The end of the school is an exciting yet very busy times for students, families, and school staff members. Please plan ahead for any academic records that you may need to take to your school or local government when you return home. See below for some specific types of academic considerations for you to think about before you head home.
Graduation
Graduation and earning a diploma are actually two different things in the U.S. It is extremely rare for an AFS student to meet the qualifications to earn a U.S. diploma, so please do not pressure your school to change their mind as they are following the state's rules and requirements. On the other hand, many AFS students may get the opportunity to participate in a traditional ceremony called graduation or commencement. This is the ceremony where students wear a cap and gown, walk across a stage, and shake hands with school leaders. U.S. students will receive their diploma when they walk across the stage, but schools that allow this tradition for exchange students will usually provide a transcript or certificate of attendance in place of a diploma.
Credits
Students earn credits for the classes that they take while attending and passing their classes. It is up to your school in your home country and your local government rules whether or not those credits are transferable to school back home. If you will need a specific document or letter indicating your attendance, the course description, or other details regarding the classes you take in the U.S., please let your school counselor know as early as possible in the school year as the last month of school is very busy and stressful for most educators in the U.S.
Transcripts
It is very common for students to ask their school for a transcript. Make sure you know if the transcript that you need to take home with you needs to be an official transcript or if it's okay to take home an unofficial transcript. An official transcript is one that has the school stamp or official emblem on it and then it is sealed in an envelope. You should not open an official transcript and please take it in the envelope to the school or officials in your home country. If you are curious what your transcript says, just ask your school to print you an extra unofficial copy that is not sealed in an envelope.
Apostille
An apostille is a special certification that verifies that a document is valid across country borders. There are some countries where our AFS students need to get an apostille on their school records (transcript or certificate of attendance) in order for their home country's government to recognize them as valid. Please find out as early as possible if this is something that you will need to do as it can take time and will require your host family to help you as soon as you finish your classes. To find out the cost and the process, please look up "How do I obtain an apostille in my state?" on the internet as the process is different in every state. This process is much easier for you to complete while you are still in the U.S. so you can take the documents with you when you go home, and nothing gets lost in the mail after you return home.
One important note to help you with any academic records, please take pictures or save an electronic copy of all of your school records as it is much easier for you to access that copy than trying to get one from your school after you have returned home.