Transfer Student Assistance
This section contains information and suggestions for grade level and subject area placement of students transferring from Mexican schools. It also includes a description of the guidelines used by some high schools for granting credits earned in Mexico.
Securing School Records from Mexico
A student who does not have report cards or certificates (diplomas) from Mexican schools should be treated as any other transfer student until records can be obtained.
Individual schools in Mexico are not authorized to release student records. To obtain report cards contact your nearest Mexican Consulate or Cultural Center/Institute.
If you are online, you can also visit the website of the Binational Program (in Spanish) for more information.
Also, when a student from Mexico begins the enrollment process, ask him or her for the following items:
- Acta de nacimiento (birth certificate)
- Documento de transferencia (transfer document) y/o boleta(s) de calificaciones (and/or report card)
- Informe de calificaciones de estudios parciales (If the student is enrolled at the secondary level. This is similar to a transcript and is described in the section on secondary documents.)
- Certificado de primaria o de secundaria (elementary or secondary diploma)
- Cartilla nacional de vacunacion (vaccination record)
You can also download a Spanish-language flier for parents of students enrolling in your school.
School Staff: Call your state director of education or your nearest Mexican Consulate, Cultural Center, or Institute for information about and assistance with securing school and/or health records from Mexico, the Transfer Document for the Binational Student, teacher exchange, free textbook distribution, or any other programs and services of the Program for Mexican Communities Abroad and the Binational Education Program.
Understanding Documents from Mexico
The information that follows will help school staff enroll Mexican students and interpret their records.
Names
Nombres are given names. The student may have one or several. María may be abbreviated to Ma . Multiple names may be written with a connecting preposition, such as María del Carmen or separate, such as María Luisa. Apellidos are last names, and the student almost always will have TWO. In Mexico, the order never varies: the first last name is the father’s last name and the second last name is the mother’s.
For example: José Carlos Martínez Salas and Carmen Luisa Gómez Hernández marry and have a son. They name him José Carlos. His name becomes José Carlos Martínez Gómez. The first last name is used for alphabetizing.
Understanding Names
| Mexico | United States | |
| NAME | José Carlos Martínez Gómez | Jose C. Martinez |
| LAST NAME | Martínez | Martinez |
| SECOND LAST NAME | Gómez | Not used |
| FIRST NAME | José | Jose |
| MIDDLE NAME | Carlos | Carlos |
last names as they were before she married.
Numbers and Dates
- The first date on a birth certificate usually is the date the document was completed. The second date may be the birth date.
- If expressed as numbers, dates are written as follows: the day, the month, the year. Example: September 16, 1996 16/09/96
- No. is used for number, not #.
- Decimals are written with a period. A comma is used to write numbers in the thousands.
- Traditionally, months have not been capitalized, but usage has changed and there may be exceptions.
Translating the Months
| Spanish | English |
| enero | January |
| febrero | February |
| marzo | March |
| abril | April |
| mayo | May |
| junio | June |
| julio | July |
| agosto | August |
| septiembre | September |
| octubre | October |
| noviembre | November |
| diciembre | December |
Telephone numbers may be written differently, and may not contain the same number of digits as in the United States. Examples: 8-53-96-28, 2-85-13, or without hyphens. Area codes in Mexico changed recently, and in some areas local numbers became eight digits.
Addresses
The order is usually expressed differently, with the name of the street first. For example, 1190 Alcalde Ave. would be written as Av. Alcalde N0 1190. Other abbreviations that may be useful are as follow.
Translating Addresses
| Spanish | English |
| Apto. (Apartado, apartamento) | P.O. Box Apartment |
| Av. (Avenida) | Avenue |
| Cd. (Ciudad) | City |
| CP (Código Postal) | Zip Code |
| Depto. (Departamento) | Apartment |
| D.F. (Distrito Federal) | Federal District (includes Mexico City) |
| Edo. (Estado) | State |
Terms common in Mexican school records and birth certificates
- Acta de nacimiento-birth certificate
- Alumno-student
- Año Escolar-school year
- Apellido-last name. Primer Apellido is the first last name (the father’s) and
- Segundo Apellido (the mother’s) is the second last name.
