Education & Attestation#123

Understanding Migration / Transfer Certificate (TC) from school or university

Obtain a transfer certificate from your school or college when changing institution or state.

At a glance

Jurisdiction

All of India (process governed by respective school boards / universities and state regulations)

Who applies

Students leaving a school or college / university to join another institution or apply for admission abroad, who require an official Migration Certificate (MC) or Transfer Certificate (TC) from their previous institution

Typical time

TC from school: 3–7 working days; Migration Certificate from board/university: 15–45 working days

Fee

School TC: ₹10–₹100 (varies by school); University MC: ₹100–₹1,000 depending on the university; duplicate or urgent: higher fees

Who should use this process

✓Student must have completed or left a course / class at the issuing institution
✓No dues — library, tuition, hostel, or any other fee — must be outstanding at the issuing institution
✓For a Migration Certificate from a university, the student must have passed or been registered for the relevant examination
✓School TC requires that the student is no longer enrolled; TC cannot be issued to a currently enrolled student except in exceptional circumstances
✓For inter-state or international transfers, a migration certificate from the school board (CBSE / ICSE / State Board) may additionally be required along with the school TC

Who does NOT need to apply

✕Students who have outstanding dues or disciplinary cases pending at the issuing institution — TC/MC may be withheld until clearance
✕Students applying for a duplicate TC/MC without a valid reason or FIR (for lost originals) may face additional scrutiny
✕Transfer Certificates are not Migration Certificates — a TC only transfers enrollment; a university MC confirms academic standing for board/university-level movement

Documents required

#	Document	Type needed	Purpose
1	Application / request letter for TC or MC	Original	Formal request addressed to the Principal (TC) or Registrar (MC) specifying the reason for leaving and the institution being joined
2	School / college identity card	Original	To be surrendered at the time of TC collection; confirms current enrollment
3	No-dues clearance certificate	Download / Print	Issued by each department (library, accounts, hostel) confirming no outstanding payments; required before TC/MC is released
4	Aadhaar Card of the student	Self-attested Copy	Identity proof required for university migration certificate applications and online portals
5	Mark sheets / grade cards of completed examinations	Self-attested Copy	Required by universities to verify academic standing before issuing the Migration Certificate
6	Admission letter of new institution (if available)(optional)	Self-attested Copy	Establishes the genuine reason for migration; some universities and boards require it before issuing the MC
7	FIR copy and affidavit (for duplicate TC/MC)(optional)Only required when applying for a duplicate TC or MC	Original	Required when the original TC/MC has been lost; affidavit on stamp paper must affirm the loss

Original documents: Carry originals only for in-person visits — do not hand them over permanently unless explicitly required.

Step-by-step guide

1
Obtain no-dues clearance from all departments
Offline
Visit each relevant department at your school or college — accounts, library, laboratory, hostel, sports — and clear all outstanding dues. Each department stamps or signs the no-dues clearance form. Without this, the TC/MC will not be issued. Begin this process at least 2 weeks before your planned last day.
1–5 daysDepartment-level staff (librarian, accounts officer, hostel warden)
2
Submit application to the Principal / Registrar
Both
Submit a written application addressed to the Principal (for school TC) or the Registrar / Controller of Examinations (for university MC). Attach all required documents including no-dues clearance, identity card, and mark sheets. For school TC, hand-deliver to the school office; for university MC, submit at the Registrar's office or via the university's online student portal.
30 minutesPrincipal (school) / Registrar (university)
3
Pay the prescribed fee
Both
Pay the TC or MC fee at the institution's accounts counter or via the online payment gateway on the university portal. Collect the fee receipt, as it must be produced when collecting the TC/MC. Fees for urgent or duplicate certificates are typically 2–5x the standard fee.
15 minutes
4
Board-level Migration Certificate (if required for inter-board transfer)
Both
If moving from a school affiliated with CBSE, ICSE, or a State Board to another board or for admission abroad, you additionally need a Migration Certificate from the board itself — not just the school TC. Apply online (e.g., cbse.gov.in for CBSE students) or offline at the board's regional office. Attach the school TC, fee receipt, and mark sheets. CBSE charges ₹150–₹300 and issues the MC within 15–30 days.
15–30 daysRegional Officer, CBSE / State BoardCBSE — cbse.gov.in / State Board portal
5
Collect the TC / MC
Offline
On the processing date (school will inform you), collect the Transfer Certificate or Migration Certificate in person. Verify all details — name, father's name, date of birth, class/course, passing status — for errors before leaving the counter. Any correction after issuance requires a fresh application and may take additional time.
30 minutesSchool office / Registrar's office
6
Attestation of MC (if required for foreign admission)
Offline
If the Migration Certificate or TC is to be used for foreign admission or employment, it may need attestation by the university, then by the State HRD/Home Department, and finally by the MEA (see process 124 for HRD attestation). Carry multiple self-attested copies of the MC for different uses.
7–30 days (attestation chain)

Government officers involved

Principal / Headmaster

School (Government or Private)

Application receipt, approval, and TC issuance

Signs and stamps the Transfer Certificate; ensures no-dues clearance is complete before issuance.

Registrar / Controller of Examinations

University / College

MC application processing and issuance

Verifies academic records, processes the Migration Certificate application, and issues the official MC under the university seal.

Regional Officer, CBSE / State Board

Central Board of Secondary Education / State Board

Board-level Migration Certificate for inter-board transfers

Processes and issues the Migration Certificate from the board for students moving to another board's school or applying abroad.

Government portals

CBSE Services Portal

https://cbse.gov.in

Applying for Migration Certificate from CBSE for Class 10 and Class 12 passed students moving to another board or applying abroad

DigiLocker

https://www.digilocker.gov.in

Accessing digitally issued marksheets, pass certificates, and migration certificates from CBSE, universities, and state boards linked to your Aadhaar

National Academic Depository (NAD)

https://nad.digilocker.gov.in

Verifying academic credentials digitally; some universities issue MCs through NAD

Things to watch out for

TC from school is not the same as MC from the board

A school-issued Transfer Certificate only records your enrollment and conduct at that school. For changing boards (e.g., CBSE to State Board) or applying abroad, you additionally need a Migration Certificate from the board. Many students confuse the two and face delays at their new institution.

No-dues must be cleared before applying — allow extra time

Departments like accounts, library, and hostel can take 3–5 days to process no-dues clearance. Starting the process on your last day is too late. Begin no-dues clearance at least 2 weeks before your intended departure.

Errors in TC/MC cause downstream admission problems

Any discrepancy — even a single letter in the name or a wrong date of birth — between the TC/MC and your Aadhaar, PAN, or other documents can block admission or employment verification. Proofread the certificate before leaving the counter and request corrections immediately.

Institutions cannot legally withhold TC/MC for non-payment beyond limits

Under the RTE Act and UGC guidelines, institutions cannot permanently withhold a TC. If dues are genuinely disputed, approach the state education department or UGC grievance portal. However, this takes time — settle all dues before leaving whenever possible.

Duplicate TC/MC requires FIR and affidavit

If the original TC or MC is lost, you must first file a police FIR about the loss, then execute a notarised affidavit on stamp paper, and submit both with your duplicate application. The duplicate is marked 'Duplicate' and is sometimes not accepted by foreign universities — request a certified true copy instead.