{"id":3057,"date":"2026-06-17T15:49:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T19:49:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.dev.www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/?page_id=3057"},"modified":"2026-08-24T15:08:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T19:08:09","slug":"record-retention","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/faculty-staff\/advisor\/record-retention\/","title":{"rendered":"Record Retention Guidelines"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"modal-ready\"><div  class=\"purdue-home-cta-banner purdue-home-teritary-hero \">\n            <div class=\"image\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Gold texture background\" src=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gold-Texture-Hero-1920x1080-1.jpg\"\/>\n                    <\/div>\n        <div class=\"section has-image-background has-padding-top-large has-padding-bottom-large \">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n            <h1 class=\"second-level-page-heading purdue-home-teritary-hero__header\"><strong>record retention guidelines<\/strong><\/h1>\n            <div class=\"purdue-home-teritary-hero__content\">\n                \n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center hero-text-custom wp-block-paragraph\">Recommended retention&nbsp;timelines for common academic records at Purdue, based on the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) 2019 guidelines.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div  class=\"section has-padding-bottom-large \">\n    <div class=\"container\">\n                \n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns page-layout-columns columns is-multiline is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column column is-full-tablet page-layout-main is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Retention Schedule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Recommended retention timelines are listed below for common academic records at Purdue University. These guidelines are based on the&nbsp;<strong><em>American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) Retention of Records<\/em>&nbsp;(2019)<\/strong>.&nbsp;Records marked Permanent have no disposal date and should never be destroyed.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This isn&#8217;t a comprehensive list. For general guidance, refer to Purdue&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/vpec\/records-retention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Records Retention Compliance<\/a>. For the university&#8217;s full records retention policy, review the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/vpec\/policies\/records\/viiia5\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Record Retention and Disposal Policy<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"purdue-accordion-wrap  purdue-accordion-wrap--small\">\n    <div class=\"section has-none-background has-padding-top-none has-padding-bottom-none\">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n            <div class=\"purdue-accordion has-no-bottomborder\">\n                <h3 class=\"accordion__heading purdue-accordion__title  purdue-accordion__title--small\" id=\"title-fc4c60a2-5aad-4a7a-b341-0989d9e36c8c\">\n                    <button aria-controls=\"content-fc4c60a2-5aad-4a7a-b341-0989d9e36c8c\" aria-expanded=\"false\">Academic Records<\/button>\n                <\/h3>\n                <div class=\"accordion__content purdue-accordion__content\" id=\"content-fc4c60a2-5aad-4a7a-b341-0989d9e36c8c\" hidden aria-hidden=\n                \"true\">\n                    \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Record Type<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/th><th><strong>Retention Guideline<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Academic advisement records&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years after graduation&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Academic warning \u2014 undergraduate (academic notice\/separation)&nbsp;<\/td><td>Permanent;&nbsp;retained&nbsp;on transcript&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Academic warning \u2014 graduate students (non-performance\/deficiency)&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years after graduation; kept in student&#8217;s academic department&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Academic integrity violation&nbsp;<\/td><td>Permanent&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Correspondence related to academic records or inquiries&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years after graduation&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Disciplinary action records&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years after graduation&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Major, minor, certificate and concentration changes&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years after graduation&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Appeals for exception to academic policy&nbsp;<\/td><td>Permanent&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Thesis\/dissertation&nbsp;<\/td><td>Permanent&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Degree audits&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years after graduation&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Substitution\/waivers for degree requirements&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years after graduation&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"purdue-accordion-wrap  purdue-accordion-wrap--small\">\n    <div class=\"section has-none-background has-padding-top-none has-padding-bottom-none\">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n            <div class=\"purdue-accordion has-no-bottomborder\">\n                <h3 class=\"accordion__heading purdue-accordion__title  purdue-accordion__title--small\" id=\"title-94a036ff-a9b6-4500-8463-7936b6549d4e\">\n                    <button aria-controls=\"content-94a036ff-a9b6-4500-8463-7936b6549d4e\" aria-expanded=\"false\">Grades\u00a0<\/button>\n                <\/h3>\n                <div class=\"accordion__content purdue-accordion__content\" id=\"content-94a036ff-a9b6-4500-8463-7936b6549d4e\" hidden aria-hidden=\n                \"true\">\n                    \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Record Type<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/th><th><strong>Retention Guideline<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Grade appeal\/complaint&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 year from decision date&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Faculty grade book&nbsp;<\/td><td>5 years after course completion&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Grade change forms&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years after graduation or last date of attendance&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Final grade reports&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 year after date