- Asignatura-subject. Materias also is used, but not on report cards.
- Boleta or Boleta de Calificaciones-report card
- Cartilla Nacional de Vacunación-National Vaccination Record
- Calificación-grade earned for class work, as in 6.0
- Certificado
- Primaria, certificate awarded upon completion of the 6th grade of elementray school.
- Secundaria-certificate awarded upon completion of the 3rd grade of secundaria (which is equivalent of grades 7, 8 and 9).
- Bachillerato-certificate awarded upon completion of the 3rd grade of bachillerato (equivalent of grades 10, ll, and 12).
- Certificación-Certification, usually refers to grade report, similar to a transcript
- Ciclo Escolar-school term
- CURP—This is an acronym for Clave Unica de Registro de Población, which is a national identification code assigned to all Mexican citizens living in Mexico or abroad. It consists of 18 numbers and letters that represent the person’s given name, first and second last names, birth date, sex, and birthplace. The CURP will eliminate the multiplicity of numbers such as on birth certificates, health cards, school IDs, social security cards, driver’s licenses, and passports.
- Dirección-school administration
- Director(a)-principal or director
- Domicilio-address
- Exámenes Extraordinarios-Examinations given at the secundaria and bachillerato levels during the months of September, October, and February for credit in classes failed during the regular school year
- Folio-document number
- Grado-level of studies, as in first grade
- Maestro (a)-teacher. Profesor(a) is also commonly used, but not on report cards.
- Municipio-territorial and political division of a state similar to a county in the United States. The Municipio is governed by a president, Alcalde, who also serves as mayor of the Cabecera Municipal, the city that serves the same purpose as a county seat in the United States. The other members of the governing body, called the Ayuntamiento, may be popularly elected or appointed.
- Nombre-given name
- Padre de Familia-parent
- Promedio-grade point average
- Promovido-promoted
- Turno-session. The three sessions are as follows: matutino-morning; vespertino-afternoon; and nocturno-evening
- Tutor-guardian
Translating Terms About Disabilities
The following chart explains the terms and codes used in official school documents to indicate identified student disabilities.
| Student Handicap | Key |
|
Auditory handicap Discapacidad auditiva
|
DA |
|
Intellectual handicap Discapacidad intelectual |
DI |
| Motor skills handicap |
DMO |
| Visual handicap |
DV |
| Others (specify) |
O |
Placing Students in the Correct Grade and Level
Grade Level Placement and Class Selection Will Depend on the Following:
- Competence in English (should be a factor in class selection but not in grade level placement)
- The student’s academic record
- Length of time since last school attendance
- Whether the student was enrolled in an urban or a rural school, regular school or escuelas unitarias
- Personal factors
The Transfer Document for the Elementary Binational Student
A completed Transfer Document for the Binational Student should be given to every student transferring to a school in Mexico. Beginning school term 1999-2000, the Transfer Document could also be used by students transferring from Mexican to United States schools. The following chart can help interpret grades for students using the transfer document.
You can download a copy of the Transfer Document:
For Grades 1 - 6: Front | Back
For Grades 7 - 9: Front | Back
Transferring Grades
For 8th - 12th grade students, please also see:
Note: If you have questions about a report card or document, contact your local consulate.
If you are online, you can also visit the website of the Binational Program (Spanish) for more information.
Discussion by Grade Level
Elementary School (Primaria)
Grades 1- 6
Note: Please also see the Elementary School section of the document "Educational Background of Transfer Students."
Elementary school (Primaria) in Mexico consists of six grade levels. Students who are 6 years old by September 1 begin first grade. Until 1993 completion of Primary School satisfied the legal requirement for compulsory school attendance. Currently, Article 31 of the Mexican Constitution obligates parents to insure that their children complete Primary (the equivalent of grades 1-6 in United States schools) and Secondary (the equivalent of grades 7-9 in the United States). The National Council for the Promotion of Education (Consejo Nacional de Fomento Educativo), known as CONAFE, Indigenous, and Education provides primary education.
