International Transcripts

[NeuroPhysicist]

Hi,

 

I found today that my undergrad university can help me by certifying my transcripts if I translate them myself, thus helping me to save lots of money.

 

However, the name of the university, the university's address, and the official stamp (the one that says "dean of the undergraduate comission"  below his signature) will still be in my native language, since the university cannot use English stamps. All the other informations can be translated. Anyone knows if that is a problem to the universities in USA? Since I'll translate them myself, I do not know how it's usually done. Or is it safe to ask them one by one?

 

Thanks!

[MikKar]

I don't think the University will even bother looking at your translated transcripts since you aren't a certified English-translator. Don't give adcoms even a hint of a reason to eject your file before it gets a proper look. Go to a certified translator and let him do the job, then the University won't bother you with regards to the officialness of your translated transcripts.

 

You're free to do what you want though, but all Universities I have seen had strict requirements with regards to what THEY see as an official translation, and the only thing that will be official in their eyes is a translation done by a certified translator, and the translations have to be in a sealed, signed, stamped envelope. Anything other than that and they will just discard your application, 100% guaranteed.

 

I didn't mean to deflate you, but the reality is that adcoms receives hundreds, if not thousands of applications and they will use any method available to reduce the volume of work they have to do.

[zapster]

Generally an official or certified translation would be required, however some programs may be willing to accept self-certified transcripts for initial applications, with the condition that any offer of admission be fulfilled by providing certified/official translated copies (in the same way that some programs allow self-reported GRE scores in the initial application to be followed by an official score report if the applicant is admitted). You will probably need to ask each school though.

[NeuroPhysicist]

Thanks by the answers.

 

However, I don't think I totally explained the situation. After I translate, it is possible to the university to "make it official", by the dean signature and official stamp and so on. The problem is that they don't have a employee to translate it - so someone have to do it. By all means, it will be a official document issued by my university. But they do not emit a sealed on, however. I do not know how I will do this...

 

Anyway, I'll ask the universities. Translations in my country are REALLY expansive, and if I ask a official translator, it will be more then $1000, probably. But if there is no other way, I'll pay it.....

Edited August 23, 2013 by PhysicistBr