Student Records

• Guide: Updating your Address
• Form: Change of Personal Information Form

Whenever your personal information changes, you must update your CGU records as soon as possible. Some updates may be submitted through the student portal; however, others require documentation for verification of the information that you are asking us to change.

Name

Primary/Legal Name changes require the presentation of official documentation of the name change either in person, through video call with Registrar’s Office staff, or by mailing the original notarized copy of the documentation to the Registrar’s Office. For appointment information see the Registrar’s Office contact information at the bottom of this page.

• Complete the Change of Personal Information form.
• Official documentation is required and may include court orders declaring your new name or a newly issued driver’s license or passport with your photo and new name.

If you are unable to submit your request in person or through video, you may complete the form and mail it with original notarized copies of your documentation. Send your request to the address at the top of the form. NOTE: copies of notarized documents will not be accepted; the original notarized document must be submitted by USPS mail.

Preferred name changes may be completed by the student through their PeopleSoft portal.

Alumni who have legally changed names and wish for their CGU student record to reflect their new name should complete the Change of Personal Information form. Legal name changes for alumni require the same documentation as is required for current students. If the new legal name is significantly different from the former name the Registrar’s Office may add a transcript note stating “Transcript previously issued under different name”. Alumni may update their contact information directly with the Alumni Office, through their student portal, or through the Change of Personal Information form.

E-mail addresses are automatically changed to reflect a legal name change.

Address and Phone Information

• Guide: Updating your Address

Update your address and telephone information on the student portal. As an alternative, you may use the Change of Personal Information form.

Important: Students who are also CGU employees must notify CGU Human Resources of any address changes. This is to ensure accurate mailing of all employee and tax information. You may use the Change of Personal Information form to your update address and phone information.

Other Changes

Changes to other personally identifiable information must be made by writing to the Registrar’s Office. Depending upon the content to be changed, documentation or copies of notarized documentation may be required.

The Registrar’s Office is required to ensure the historical accuracy of CGU’s student records. Therefore, certain records cannot be changed once you leave or graduate from CGU. Contact the Registrar’s Office if you have questions or other concerns.

Questions

Registrar’s Office – student.records@cgu.edu or 909-621-8245

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The Registrar’s Office website provides information and forms that can be used by students to submit specific types of changes of their records. In some cases, where department intervention is required, the Student Records Correction/Adjustment Request form (available on the Forms webpage) is used.

Because the Student Records Correction/Adjustment Request form is for department use only, the student’s signature is generally not required. As such, it may not be used to submit transactions that require initiation or authorization by the student except under rare circumstances. Students should always initiate Add/Drop actions and other similar transactions directly with their department and/or Registrar’s Office using the appropriate form or other written medium.

The Student Records Correction/Adjustment Request form is used to submit a department-initiated request or to endorse the request of a student. Enrollment and student records requests, with the exception of changes to grades, may be requested using this form.

Enrollment changes may include the following.

• Waive Late Registration Fee. Students and departments should use the Petition for Exception to CGU Policy form (available on the Forms webpage).
• Waive the Enrollment Change (Add/Drop) Fee. Petition for Exception to CGU Policy form (available on the Forms webpage). If the department was involved or responsible for the student incurring the fee–such as by incorrectly processing an enrollment swap–the Student Records Correction/Adjustment Request may be used. A complete explanation must be provided.
• Refunds of Tuition. All refunds are governed by the Add/Drop refund schedule. Students should submit requests using the Petition for Exception to CGU Policy form (available on the Forms webpage). Requests from departments require a complete explanation and, because department or program revenue is involved, the approval of the dean is also required.

Student Records changes include the following.

• Transcript corrections may be brought to the attention of the Registrar’s Office. Previous education and degree information, transfer credit, and milestones may be referred using the Student Records Correction/Adjustment form. Do not use this form to submit grade changes or corrections.
• Other miscellaneous requests from departments may be submitted using the Student Records Correction/Adjustment Request.

Complete explanations and supporting documentation for all requested changes must always be provided.

Clarifications and Recommendations

Avoid the Need to Correct/Adjust. Consistent with student-centered customer service, always process student transactions immediately.

Adjustments/Waiving Fees with Enrollment/Registration Transactions. If you are requesting adjustments or a waiver of fees for an enrollment transaction, do not process the student transaction in the department. Submit your Student Records Correction/Adjustment Request, together with the student’s Add/Drop form and other relevant documentation, to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

Refunds. Do not assume that refunds of any percentage are due for any drop or withdrawal transaction. Students must specifically request a refund through the petition process. Departments and programs should only request refunds when administrative error is involved.

Retroactive Adjustments. Adjustments to records of a past semester are permitted only under the rarest and most exceptional circumstances.

• Retroactive academic adjustments are subject to documentation on the student’s transcript.
• Dropping courses retroactively is not permitted and should not be considered due to unit load requirements for financial aid, international students, and potential individual student attendance requirements.
• Retroactive financial adjustments are not permitted.

Questions

Registrar’s Office – student.records@cgu.edu or 909-621-8285

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In its capacity as the custodian of student records, the Registrar’s Office must record the unfortunate passing of enrolled students as well as supervise the disclosure of records about a deceased student.

