Academic Transcript and Statement of Marks Translation

The most common conceptual mistake in transcript translation is to assume that translation is a matter of conversion. In fact the translator carries the course title, the credit and the mark over into the target language as they stand; converting a mark into another system, or matching one course to another, is not the translator’s job. That assessment is made by the institution receiving the document. Understanding this distinction is the key to translating a transcript properly.

A transcript turns a student’s academic story into figures, and for that reason even the smallest interpretation in its translation can change the outcome. Matching a course title freely, or converting a mark into another system, adds to the document information that was not in the source and distorts the assessment. A correct transcript translation is a faithful transfer: it shows what is what as it stands, and leaves the determination of equivalences to the competent institution.

Which fields are carried over in a transcript?

A transcript contains several complementary kinds of information: course titles, credit or hour values, marks, an explanation of the marking system and the overall average. Each of these is carried over as it appears in the source; none of them is recalculated or interpreted. The table below summarises these fields and the points to watch.

Preparing a transcript step by step

1. Obtain the official transcript. The copy bearing the institution’s seal and signature is what counts; a student printout is not accepted in most places.
2. Include the explanation of the marking system. If there is an explanation of the scale on the document, that is carried over into the translation as well.
3. Translate course titles consistently. If the same course appears in other documents too, it is written in the same form throughout the file.
4. Fix the name and institution details. The student’s name and the name of the institution must agree with the diploma and the other documents.
5. Check what attestation and apostille are required. The level of attestation is determined by what the receiving institution asks for.

Why is converting marks not the translator’s job?

The marking systems of different countries are independent of one another, and determining the equivalent of a mark is a matter of interpretation and authority. If a translator renders a mark as “equivalent to such and such under this system”, they have in fact added information that was not in the source, and that vitiates the document. The assessing institution already carries out that conversion according to its own criteria. The correct translation is therefore one that carries the mark, and the explanation of the marking system where there is one, over as they stand. We set out our approach to educational documents in more detail on the translation services page.

For this reason the most valuable contribution the translation can make is to carry the explanation of the marking system over accurately. If there is a section on the document explaining the scale (for instance what the highest and lowest marks are), that explanation is transferred to the translation in full. The assessing institution then has the information it needs to make the conversion itself.

The right approach to course titles

Course titles are the part of a transcript translation that calls for the most care. The title of a course is carried over in a way that preserves its meaning in the target language; but the course is not matched to a “similar” course in the destination country. Matching is an assessment made by looking at programme content, and it is carried out by the competent institution. The translator’s task is to convey accurately and intelligibly what the course is.

If the same course appears in more than one document (in the transcript and in the diploma supplement, for instance), it must be translated in the same form in all of them. Inconsistent course titles force the assessor to question whether they are the same course, and slow the examination down.

Common mistakes

• Converting a mark into another system. This means adding information that was not in the source, and it distorts the assessment.
• Matching course titles approximately. Because programme content is assessed by looking at the course title, a free translation misleads.
• Leaving out the explanation of the marking system. Without the scale information, the marks are read incompletely.
• Inconsistency of names with the diploma. Different spellings across the same student’s documents give rise to doubt.

Frequently raised points

Can I have my average converted into the destination system? No; the average is carried over with the value on the document. Determining its equivalent is the assessing institution’s job, and adding a conversion to the translation vitiates the document.

Should the explanatory notes on the reverse of the transcript be translated too? Yes. Explanations of the marking system and the scale are often on the reverse of the document and are needed for the assessment; leaving these sections out is a common omission.

Is an interim transcript accepted for studies still in progress? That depends on what the institution asks for. Where an interim transcript is requested, an official, sealed copy is still what counts; terms not yet completed are carried over as they stand, and incomplete information is not presented as though it were complete.

Should I have the course descriptions translated as well? Because exemption and recognition assessments look at content rather than at the course title, the course description document (the catalogue) may well be requested. Where it is, that document too is translated with care and with terminology consistent with the transcript.

Transfers between institutions and course equivalence

A transcript is decisive not only in applications abroad but also in transfers between institutions and in course exemption procedures. In these procedures the institution considers whether the courses the student has previously taken are equivalent to courses in its own programme. That decision on equivalence, however, is again the institution’s; the translation merely puts the course title, its credit and its content accurately before it. It is not for the translator to describe a course as “eligible for exemption”.

Course description documents (catalogues) therefore take on particular importance in transfer files. The institution assesses equivalence by looking at content rather than at the course title; a description translated incompletely or superficially makes the exemption review harder. Consistency of terminology must be preserved in these documents too, matching the course titles in the transcript exactly.

Checklist

• Is the transcript an official, sealed copy?
• Has the explanation of the marking system or scale (often on the reverse) been included?
• Are the course titles consistent with the diploma supplement and the catalogue?
• Have the marks and the average been carried over as they stand, without conversion?
• Is the student’s name spelled the same way as on the other documents?

In sum, a good transcript translation neither embellishes the document nor interprets it; it conveys it as it stands, in full and consistently. As long as the authority to assess rests with the institution, the task of the translation is to prepare a sound and transparent basis for that assessment.

We can prepare your transcript in a translation that carries the course and mark details over as they stand and is consistent with your diploma. You can send us your document through the quotation form, see which documents require attestation in our document guide, and put your questions to us through the contact page.

The information here is general in nature; current requirements should be verified before you apply. We recommend following the practice in force through official announcements.