A proper diploma translation becomes critical when you need to use your diploma in another country, whether for university admission, professional licensing, or immigration. A poorly translated diploma can delay your application for months or result in outright rejection.

In this article, we’ll look at 10 key factors you should consider for foreign diploma translation.

1. Verify the exact certification requirements for your destination

Different countries and institutions have specific rules about diploma translations. For example, the UK typically requires notarized translations, while France often demands consular translations, and Germany may need both notarization and sworn translation.

Before starting any translation, contact your target institution/university directly to confirm their requirements. Your admissions office or employer's HR department can provide a written list of what translation certification level they need, saving you from costly resubmissions.

Universities often have stricter requirements than national immigration offices. For example, while a country might accept a certified translation for visa purposes, the same country's medical licensing board might require an apostilled translation with additional verification.

For this, it’s important to request the institution's official translation guidelines document. Most universities publish these on their international student portals, specifying whether they need original stamps, color copies, or digital submissions.

2. Choose between translation and credential evaluation services

The difference between translation and credential evaluation is that translation converts your diploma's text into another language, while credential evaluation determines how your degree compares to the education system in your target country. Many applicants need both services but in a specific order.

If your institution explicitly requests translated documents, you should start with the translation.

Organizations like WES (World Education Services) or ICAS require you to submit both original documents and certified translations before they can evaluate your credentials.

Some credential evaluation services include translation in their packages. However, these internal translations often cannot be used for other purposes like visa applications or professional licensing, requiring you to order separate certified translations.

3. Select translators with educational document expertise

Academic terminology varies significantly between education systems. A general translator might incorrectly translate "Licence" (French three-year degree) as "License" instead of "Bachelor's degree," causing confusion about your qualification level.

Look for translation services that specialize in educational documents and maintain glossaries of academic terms. ISO 17100 certified services ensure translators have proven expertise in their specialization areas, including academic translations.

You should also verify translator qualifications for academic documents. Professional translator associations like ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting) maintain directories of qualified translators. When requesting quotes, ask specifically about the translator's experience with diplomas from your country's education system.

Your chosen service should assign translators familiar with degree classifications, grading systems, and academic titles specific to your source country. This expertise prevents misinterpretation of honors designations or degree levels.

4. Prepare high-quality source documents

Translation accuracy depends entirely on document readability. Blurry scans, faded text, or partial images force translators to guess at content, potentially introducing errors that invalidate your translation.

Scan your diploma at 300 DPI minimum in color, ensuring all seals, stamps, and signatures are clearly visible. If your diploma includes security features like watermarks or embossing, photograph these elements separately to help translators identify and describe them accurately.

Older diplomas may have yellowed paper or faded ink that scanners cannot capture well. In these cases, professional photography under proper lighting often produces better results than scanning.

If sections are illegible, contact your issuing institution for a replacement or certified copy before translation. Translators cannot certify content they cannot read, and recipients will reject translations marked with "illegible" notations.

5. Understand different certification levels and their uses

Certification levels range from simple translator declarations to complex multi-step authentication processes. A certified translation includes the translator's signed statement of accuracy, while sworn translation involves translators officially registered with courts.

Notarized translation adds a notary's verification of the translator's identity and signature, not translation accuracy. Apostille certification then authenticates the notary's authority for use in countries that signed the Hague Convention.

Academic institutions usually accept certified translations, but professional licensing boards may require apostilled documents. For employment purposes, your HR department should specify whether simple certification suffices or if notarization is mandatory.

6. Plan for country-specific formatting requirements

Some countries require translations to mirror the original document's format exactly, even positioning of seals and signatures. Others prefer standardized formats that clearly separate original text from translated content.

For example, German institutions often require bound translations with the original and translation physically attached. Or, US institutions typically accept separate documents but may require cover letters explaining the relationship between documents.

You should also consider the digital submission specifications Online application systems often have strict file size and format limitations. Ensure your translation service can provide documents in the required format like merged PDFs, separate files, or specific naming conventions.

Universities increasingly use automated verification systems that require specific document layouts. Your translation service should understand these technical requirements to prevent upload rejections.

7. Account for realistic turnaround times

Standard diploma translation takes 3-5 business days, but certification adds time. Notarization typically adds 1-2 days, while apostille processing can take 1-3 weeks depending on your location.

During peak admission seasons (January-March and August-October), translation services experience high demand. Book your translation at least 4 weeks before your submission deadline to accommodate potential delays.

You can use urgent translation services who can deliver certified translations within 24-48 hours. However, expedited notarization or apostille services may not be available in all jurisdictions, creating bottlenecks despite fast translation.

If facing tight deadlines, confirm the entire certification chain's timeline. Your operations team can coordinate with translation services that offer end-to-end urgent processing, including certification steps.

8. Ensure data security throughout the process

Diplomas contain personal information including full names, birth dates, and student identification numbers. This data requires protection throughout translation, certification, and delivery stages.

Choose translation services that store documents on secure internal servers and limit access to assigned translators only. Services should provide NDAs and clear data retention policies, deleting your documents after project completion.

Make sure you secure transmission methods. Email attachments risk interception or misdirection. Professional services offer secure upload portals with encryption and access controls, ensuring your documents remain confidential during transmission.

For highly sensitive documents, some services offer physical document handling with tracked courier services. Your compliance team can assess whether digital transmission meets your security requirements or if physical handling is necessary.

9. Budget for the complete translation process

Translation costs vary by language pair, document length, and certification requirements. While English-Spanish translation might cost $50-75 per page, rare language combinations or complex formatting can double these rates.

Certification adds incremental costs: notarization typically adds $25-50 per document, while apostille services range from $50-150 depending on your state or country. Rush services often carry 50-100% premiums.

10. Maintain translation consistency across all documents

When translating multiple academic documents, terminology must remain consistent. Your bachelor's degree, transcript, and diploma supplement should use identical translations for institution names, degree titles, and academic terms.

Professional translation services use terminology management systems to ensure consistency. This becomes critical when different translators work on related documents or when you need additional translations later.

Services & resources to explore

• Certified translation services for academic documents with guaranteed acceptance
• Sworn translation for countries requiring court-registered translators
• Apostille services for complete document authentication
• Which documents need legal translation beyond diplomas

👉 Ready to begin your diploma translation? Request a quote with your source and target languages, and our education document specialists will guide you through the exact certification level you need.