Enrolled Students

When a student passes away while enrolled at CGU, it is important to close the student’s record as quickly and as accurately as possible to prevent negative impacts on the academic and financial records of the decedent. Higher education standards and regulations require that a last date of enrollment or a date of withdrawal be recorded in the student’s record.

Notification of a student’s death should be made to the student’s program, to the Dean of Students, or to the Registrar’s Office. A death certificate, copy of a published obituary or memorial service program, or other official declaration of the student’s death should be provided to the Registrar’s Office.

Other concerns about the deceased student should be referred to the Dean of Students.

Alumni and Former Students

When a former student passes away, notification should be made to the Alumni Office at CGU. A death certificate, copy of a published obituary or memorial service program, or other official declaration of the former student’s death should be provided to the Alumni Office.

Requests for Records of Deceased Students

Claremont Graduate University (CGU) honors the memory and respects the privacy of its deceased students and their survivors.

Per the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), CGU has designated and defined directory and non-directory information in its policy on Student Privacy (FERPA). Non-directory information requires the prior written consent of the student as authorization for disclosure. In the case of a deceased student, the following provisions apply to disclosures of non-directory information.

• Requests for Records. All requests for disclosures of non-directory information regarding deceased students must be submitted in writing to the Registrar’s Office. Such requests must (1) specify the individual records requested, (2) indicate a purpose for the disclosure of the records, and (3) identify the recipients of the information requested.
• Right of Access. The requestor(s) must be identified as a survivor, next-of-kin, executor, or other party with authority to access non-directory information about the decedent. A copy of a published obituary, official will, or an authorized court order may be required.
• Journalistic Inquiries. In the case of biographical research or other journalistic endeavor, a formal request on executive letterhead from an editor, publisher, or other journalism source must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Such a request must (1) specify the individual records requested, (2) indicate the purpose for the disclosure of the records, and (3) identify the recipients of the information requested.
• Limitations and Reservations. CGU reserves the right to refuse disclosures and/or to notify the estate of the deceased student, if known, prior to releasing information or responding to requests for non-directory information about the former student.

Note that a student’s official transcript is the only permanent record maintained by the University. All other records are retained for a limited period–generally five years after the student’s last semester of enrollment–and then destroyed. Production of records in response to an authorized request is subject to availability of the record in question.

All requests for records and questions regarding this process may be referred to the Registrar’s Office.

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• Form: Request for Official Letter from CGU (see the Forms webpage)

Students may be requested or required by various third parties to provide official documentation, letters, or other correspondence about their enrollment, graduation, or other relationship to CGU. The information on this page is provided to assist you in determining how to respond to such requests and what is available to you.

If you do not find the specific guidelines for your needs on this page, use the Request for Official Letter from CGU (see the Forms webpage) to specify your needs and submit to the Registrar’s Office.

As with all verifications and transcript requests, you must have no outstanding financial obligations to the University at the time of your request in order for your request to be fulfilled.

Verifications of Enrollment

If you need to prove that you are enrolled at CGU, there are a number of options available to accomplish this task.

• Refer your third party to the National Student Clearinghouse with whom CGU contracts to provide enrollment and degree verifications. Major lenders, employment agencies, and other entities are already familiar with the services of the National Student Clearinghouse and may already be customers of the Clearinghouse for these kinds of services.
• You may request an enrollment verification from the Registrar’s Office.
• You can print a summary of classes from your student portal.

Verifications of Degree

The National Student Clearinghouse, provides verification of your degree from CGU.

Official Documentation. If you must provide a document to your requesting party,the official verification of a degree is your transcript. Foreign entities may request a transcript and/or diploma, either or both of which must be certified with an apostille.

Degree Completion. If you completed your degree requirements, but the degree has not yet posted to your transcript, you may request an official letter indicating completion of your degree. Once your degree has posted, however, you must refer the third party to the National Student Clearinghouse or request a transcript.

Transcripts

The CGU Transcript is the official record of your academic accomplishments at CGU. Before providing a transcript to any third party, however, you may wish to determine whether it is the appropriate document to meet the needs of the request. Remember, your transcript includes your courses and grades and requires your written authorization for CGU to disclose. If enrollment (semesters of attendance, full-time status) or degree information is the objective of the inquiry, use the National Student Clearinghouse instead.

Foreign entities may request that a transcript, diploma, or both be certified with an apostille.

Statements for Foreign Embassies and Funding Sponsors

• Request for Official Letter from CGU (the Forms webpage)

Foreign embassies, funding sponsors, and other scholarship providers may or may not accept official documents offered by CGU or through our verification services. Some will require a formal letter from the registrar or other official that includes the seal of the institution. If your third party insists on an official letter about your enrollment or your degree, you may submit your request to the Registrar’s Office using the Request for Official Letter from CGU form (available on the Forms webpage).

Please note that the information required by your third party may encompass information that can only be provided by your advisor or your department/program. In those instances, you must submit your request direct to the appropriate faculty member or CGU official.

