Homeschool transcript for college
The parent writes and signs the transcript. Each college decides what else it wants, so read its admissions page early.
A homeschool transcript for college lists every high school course by year with credits, grades, GPA and grading scale, signed by the parent as the school's administrator. Colleges set their own requirements, so check each admissions page. The College Board says homeschoolers use one SAT high school code, 970000, arrange AP Exams through a local school, and should get recommendations from someone other than a parent.
Checked October 30, 2026.
This is a plain-words summary, not legal advice. Laws change: check your state's current law and its education department before you act.
What should the transcript hold?
- School name and contact details, and the student's name, date of birth and graduation date.
- Every course by year with credits and the grade, honors, AP and dual enrollment marked.
- Credits and GPA for each year and for all years together.
- The grading scale you used.
- A certification that it is a true record, signed and dated by the parent or administrator.
- Course descriptions on their own pages, for a reader who does not know your materials.
What does the College Board say?
- For the SAT, its homeschoolers' guide and BigFuture FAQ give one high school code for all homeschoolers: 970000.
- AP Exams are taken through a local school that is authorized to give them; the guide points to the AP Course Ledger to find one.
- On recommendations, the FAQ says "colleges prefer this not be the parent." Ask a co-op teacher, a dual enrollment instructor or a coach.
- Neither page lists a transcript format for homeschoolers; each college's own page does.
What do state records say about college?
A few checked state records name college when they explain why to keep records. In each, the parent keeps or makes the record; the state does not.
| State | What its record says |
|---|---|
| South Dakota | The law asks for none. The Department of Education recommends keeping a detailed academic record, including attendance and grades, because transcripts from the parent are needed for school activities, returning to public school, dual credit, college and scholarship applications. |
| Kansas | We found no law requiring a homeschool to keep records. KSDE says it is in the students' best interest to keep accurate and complete records of progress, needed if the child transfers to a public or accredited school or applies to college. |
| Wisconsin | The law asks for no instruction records. DPI says the statutes give no agency or school district authority to monitor home programs or verify the hours, but recommends keeping records of the instruction, which employers, the military and colleges may ask for later. DPI says it is the parent's… |
| Ohio | The home education section does not require you to keep records. The yearly notice to the superintendent is the paperwork it asks for. The department says to keep the superintendent's written acknowledgement of the notice for the final year of home education to go with a home education diploma for… |
When should I start?
- In 9th grade: add each course as it begins, and its grade when it ends.
- Each summer: print a copy, write the year's course descriptions while you remember them, and download a backup.
- In 11th grade: read the admissions pages of the colleges on the list, and note test, recommendation and form deadlines.
- In 12th grade: print the transcript with fall courses marked "In progress", and send a final one after graduation.
Does it need a seal or a notary?
None of the checked state records asks for a notarized transcript; see do homeschool transcripts need to be notarized?. If a college asks for one, it will say so on its own page.
Build it now
Open the transcript, and write descriptions with the course description maker. Check your state's records rule in what to file, by state.
Sources
- College Board: The Homeschoolers' Guide to College Board Assessments (dated 29 June 2026) (checked October 30, 2026)
- College Board BigFuture: College Planning for Homeschoolers FAQ (checked October 30, 2026)
- South Dakota: SD Department of Education: Alternative Instruction FAQ (PDF, revised 9/10/26) (checked October 27, 2026)
- Kansas: KSDE: Homeschooling in Kansas fact sheet (revised 2/12/2024) (checked October 27, 2026)
- Wisconsin: DPI: Home-Based Private Education Program (Homeschooling) (checked October 27, 2026)
- Ohio: Ohio Revised Code 3321.042 (home education) (checked October 27, 2026)