Academic Document Translation: What You Need, In What Order

When foreign academic records are submitted to a U.S. institution, two separate services are typically required: certified translation and credential evaluation. They are not interchangeable, and submitting one in place of the other is the most common reason an academic file gets rejected.

A university, an employer, an immigration petition, or a licensing board asks you to submit academic records from a foreign institution. The documents are not in English. What exactly is required, and in what form?

Two Different Services

Certified translation is a complete, word-for-word rendering of a transcript, diploma, or degree certificate into English, accompanied by a signed certificate of accuracy from the translator. It tells the receiving institution what the document says.

Credential evaluation is a determination, made by a separate credentialing organization, of what the degree is worth in the U.S. system: whether it is equivalent to an American bachelor’s or master’s, how many semester credits it represents, and whether the issuing institution was accredited at the time. NACES member organizations such as WES and ECE perform this service.

Do You Need One, or Both?

For university admissions: Most evaluation agencies require a certified translation before they will begin an evaluation. The university also typically requires the certified translation as a separate document in the packet. A translation alone will not satisfy a request for a course-by-course evaluation.

For immigration petitions (H-1B, EB-2, EB-3): Both are required. USCIS requires a certified translation of all non-English documents and a credential evaluation showing U.S. degree equivalency. Missing either can result in a Request for Evidence or a denial.

For professional licensing: Requirements vary by board. Some accept a translation without an evaluation; others require both. Confirm the specific requirement in writing before ordering anything.

In all cases, a certified translation does not substitute for an evaluation, and an evaluation report does not substitute for a certified translation. The receiving institution’s exact language controls.

What a Certified Translation Has to Include

A translation of an academic record must include everything on the page: the course list and grades, the grading scale, the degree title in the original language, the registrar’s notations, seals, and any stamps on the reverse side. A translation that renders only the course list has omitted the context that makes the grades interpretable.

The certificate of accuracy is what makes the translation usable. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), USCIS requires a full English translation accompanied by a signed statement that it is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate. Universities and licensing boards generally apply the same standard.

The translator’s role is to render the document accurately, not to equate it to a U.S. degree. That determination belongs to the evaluator. A translator who editorially declares a foreign credential equivalent to a U.S. degree has stepped outside their role, and if the equivalency is wrong, it creates a misrepresentation in the file.

If any portion of the original is illegible, it should be flagged rather than inferred. An incorrect rendering in a credentialing file can surface as a fraud indicator. If a document cannot be read clearly, a clean certified copy should be obtained from the issuing institution before translation proceeds.

Do I Need an Apostille or Notarization?

For most U.S. university admissions and immigration filings, no. Apostille is not typically required when foreign documents are being submitted to domestic institutions or USCIS.

It becomes relevant when a credential evaluation agency requires authentication of the original document before evaluating it, or when documents are traveling in the other direction, a U.S. credential being used abroad. Confirm at intake whether the receiving institution or evaluation agency has this requirement. For a full explanation, see our guide on apostille and notarization requirements.

Before the Packet Ships

• Confirm whether the institution requires translation, credential evaluation, or both
• Verify that your translation agency and evaluation agency meet the institution’s specific requirements
• Ask at intake whether an apostille or notarization is also required
• Allow more time than expected, since transcript delivery, evaluator turnaround, and institutional processing compound quickly

Kaplan Interpreting Services provides certified academic document translation for universities, corporate sponsors, and law firms, with country-matched translators, complete rendering including grading scales and seals, and the translator’s credential named on every certificate of accuracy. Contact us with the issuing country, document type, page count, and the receiving institution’s exact requirement, and we will confirm the scope before anything is submitted.