Certified Translation of Academic Documents for US Admission
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 19, 2026
A certified translation in the US just needs a signed statement from the translator confirming the translation is complete and accurate, no government license required. Order the translation and the credential evaluation as separate steps unless your evaluator bundles both, since duplicating the work wastes money.
Anyone can certify a translation in the US, ATA certification is not legally required
The signed certification statement, not a notary stamp, is what makes a translation "certified"
Notarization only confirms the translator's identity, not translation accuracy
Some evaluators, like ECE, sell a translation add-on instead of using a separate translator
What counts as a certified translation
In the United States, a certified translation has three parts: the original document, the translated document, and a signed statement from the translator or a translation company representative confirming the translation is complete and accurate. According to the American Translators Association , any translator or translation company representative can provide this certification, regardless of credentials, unless the receiving institution specifically asks for a translator with a particular certification.
This differs from many other countries, where only a government-authorized sworn or public translator can certify documents. The US has no equivalent national licensing system for translators.
Who is allowed to certify your translation
You generally have three options.
A professional translation company, which issues the certification statement on its letterhead.
An individual translator, ATA-certified or not, who signs a personal certification statement.
Your credential evaluation agency's own translation service, where offered, which bundles translation into the evaluation order.
You should not translate your own documents. Evaluators and admissions offices expect the translator to be a neutral third party, not the applicant or a family member.
When notarization is also required
A notary public confirms only that the person who signed the certification statement is who they say they are, not that the translation itself is accurate. Some schools, licensing boards, or immigration processes ask for a notarized translation in addition to the standard certification. Check your target institution's requirements before paying for notarization you may not need, since translation companies typically charge extra for it.
How translation and evaluation orders fit together
Translation and credential evaluation are two separate services that sometimes get confused as one.
Translation converts your document's language into English, word for word, without judging its academic content.
Credential evaluation compares your foreign degree or transcript to the US education system and states its equivalency.
Most NACES member evaluators need a certified English translation before they can evaluate a non-English document. ECE , for example, requires an English translation for all documents issued in a language other than English, unless you add its Translation Waiver option, which covers the translation step for a flat fee instead of a separate order.
Ordering a separate certified translation and then paying an evaluator's translation waiver on the same document duplicates the work and the cost. Decide which route you want before submitting documents: a standalone certified translator, or your evaluator's bundled option if it offers one.
Self-prepared translations
Some evaluators allow you to translate your own documents if the translation is literal, word for word, and formatted the same way as the original, though this is less common and some schools reject it outright. Confirm with your specific evaluator or admissions office whether a self-prepared translation is acceptable before you rely on it, since standards differ by agency.
Steps to order a certified translation correctly
Check whether your target school or evaluator wants the translation from an independent translator, from the evaluator directly, or accepts either.
Confirm whether notarization is required in addition to certification.
Send the translator a clean, complete copy of every document that needs translation, including seals, stamps, and signatures visible in the original.
Request the signed certification statement along with the translated document, not the translation alone.
Submit the certified translation together with your sealed original transcript to the school or evaluator, since most will not accept a translation without the source document attached.
Costs and formats vary by translator and by document length, so get a quote before ordering and confirm your target school's exact requirement first.
Documents that typically need translation
Secondary school and university transcripts
Diplomas and degree certificates
Course descriptions or syllabi, if the school or evaluator asks for detailed subject content
Letters confirming enrollment dates or program length, if your transcript does not already state them
Translate the full document, including headers, seals, stamps, and signatures, not just the grades table. Evaluators and admissions offices expect the translation to mirror the original page for page.
Cost expectations
Certified translation cost depends on document length and the language pair, and standalone translators typically quote per page or per word rather than a flat fee. Get quotes from two or three translators if your language is common, since prices vary for the same document, and factor the translation timeline into your application deadline alongside the evaluation itself.