Request Conduct Records
Conduct Information for Third Party Purposes
A third party request of a student/alumni’s disciplinary record as part of an application for admission or employment is referred to as a Dean's Certification. Dean's certifications include both academic and non-academic misconduct. The Office of Community Standards will contact the student/alumni's academic program to request information on academic integrity.
A request for a Dean's Certification can be submitted through a Dean's Certification Request Form. Students and alumni must provide a signed release form providing the University permission to release this information. If you already have a form you have signed as part of your application, please upload it in the request form. Alternately, please complete the Consent for Release of Personal Information/Education Records Form (PDF).
Academic institutions and employers can also request a student/alumni’s disciplinary record directly by filling out the Dean's Certification Request Form above. Please note that you will need to provide a signed release from the student/alumni for this information to be provided.
Former or current students may also request an individual Dean’s Certification. Please follow the same procedure outlined above for for third party requests.
Your Dean's Certification request will be completed within approximately 5-7 business days, after your request is submitted.
Conduct Information for The Common Application or Other Transfer Form
If you are an undergraduate student completing The Common Application (or similar transfer form) for potential transfer to another University, you must complete the following steps in order to obtain your academic and/or conduct related information:- Submit The Common Application (transfer form) to the Office of the Registrar. They will notarize and complete the top portion of the application form (The Office of Community Standards will not provide conduct information unless this step is complete). Please see The Office of the Registrar for specific instructions on requesting "enrollment verification" from that office.
- Once The Office of the Registrar returns the completed form to you, fill out the electronic Dean's Certification Request Form: Dean's Certification Request Form.
- Upload the notarized Common Application and the Consent for Release of Personal Information/Education Records Form (PDF)* before submitting the request.
The Office of Community Standards will attach a Dean’s Certification letter to the Common Application (transfer form).
Please note that, due to the volume of Dean's Certifications requests, we are unable to complete the individual conduct section of individual forms. Instead, the Office of Community Standards will attach a Dean's Certification letter to the Common Application (transfer form). (See above section for explanation of Dean's Certification).
For more on the information provided as part of a Dean's Certification, please see Records Retention.
Community Standards Records Check for Internal Purposes
Northwestern University faculty and staff may choose to request information about a student’s conduct record when considering the student for a position of leadership or privilege on campus. University faculty and staff can request this information through the Community Standards Records Check online form. Please allow one week for requests with less than 100 students. Please allow at least two weeks for requests with over 100 students.