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Many Indian schools, especially smaller state-board and CBSE schools, have no one whose job is college applications. That does not stop you applying to universities in the US, UK or elsewhere. The forms ask for a school official, not a specialist, and you can do most of the work of collecting documents yourself.
Who can write the counsellor letter if my school has none?
For US universities on the Common App, the official Common App school report form tells students to send it to "your secondary/high school counselor or another school official". In practice that means your principal, vice-principal or the office head who keeps your marks.
The same form asks that person to rate you against classmates on academics, activities and character. So if your principal barely knows you, a class teacher or senior teacher who has taught you for two years can draft the letter, and the principal can sign the school report itself. Check each university's own admissions page to see whether it wants a counsellor letter or only the school report.
For UK universities through UCAS, the rule is clear. UCAS says your referee must know you "in a professional or academic capacity", and must not be a family member, friend or partner, or you. The whole reference is limited to 3,800 characters across its three sections, according to the same UCAS page.
If your school is not registered with UCAS, UCAS suggests asking a previous teacher whether you can link to their school with its "buzzword", or asking someone else, such as a current or previous employer, for a reference.
What school documents do I need to collect myself?
The Common App form asks the school official to attach your "current or most recent official transcript, including courses in progress and a transcript legend", and gives the option of a school profile (school report form). Indian schools rarely have these ready, so build them yourself and ask the school to check, sign and stamp them:
Transcript: one page listing every subject and mark for Classes 9 to 12, with Class 12 marked as in progress.
Transcript legend: what your marks mean, for example the pass mark and the highest possible mark.
School profile: one page with the board, subjects offered, class size and grading system.
Copies of Class 10 board mark sheets and Class 11 school reports.
Predicted Class 12 marks, signed by a teacher, if a university asks for them.
Keep scans in one folder; you will reuse them for every university.
How do I ask my principal? A script that works
Ask in person first, then follow up by email with the request in writing. Something like this:
"Ma'am, I am applying to universities abroad this year. Each one needs a short form from the school confirming my marks, and our school does not have a college counsellor, so the form allows the principal or another school official to complete it. I have prepared a draft transcript and school profile for you to check. Could you or the office sign and stamp them by [date]? I will handle all the uploading."
Give at least three weeks and send a polite reminder a week before your deadline. Asking for a reference is the same: tell the teacher which course you want, share your activity list, and give them plenty of time, as UCAS advises.
Where can I get official help with applications abroad?
You do not have to pay an agent to get accurate information:
EducationUSA India describes itself as a U.S. Department of State programme and "the official source of information on U.S. higher education", with centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
BigFuture, from College Board, is a planning site with college search, a majors directory and scholarship search.
UCAS publishes its own guidance on references and the application steps.
If you are still deciding whether to pay for help at all, read our guide on whether to hire a counsellor or apply on your own.
A simple plan for the next eight weeks
Week 1: shortlist universities using our guide to building a college list by fit, not rankings, and note which documents each one asks for.
Week 2: draft your transcript, legend and school profile.
Week 3: meet the principal with the script above, and ask one or two teachers for letters.
Week 4: write your activity list for applications and share it with your referees.
Weeks 5 to 6: collect signed, stamped documents and scan them.
Weeks 7 to 8: send invitations from the application portal, then check each referee has submitted.
Your Class 12 marks still matter while this goes on. If one subject is pulling your predicted grades down, Fermi's AI tutor can work out what you already know and build a plan for the session, so revision time goes where it counts.
Start with the transcript draft this week. It is the one document every application asks for.