Remember that requests for the disclosure of non-directory (confidential) information from your education records should always be made in writing per the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Letters of Introduction from CGU

• Request for Official Letter from CGU (available on the Forms webpage)

Students who have been approved for a Leave of Absence for Research may need to present credentials to officials and organizations at their travel destinations, which may include other educational institutions, research initiatives, commercial entities, corporations, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. While an official enrollment verification or a transcript is often accepted, students may be asked to provide a formal letter of introduction from CGU.

If third parties at your research destination require such a letter, you may submit your request to the Registrar’s Office using the Request for Official Letter from CGU form (available on the Forms webpage). Remember that requests for the disclosure of non-directory (confidential) information from your education records should always be made in writing per the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Loan Deferments

If you have financial aid or other student loans, your repayment period typically begins six months after your last semester of enrollment. Note: last semester of enrollment, not semester of graduation. This financial aid provision is the basis for CGU policies such as maintaining your student status and requiring that you be registered during the semester in which you earn or complete your degree.

If you receive a notice of repayment status and you are registered for the current semester at CGU, there are a number of options available to you.

• Lenders verify enrollment through the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), to whom CGU reports enrollment data on a regular basis. If your registeration was late, reporting of your student status is also delayed. Advise your lender that you are enrolled and your enrollment status should be available through your lender’s next report from the NSC.
• Since most lenders have accounts with the NSC, your lender may be able to verify your enrollment immediately through their website service.
• If your lender provided you with a deferment form to be completed, bring it to the Registrar’s Office for processing.
• If no form is provided by your lender, request an official letter from the Registrar’s Office and follow the mailing or reporting instructions provided by your lender.

Deferment and verification services may only be provided if you are registered for the current semester. If you are not enrolled at CGU, you must negotiate any repayment arrangements direct with your lender.

Questions about financial aid or student loans should be referred to Financial Aid.

Miscellaneous Requests

With the exception of requests for the following information, refer miscellaneous requests and questions to the Registrar’s Office.

Course Descriptions. Course descriptions are maintained by the individual department or program. Please forward your request accordingly.

Personal Evaluations. Refer to the appropriate faculty member, advisor, or department/program official as appropriate. Remember, however, that requests for the disclosure of non-directory (confidential) information from your education records should always be made in writing per the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This means that requests submitted to faculty or other departments representatives should be made in writing.

Questions

• Registrar’s Office – student.records@cgu.edu or (909) 621-8285
• Financial Aid – finaid@cgu.edu or (909) 621-8337.
• Department/Program Office

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Claremont Graduate University (CGU) collects numerous documents from and about students in the course of its various administrative processes. With the exception of transcripts issued by CGU, which are retained permanently, the Registrar’s Office maintains student records files for five years following the last semester of a student’s enrollment. After this period, records are destroyed through a confidential records destruction protocol.

For students, and especially for international students, some of the documents provided to CGU for admissions and transfer credit purposes are documents that are difficult to obtain or are essentially irreplaceable. Some foreign institutions limit the issuance of formal, official documents to a single request or distribution. Documents include, but may not be limited to, the following non-CGU-issued records:

• Transcripts
• Academic records and institutional evaluations
• Diplomas
• Certificates of achievement

Unless a student or former student has signed a waiver of access to a particular record, original documents issued by foreign or other third party institutions are available for return to the student as follows:

• When the document has served its original purpose at CGU
• When maintenance of the original document is no longer required by CGU
• If the document is still being retained in CGU files

Whenever an original document is returned to a student or former student, a copy of the document is made and retained in the student file for the duration of the file’s retention period. CGU assumes no responsibility for documents and files that have already been destroyed per institutional records retention policies.

Procedure

Note that the following procedure applies only to student records in the custody of and/or maintained by the CGU Registrar’s Office.

Inquire. Determine whether the document you seek is available at CGU by completing the Student Document Claim Form (available on the Forms webpage. Submit your form to the Registrar’s Office. Delivery may be made in person, by mail, by FAX to 909-607-7285, or by e-mail to student.records@cgu.edu.

Await Confirmation. Allow 72 hours for the records search to be completed. The Registrar’s Office will confirm availability of the document and advise you regarding when to pick up your document.

Pick up. When picking up your document, you will be asked to sign the Disposition of Document(s) section of the Student Document Claim Form as evidence of receipt. Your CGU Student ID or other government-issued identification card that includes a photo is required at the time of pick-up.

Alternate Delivery. Documents may also be claimed in the following manner. However, CGU is not responsible for the receipt of any document(s) not claimed in person by the student requesting the document(s).

• Mail. Provide mailing instructions on the Student Document Claim Form. Delivery through the US Mail is free. Expedited delivery, by a method selected by CGU Mail & Duplication Services (US Priority/Express Mail or Federal Express), is also available. Expedited services require the prior payment of delivery service fees–$30 for a domestic US address or $60 for an international destination. Payment of fees should be made by cash (exact change required) or check only.
• Proxy Pick-Up. You may instruct CGU to release a document to your representative by completing the Authorization for Disposition section of Student Document Claim Form. CGU will release documents to your representative only upon your prior written authorization. Note that your representative must present a government-issued identification card with photo and must sign for receiving the document(s).

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