There are also options for youth over 15 years of age and adults. The federal government offers adult primary education and adult literacy classes through National Institute for the Education of Adults (Instituto Nacional de Educación de Adultos (INEA) which meet in the evening in school buildings, homes, churches, factories, or other facilities. Adults may also study for a primary diploma in Centers for Basic Education for Adults (Centros de Educación Básica para Adultos, or CEBA), Centers for Non-Formal Education (Centros de Educación Extraescolar, or CEDEX), and Cultural Missions (Misiones Culturales, or MC). Credit is by examination. The following is a summary of the grading policies in effect during school year 1999-2000. For information specific to each grade level, see the appropriate translation of the report card cover.
For more information about the Primary (Elementary) policies in Mexico (recorded the 1999-2000 school year), you can view the Elementary Policies page.
Examples of Documents
for Elementary Transfer Students
- Transfer Document For Grades 1 - 6: Front | Back
- The Mexican Elementary School Plan of Studies
- Diploma
Note: If you have questions about a report card or document, contact your local consulate.
Middle School (Secundaria)
Grades 7 - 9
Note: Please also see the Middle School section of the document "Educational Background of Transfer Students."
Secondary school (Secundaria) consists of three levels, called First Grade (Primer Grado), Second Grade (Segundo Grado), and Third Grade (Tercer Grado).
There are four kinds of secondary schools: General Secondary (Secundaria General) which is academic; Technical Secondary (Secundaria Técnica), where students take additional hours of vocational classes; Telesecondary (Telesecundaria), which is broadcast to remote areas; and Workers’ Secondary (Secundarias para Trabajadores) designed for working youth and adults. The curriculum is the same for all four types of secondary schools.
Until 1993 completion of Primary satisfied the legal requirement for compulsory school attendance. Currently, Article 31 of the Mexican Constitution obligates parents to insure that their children complete primary and secondary school, although in some areas, particularly in states with severely limited resources, there have not been sufficient funds to construct and staff secondary schools.
Students who are less than 15 years old and have successfully completed Primary (grades one through six) should enroll in Secondary. Students who are less than 16 years old may enroll in secondary classes delivered by satellite, called Telesecundaria. Students who are 15 years old or more may enroll in adult education programs.
For more information about the Secondary (Middle School) policies in Mexico (1999-2000), you can view the Middle School Policies page.
Examples of Documents
for Middle School Transfer Students
- Transfer Document For Grades 7 - 9: Front | Back
- Plan of Study
- Diploma
- Suggested 9th Grade Transfer Credits
- Math Credits and Placement
Note: If you have questions about a report card or document, contact your local consulate.
High School (Bachillerato)
Grades 10 - 12
Note: Please also see the High School section of the document "Educational Background of Transfer Students."
In Mexico, high school education (Also known as Educación Media Superior), follows Secondary (Secundaria) and includes academic studies, called Bachillerato, as well as purely vocational programs called Professional Technical Education (Educación Profesional Técnica ). It is offered in federal and state-supported public institutions, which do not charge tuition, and in private schools. Approximately 80 percent of the students attend publicly financed schools. In some states, the public university owns and operates one or more Bachilleratos.
Bachillerato usually is a three or four year program of study, generally attended by youth 15 to 18 years old. Professional technical education may consist of two to four years of study, is terminal, and therefore does NOT qualify graduates for admission to a university.
In school year 1998-1999, 58.2 percent of the upper secondary students were enrolled in academic high school, 14.4 percent were enrolled in technical professional, and 27.4 percent studied technological high school (Perfil de la Educación in México 54). For more information about these types of high school, you can read about the types of Mexican high schools.
The Grading Scale: In most Mexican Upper Middle Education schools, the grading scale is either identical to the one used in Primary and Secondary (5 - 10), or an equivalent percentage (5 = 50%, or not passing). Some schools use the same equivalent grading scale from the Transfer Document for the Binational Student. School staff will need to grant credits in accordance with state and local guidelines
Recommendations for granting ninth grade credits as based on the third year of the national, compulsory, Secondary (Secundaria) plan of studies may be found in the link below.
Examples of Documents
for High School Transfer Students
Note: If you have questions about a report card or document, contact your local consulate.