School records include documents and publications documenting a school's history, students, staff, and faculty. School records should be used to research students and teachers, and any staff that worked at the school. The topic of school records is vast, and depending on the school, the grade level, and the country, it can include various records:
- School census
- School history records
- Student transcripts
- Student report cards
- Student applications
- Student diplomas and graduation documents
- Student newspapers and yearbooks
- Student coursework
- Student identification cards or library cards
- Annual photos of classes and activities
- Programs from school events (athletics, theater arts, music programs)
- Parent organizations (such as Parent-Teacher Association (PTA))
- Faculty and staff personnel applications
- Faculty and staff identification cards
- Faculty writings
School records provide researchers with information about a person’s time associated with a school. This may help verify vital record information or provide context for writing about the person's life.
Where to find school records
School records can be more challenging to find the older they are. Some of the information may be found as a home source. Families may have copies of report cards, diplomas, event programs, and yearbooks. The school may have a library or archive where the information can be found. In the case of universities, this should be one of the first places to search. Some schools may be willing to release information about previous students, faculty, or staff. However, this may not be available for all schools due to privacy issues. If the school has an alumni association, consult them for possible records, publications, or directories.
Other repositories that may hold school records, such as yearbooks or newspapers, include local libraries and historical societies.
The majority of school records are created by the school itself, but in the case of a school census, this may be something a local government, such as a city, created. School censuses helped them to determine if more school buildings or teachers were needed. These records included the names of parents or guardians, students' names, or tick marks for ages. They can even include where the student was born. Sometimes these censuses include "students" up to the age of 21 years. Some existing records can be found online. Local archives and historical societies should be searched for possible school censuses.
University records
University records include information about a university's students, faculty, or staff. A university is an academic institution of higher learning. Students attending a university have graduated or tested out of high school.
Some use the term "university" and "college" interchangeably. Both are institutions of higher learning.
University records include items created by the university with students, facility, and staff names. These records might include:
- Student applications
- Student transcripts
- Student diploma
- Student, staff, and faculty identification cards
- Staff and faculty personnel files
Universities and their students, faculty, and staff also create and publish items such as:
Why use university records?
University records provide information on where a person has been for a specific year or years. In addition, these records provide context for the person's life that can be helpful when writing a family history.
Information found in university records will differ depending on the record type and its purpose. For example, a student transcript will contain the student's name, address, courses, grades, and graduation date (if they graduated). It may also include information about other schools the person attended.
Information found in a university newspaper might provide context for your ancestor. You may learn more about an activity they participated in or even a photo of the ancestor.
Alumni magazines might include names, graduation dates, and what has happened to the student post-graduation. A job, post-graduate work, marriage, or death may be reported.
Where can university records be found?
Start your research by contacting the university archives. If it still exists, university records can be found with the institution itself. In addition, try the university library and/or archive for records. Ask the archivist about the availability of the records you seek. Make sure to let them know the person's name, their years at the university, and their role there. An archivist will suggest additional records that may help answer your research question.
University libraries may have digital collections that include records such as newspapers, yearbooks, and theses/dissertations.
Some items like yearbooks or directories may be found in other collections, including online. Genealogy websites' yearbook collections should be searched for possible matches.
Search for school and university records
Explore more about school and university records
- School and University records at MyHeritage
- Alumni Lists by DistantCousin Genealogy at MyHeritage
- University Archives & Records Center at PennLibraries
- Genealogical Materials in the University Archive at W Libraries