distributed&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Midterm grade reports&nbsp;<\/td><td>Through end of term&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Final grade submission data&nbsp;<\/td><td>Permanent&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"purdue-accordion-wrap  purdue-accordion-wrap--small\">\n    <div class=\"section has-none-background has-padding-top-none has-padding-bottom-none\">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n            <div class=\"purdue-accordion has-no-bottomborder\">\n                <h3 class=\"accordion__heading purdue-accordion__title  purdue-accordion__title--small\" id=\"title-404f6584-24ce-4fd5-b6d4-d68c2dd0d488\">\n                    <button aria-controls=\"content-404f6584-24ce-4fd5-b6d4-d68c2dd0d488\" aria-expanded=\"false\">Enrollment and Registration\u00a0<\/button>\n                <\/h3>\n                <div class=\"accordion__content purdue-accordion__content\" id=\"content-404f6584-24ce-4fd5-b6d4-d68c2dd0d488\" hidden aria-hidden=\n                \"true\">\n                    \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Record Type<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Retention Guideline<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Enrollment verifications&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 year after verification&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Transcript requests (by student)&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 year after verification&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Credit\/no credit, audit and pass\/no pass approval&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 year after date submitted&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Add\/drop requests&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 year after date submitted&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Withdrawal requests&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years after graduation or last date of attendance&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"purdue-accordion-wrap  purdue-accordion-wrap--small\">\n    <div class=\"section has-none-background has-padding-top-none has-padding-bottom-none\">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n            <div class=\"purdue-accordion has-no-bottomborder\">\n                <h3 class=\"accordion__heading purdue-accordion__title  purdue-accordion__title--small\" id=\"title-f151545d-e053-468a-9ca2-62a3afd8633c\">\n                    <button aria-controls=\"content-f151545d-e053-468a-9ca2-62a3afd8633c\" aria-expanded=\"false\">Personal Records\u00a0<\/button>\n                <\/h3>\n                <div class=\"accordion__content purdue-accordion__content\" id=\"content-f151545d-e053-468a-9ca2-62a3afd8633c\" hidden aria-hidden=\n                \"true\">\n                    \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Record Type<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Retention Guideline<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Name, Social Security number,&nbsp;date of birth&nbsp;and gender updates&nbsp;<\/td><td>50 years from date updated&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Personal data updates (marital status, race, ethnicity, demographic)&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 year from date updated<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"purdue-accordion-wrap  purdue-accordion-wrap--small\">\n    <div class=\"section has-none-background has-padding-top-none has-padding-bottom-none\">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n            <div class=\"purdue-accordion has-no-bottomborder\">\n                <h3 class=\"accordion__heading purdue-accordion__title  purdue-accordion__title--small\" id=\"title-0030ccf1-d303-4a28-b08e-058e4239dc79\">\n                    <button aria-controls=\"content-0030ccf1-d303-4a28-b08e-058e4239dc79\" aria-expanded=\"false\">Certifications and Credentials\u00a0<\/button>\n                <\/h3>\n                <div class=\"accordion__content purdue-accordion__content\" id=\"content-0030ccf1-d303-4a28-b08e-058e4239dc79\" hidden aria-hidden=\n                \"true\">\n                    \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Record Type<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/th><th><strong>Retention Guideline<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Athlete eligibility reports&nbsp;<\/td><td>7 years after certification&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Residency verification records&nbsp;<\/td><td>7 years after certification&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Teacher certifications&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 year after verification&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Transfer credit evaluations&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years after graduation or last date of attendance&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Returned diplomas&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 calendar year from conferral date&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"purdue-accordion-wrap  purdue-accordion-wrap--small\">\n    <div class=\"section has-none-background has-padding-top-none has-padding-bottom-none\">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n            <div class=\"purdue-accordion\">\n                <h3 class=\"accordion__heading purdue-accordion__title  purdue-accordion__title--small\" id=\"title-75b38a71-22f7-4e94-a777-862594806bc5\">\n                    <button aria-controls=\"content-75b38a71-22f7-4e94-a777-862594806bc5\" aria-expanded=\"false\">Institutional Records\u00a0<\/button>\n                <\/h3>\n                <div class=\"accordion__content purdue-accordion__content\" id=\"content-75b38a71-22f7-4e94-a777-862594806bc5\" hidden aria-hidden=\n                \"true\">\n                    \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Record Type<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Retention Guideline<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Graduation lists&nbsp;<\/td><td>Permanent&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Catalogs&nbsp;<\/td><td>Permanent&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Commencement programs&nbsp;<\/td><td>Permanent&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Instruction evaluations (by students)&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 semester&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":2893,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3057","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3057","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3057"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3057\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5707,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3057\/revisions\/5707"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/registrar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3057"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}