Credential Evaluation and Your Translation

Credential evaluation overview

A credential evaluation measures a degree or qualification earned abroad against the standards used in the United States. Before that review can start, your original records have to be turned into certified English, because both the evaluator and the institution receiving your file need to read them in English.

ABC Translations does not perform credential evaluations. What we handle is the certified translation that the process depends on. In most orders you will also want to add a notarized copy of that translation, since evaluation providers usually ask for the original certified translation, notarized, carrying wet ink signatures and stamps so it can be checked.

What Is Credential Evaluation?

A credential evaluation works out the U.S. counterpart of a degree, transcript, or professional certification you obtained in another country. It sits outside the translation itself and happens on its own, once your documents have already been translated.

Evaluation providers our clients turn to most often include:

• World Education Services (WES)
• This step matters most when you are:
• applying to a U.S. university while holding academic records from a school outside the country
• pursuing a license or a job that calls for foreign qualifications to be verified

An evaluator maps grading scales, degrees, and certifications to the nearest U.S. match. Because a degree from one country may not match the U.S. equivalent cleanly, evaluators compare credentials through established frameworks.

What Is a Certified Translation?

Certified translation means a human word-for-word rendering delivered in a locked, non-editable file on ABC Translations letterhead. Every one carries:

• A Certificate of Translation Accuracy bearing the signature and stamp of an authorized ABC Translations representative
• A layout built to follow the original document so it stays easy to read
• Secure delivery by PDF, or a mailed hard copy when you choose that option

That certificate confirms the translator is fluent in both languages involved, has no personal connection to the person named in the document, and has rendered the text completely and accurately as far as we can attest.

You will need a certified translation when submitting to:

• U.S. Immigration (USCIS)
• Universities and credential evaluation services
• Courts and legal proceedings
• Government agencies at the local, state, and federal level

Requirements for Credential Evaluation

To confirm a translation is genuine and can be verified, most evaluation providers ask for a specific set of documents. The details shift from one provider to the next, but these come up the most:

• You receive a locked secure file with an official-letterhead Certificate of Translation Accuracy and a human word-for-word rendering.
• A notary stamp on that certificate, which verifies who the authorized signer is and adds a further layer of legal proof.
• Many evaluators want paper copies that carry real signatures and stamps. A PDF on its own may fall short.
• As you place an order with ABC Translations, be sure to add both options so your file lines up with these typical requirements.

Confirm Requirements with Your Evaluator and Receiver

The points above are the usual expectations, but it still pays to verify what your own case calls for:

• Submission rules differ by provider. Some want documents in a sealed envelope, and others ask that ABC Translations mail them straight to the provider.
• A university, an employer, or a licensing board may impose extra conditions on top of whatever the evaluation service requires.

Certain institutions insist the translation come directly from the translation company, while others let the applicant hand it in. Preferred formats and added authentication steps can differ too.

Spending a couple of minutes to confirm these points before you order goes a long way toward getting your translation accepted the first time. When you are not certain, our support team can talk you through what has worked for clients in similar situations.