WES Translation Requirements for Credential Evaluation
World Education Services does not translate documents and does not accept translations made by applicants. Here is what its rules require, and how to prepare diplomas and transcripts.
By Global Certified Translations · · 2 min read
If you studied outside the US, a university, employer or licensing board may ask you for a credential evaluation from World Education Services (WES). When your diploma and transcripts are not in English, WES also needs translations, and its rules are stricter than many applicants expect.
Requirements can change. Always confirm the current rules and the required documents for your country on WES's own website before ordering translations.
What WES requires
According to WES's published translation requirements, translations must be:
- Completed by a professional translator, for example one affiliated with a university, a certified translation agency or another professional translation service.
- Exact and word-for-word: all text in the original language must be accurately translated. A summary or a "key fields only" translation is not acceptable.
WES also states that it cannot accept translations completed by applicants. Unlike USCIS, whose regulation does not name who may translate, WES rules out self-translation explicitly. See self-translation for USCIS for the comparison.
School-issued English versions are not a substitute
Many universities issue an English-language version of a diploma or transcript. WES states that it cannot accept English- or French-language versions of documents in place of a translation, and requires an independently translated version of the original documentation. If your school gave you a bilingual document or an English duplicate, you may still need a translation of the original.
How translations are submitted
Official academic records usually have to reach WES in the way WES specifies for your country, often directly from the institution. Translations are different: WES says they do not need to arrive in a sealed envelope, and applicants can upload them through their WES account. At the time of writing, WES accepts uploads as PDF or JPEG files of up to 10 MB each.
WES does not provide translation, so arranging translations is the applicant's responsibility.
Preparing your documents for translation
- Translate from official documents. WES notes that unofficial or student copies may not match the official versions. Give your translator the official documents, or exact copies of them.
- Include every page and both sides: grading scales, stamps and notes on the back are part of the record.
- Keep course names consistent. If you need both a diploma and a transcript translated, order them together so the degree title and institution name match.
- Use your passport spelling for your name. See name spelling across translated documents.
Other evaluators
Other credential evaluation services, and some state licensing boards, set their own translation rules. Some mirror WES's; others accept certified translations more generally. Check the specific evaluator named by your university or board.
Our diploma and transcript translations
Global Certified Translations provides complete, word-for-word certified translations of academic records, signed by a State Court Certified Translator, from $49 for the first page, usually within 24 hours. See diploma translation and transcript translation, or get an instant quote.