WES Translation Requirements: Documents, Professional Translations and Credential Evaluation
World Education Services (WES) does not require translations from every applicant. The documents you must provide depend on your country of education, credential and type of evaluation. When WES does request translations, its current guidance requires complete, exact, word-for-word translations prepared by a professional translator and based on the official academic documents.
Use your personal WES Required Documents list
WES document requirements vary according to the country or territory where you studied, the credential being evaluated and the type of evaluation requested. Do not assume that another applicant’s document list applies to your case.
Country of education
WES uses country-specific document requirements.
Credential type
Requirements can differ for secondary education, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and other credentials.
Evaluation destination
U.S. and Canadian evaluations have different target-language rules.
Your account instructions
The Required Documents list in your WES account is the primary source for what WES needs from you.
Which language should the WES translation use?
WES distinguishes between evaluations processed in the United States and those processed in Canada.
WES requires exact, word-for-word translations
WES says required translations must be exact and word-for-word. The purpose is to allow evaluators to compare course titles, grades, institutional information and other academic content with the original documentation.
Complete
Do not omit courses, grades, headings, stamps or other source text simply because it appears secondary.
Exact
The translation should follow the source closely rather than summarising or rewriting the academic record.
Legible
Course names, grades, applicant details and institutional information must be clear enough for WES evaluators to read.
Does WES require a certified translator?
WES’s published translation guidance uses the broader term professional translator. It explains that the translator may be affiliated with a university, a certified translation agency or another professional translation service.
This means applicants should not automatically treat one particular national translator certification as a universal WES requirement. Follow the exact instructions shown for your evaluation.
The translator should work from the official academic document
WES warns that unofficial documents or student copies may differ from the official version. Its guidance recommends making sure the translator has access to the official documentation that WES will evaluate.
WES suggests that applicants may ask their institution for two sets of documents: one for WES and another for the translation service.
Do not convert the credential or grades inside the translation
Translation and credential evaluation are different tasks. The translator renders the academic document accurately into the required language. WES then evaluates the credential and determines its equivalency.
Degree titles
Translate the source qualification accurately rather than inventing a U.S. or Canadian equivalency.
Grades
Preserve the grades shown in the source instead of converting them to another grading scale.
Credits and subjects
Translate course names and preserve credit values so WES can perform its own academic evaluation.
Common translation problems that can delay an evaluation
WES states that inaccurate or incomplete translations can prevent the evaluation from proceeding until corrected documents are supplied.
Missing information
Every required page and item of source text needs to be represented in the translation.
Non-literal summary
WES asks for word-for-word translation, not a shortened description of the academic record.
Applicant translation
WES does not accept translations prepared by the applicant.
Mismatch with official documents
Translation from a different or unofficial version can create discrepancies during evaluation.
Translations and official transcripts follow different submission routes
WES currently allows applicants to upload required degree certificates and translations through their account. These translation uploads do not generally need to be sent in a sealed envelope.
Official academic transcripts and mark sheets follow the submission method specified by WES and should not simply be uploaded into the degree-certificate and translation upload area.
WES translation checklist
- Create or access your WES application.
- Open the Required Documents list for your specific evaluation.
- Confirm whether translations are actually required.
- Confirm the required target language: English for U.S. evaluation, or English/French as applicable for Canada.
- Provide the translator with the official academic document rather than an unrelated student copy.
- Request a complete, exact, word-for-word translation.
- Use a professional translator or professional translation service.
- Do not convert degree equivalencies, grades or credits inside the translation.
- Check that course titles, grades, names and institution details are legible.
- Compare every translated page with the source before submission.
- Follow the upload or document-submission instructions in your WES account.
- Keep official transcript submission separate from the translation-upload workflow.
Academic document translation services
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Always follow the current instructions in your WES account
WES requirements can vary by applicant and can change. This article summarises current public WES guidance and is not a substitute for the Required Documents list in your account.
WES Translation Requirements — Frequently Asked Questions
Does WES require translations for every credential evaluation?
No. WES states that translations are not required for every applicant. The definitive list appears in the Required Documents section of the applicant's WES account and depends on the evaluation, country of education and documents involved.
What language should WES translations be in?
For WES evaluations processed in the United States, documents that require translation should be translated into English. For evaluations processed in Canada, WES uses English- or French-language translations for documents issued in other languages.
Does WES require a certified translator?
WES says required translations must be completed by a professional translator. Its guidance notes that this may include a translator affiliated with a university, a certified translation agency or another professional translation service. Applicants should follow the exact instructions shown in their WES account.
Does WES accept summary translations?
No. WES says translations must be exact, word-for-word and complete. All text in the original-language document should be translated accurately.
Can I translate my own documents for WES?
No. WES states that it does not accept translations completed by applicants.
How are translations sent to WES?
If translations are listed as required, WES allows applicants to upload them through their WES account. Current WES guidance says the upload feature is for degree certificates and translations, while official academic transcripts must follow the submission route specified by WES, usually directly from the institution through an approved electronic channel or other required method.
Need academic documents translated for WES?
Send the documents WES has listed in your Required Documents section, together with the target language and deadline. If possible, include a screenshot or copy of the relevant WES requirement so the translation scope can be checked before work starts.