Academic Transcript Translation for the United States

A course-by-course report and a document translation are separate jobs

WES and ECE offer two kinds of report: document-by-document and course-by-course. A university application usually calls for the course-by-course report, in which the organisation works out the US credit hours and the GPA equivalent for each course. The translation does not take the place of that report, it feeds into it; the translator carries across the raw content of the transcript and nothing more, and the conversion is done by the organisation. Where an order is placed before that distinction is clear, people often expect a “GPA calculation” from the translation, which is not something a translation gives.

Finding out from the university you are applying to which type of report is wanted keeps the scope from expanding needlessly. The translation’s job is to present every line in full and legibly, so that the organisation can make its calculation correctly.

Semester and quarter credit systems

US universities work on either a semester or a quarter system, and credit hours are read accordingly. The credit and ECTS values on a Turkish transcript are exactly equal to neither of these; the translation carries the values across as they stand and works out no semester or quarter equivalent. Translating the column headings correctly is what lets the organisation tell which figure stands for what; otherwise the course load can be miscalculated. In transcripts covering several terms, the term headings and the academic year are preserved as well.

How the document is sent to the organisation

The way the document reaches the evaluation organisation has a bearing on the translation too. WES and ECE usually expect the transcript to come straight from the university, in a sealed envelope or through a secure electronic channel; a copy handed over by the applicant is in some cases not accepted. The translation is added to the contents of that envelope, it does not replace them. Before having your transcript translated, then, find out which channel the organisation expects the document to arrive by, so that the translation is tied to the right copy. Where the same transcript is going to several universities, planning from the start for a separate set for each recipient meets any last-minute requests and speeds the process up. A translation that is legible, complete and tied to its source is the precondition for the organisation issuing its report without delay.

The translator does not calculate the GPA

An American assessor wants to place Turkish marks on its own four-point GPA scale itself. Adding a comment to the translation such as “equivalent to a GPA of 3.2” or “equivalent to a B+” is therefore a mistake; the conversion is made by WES or ECE from the raw data on the document. The translator carries the mark and the average across as they stand and converts them into no four-point equivalent. Evaluation organisations usually expect a word-for-word translation rather than a summary, because to make their calculation they need to see the raw mark and credit for every course.

A credit hour and an ECTS credit are not the same thing

The US system works in credit hours, whether semester or quarter; the local credit or ECTS (AKTS) value on a Turkish transcript does not correspond to it exactly. The translation carries both columns across as they stand and converts neither into the other; the credit hour equivalent is settled by the evaluation organisation. Getting the column headings right matters, so that the assessor can tell which figure is the local credit and which the ECTS. Course titles are translated with comprehensible English counterparts; course codes are identifiers and are kept.

The signed certificate of accuracy

Because there is no sworn translator regime in the United States, the only formal assurance attaching to a transcript translation is the signed certificate of accuracy added to it. The certificate states that the translation is complete and accurate and carries the translator’s name and contact details, the date and a signature. Evaluation organisations also tend to want the document itself to come straight from the university in a sealed envelope; the translation does not stand in for that chain, it is added to it. Where an order is placed before this distinction is clear, the translation that results is usually of the wrong scope.

The order of certification and common mistakes

The translation should be ready before the evaluation application is made. For the document to hold together, watch these steps:

• Confirm that the certificate of accuracy has been added to the translation.
• Make sure the translator has not interpreted the mark or the GPA.
• Obtain the apostille before the translation; the United States is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.

Confirm the apostille position from the official HCCH list. You can see the level of certification other types of document need in our document guide, upload your document for a quote and look at the cost on our pricing page. Since the conditions of acceptance vary with the body you are applying to, ask for confirmation in advance.