Transcript, Verification, Evaluation: What's the Difference?

People often use 'transcript', 'verification' and 'evaluation' interchangeably. They are not the same, and asking for the wrong one is a common, expensive mistake. Here is a plain-language distinction.

It is an official record of your subjects and marks, issued by the university and usually sent sealed to whoever needs it.

Here an outside body confirms your records directly with the university — often through primary-source verification. The output is confirmation of authenticity, not a document for you to hold.

A credential evaluation (or ECA) explains what your qualification is worth in another country's terms. It relies on your documents but produces a comparison report.

You may need one, two or all three at different points — for example a transcript sent to an evaluator, plus separate verification for a licensing board. Knowing which is which lets you plan the sequence and budget correctly.