true copies. Statements of these exam results issued by a student's school are not acceptable. We do not make decisions until these official exam results are provided.
  • In addition to the high-school level certificates noted for first-year applicants, transfer applicants must provide official university marks sheets showing subjects studied and marks received.
  • See Required Test Scores

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Pakistan
First Year (Pakistan)
  • Secondary School Certificate (also known as Matriculation Certificate) and Higher Secondary Certificate (also known as Intermediate Certificate). Must show subjects in which student was examined and marks received. Must provide original official certificates or certified true copies. Statements of these exam results issued by an applicant's school are not acceptable. We do not make decisions until these examination results are provided. We will be as flexible as possible about the timing.
  • See Required Test Scores
Transfer (Pakistan)
  • In addition to the high-school level certificates noted for first-year applicants, transfer applicants must provide official university marks sheets showing subjects studied and marks received.
  • See Required Test Scores

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Hong Kong
First-Year (Hong Kong)
  • Must provide the Hong Kong Certificate of Education (a.k.a. 'O' Levels) showing subjects in which student was examined and grades received.
  • Students who sat for examinations for the Hong Kong Advanced Level certificate should provide this document. Students may be eligible for advanced standing for this work depending on the subject and grade.
  • Instead of or in addition to the Hong Kong certificates mentioned above, students sometimes sit for the British GCE 'O' and or 'A' Level examinations. If this is the case, applicants must provide the official certificate showing exams/grades on these exams.
  • See Required Test Scores
Transfer (Hong Kong)
  • In addition to the above credentials for freshman applicants, transfer applicants must provide official college or university transcripts or certified true copies (listing courses/grades for each semester).
  • See Required Test Scores

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United Kingdom
First Year (United Kingdom)
  • Must submit GCSE, IGCSE, and/or GCE 'O' Level certificate(s) and 'A' Levels. If 'A' Level exams were taken, you may be eligible for 'A' Level advanced standing.
  • See Required Test Scores
Transfer (United Kingdom)
  • Students should provide their official record issued by their institution, preferably showing subjects studied and grade or performance level achieved. There are a wide variety of post-secondary studies and an equally wide array of educational records/transcripts /certificates/diplomas.
  • 'O' and/or 'A' Level certificates are required.
  • See Required Test Scores

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West Africa, East Africa, Commonwealth Caribbean
First Year (West Africa, East Africa, Commonwealth Caribbean)
  • Must submit school marks records through Forms III-V (minimally), plus these local equivalents of the GCE 'O' Level certificates (and 'A' Level certificates, if 'A' Level exams were taken) and/or the British GCE 'O' or 'A' Level certificates: West African School Certificate, East African School Certificate, or "CXC" (Caribbean Examinations Council Certificate). Statements of these exam results issued by secondary schools are not acceptable (must be original certificates, certified true copies, or official results/certificates issued by the examination boards).
  • See Required Test Scores
Transfer (West Africa, East Africa, Commonwealth Caribbean)
  • In addition to the above certificates, official transcripts of all university-level work (these usually list courses/grades by semester, sometimes by the year only) must be submitted.
  • See Required Test Scores

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Additional Information
For additional information about academic credentials, visit Academic Documentation.

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