Diploma and certificate translation – certified for recognition and job applications

Key facts at a glance

• ✓Certified translation of certificates by court-authorised translators – for authorities, universities and recognition bodies
• ✓Everything from a single source: certificate, degree certificate, Transcript of Records, Diploma Supplement and grade transcript
• ✓In both directions: foreign certificates into German, German certificates into English, for example
• ✓No-obligation quote based on a photo or scan – you keep your originals
• ✓Original delivered by post, as a PDF by email in advance or for collection in Mülheim an der Ruhr

Which certificates and educational documents do we translate?

RAGUNATHAN translates all common educational and professional documents – from school reports and diplomas to employment references. These include, for example:

• School certificates: final and leaving certificates, Abitur certificates (Abiturzeugnis) and foreign higher education entrance qualifications.
• University documents: bachelor's degree certificate, master's degree certificate, diploma and doctoral certificate, as well as the Transcript of Records (overview of subjects and grades) and the Diploma Supplement.
• Vocational training: journeyman's and skilled worker's certificates (Gesellenbrief, Facharbeiterbrief), vocational school certificates and proof of further training.
• Employment references: simple and qualified employment references (Arbeitszeugnis), reference letters and proof of employment.

For recognition, the degree certificate alone is often not enough. The offices usually also want to see which subjects you took and which grades you achieved. It is therefore best to have the degree certificate and the transcript translated together – then terms such as degree programme and degree title will be identical in all documents.

Where can I have foreign qualifications recognised – and who requires a translation?

Which office recognises or evaluates your foreign qualification depends on the type of qualification and on your goal – study, work or an authority. The Recognition Finder on anerkennung-in-deutschland.de, the German federal government's information portal, provides an overview. Important offices are:

• University degrees: The Central Office for Foreign Education (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen, ZAB) of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (Kultusministerkonferenz, KMK) evaluates foreign university degrees. Its preliminary check shows which documents it needs and whether a translation is required. The KMK's anabin database offers initial guidance.
• School qualifications in North Rhine-Westphalia: Decisions on the general higher education entrance qualification and the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences (Hochschulreife, Fachhochschulreife) are made by the Central Office for the Recognition of Certificates at the Düsseldorf district government (Zentrale Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle der Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf). For qualifications up to the intermediate school-leaving certificate (Fachoberschulreife), the Cologne district government is the point of contact. Other federal states have their own responsibilities.
• Vocational qualifications: Depending on the profession, the responsible body may be, for example, IHK FOSA (Foreign Skills Approval) for industrial, technical and commercial training, the local chamber of crafts (Handwerkskammer) for skilled trades or, in NRW, the Arnsberg district government, for example for qualifications from technical colleges (Fachschulabschlüsse).
• Studying in Germany: Many universities have international applications checked by uni-assist. uni-assist requires the certificates in the original language plus a German or English translation if they were not officially issued in German or English.

Do I have to have my certificate translated and certified?

For recognition bodies, authorities and universities in Germany, you usually have to have your certificate translated and certified; for job applications to companies, the employer decides. uni-assist, for example, only accepts translations by persons or institutions that are sworn or court-approved. The ZAB makes it clear that a translation never replaces the document in the original language: if a translation is required, you submit it in addition.

A certified translation is a complete translation whose accuracy is confirmed by a translator authorised by the court (gerichtlich ermächtigt) with a certification statement, stamp and signature. Depending on the federal state, these professionals are also called sworn or publicly appointed translators. If an employer does not require certification, a specialist translation without certification is sufficient – find out more about both options on our translation services page.

What matters when translating master's and bachelor's degree certificates and diplomas?

With university documents, completeness and consistent terminology are key: the degree programme, degree title, modules and grades must be identical in the degree certificate, Transcript of Records and Diploma Supplement. That is why it is best for us to translate related documents in one order.

We reproduce academic degrees such as Master of Science in their original form. Whether your qualification is equivalent to a German one is determined not by the translation but by the recognition body. We also reproduce grades exactly as they appear in the document, without converting them to the German grading system. If a grading scale is printed on the document, we of course translate it as well.

A tip for graduates of German universities: many universities also issue the Diploma Supplement and the Transcript of Records in English. Ask there first – you may not need a translation at all.

How do I get an employment reference translated for a job application abroad?

For a job application abroad, it is best to have a German employment reference translated by professionals who know the language of German references. German employment references follow set phrases that do not exist in this form in other countries. A literal translation can be misleading abroad, while one that is too free changes the message. Our translators reproduce the content faithfully – without embellishing or toning it down.

For applications in the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada or Australia, for example, we translate school reports, university certificates and employment references into English. If you have a tight deadline, use our express certified English translation. Ask the employer beforehand whether they expect a certified translation.

Where can I have my certificate translated?

You can have your certificate translated by RAGUNATHAN online from anywhere in Germany or in person at our office in Mülheim an der Ruhr – you can drop off documents there without an appointment. This is how the order works:

1. 01
   Send your documents

   scan or photo of all pages of your certificates via our enquiry form, by email or via WhatsApp.

2. 02
   State the purpose

   Tell us what you need the translation for, for example for the ZAB, uni-assist, a district government or an employer.

3. 03
   Check the quote

   You receive a fixed price and delivery date before any costs arise.

4. 04
   Receive your translation

   certified as an original by post, as a PDF by email in advance or for collection at our office.

For more on documents from Turkey and from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Montenegro, see our pages certified Turkish–German translation and translation agency for Montenegrin, Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian.

How much does a certified translation of a certificate cost?

The cost of translating your certificate depends on the length, language pair, certification and delivery time – we will give you the fixed price before you place the order. A one-page school report is quickly translated. A Transcript of Records listing many modules over several pages means more work. Send us all your documents at once: you will then receive a quote for the whole package and know exactly what to expect.

Request a price for my certificate translation

Why RAGUNATHAN?

• Since 1986

  Experience with educational documents from all over the world – for authorities, universities and employers.

• Authorised translators

  Certified translations of certificates with certification statement, stamp and signature.

• 170 languages and dialects

  Over 1,000 language professionals, plus specialist translations in law, medicine, technology and business.

• ISO 9001:2015

  Processes certified by TÜV SÜD; the owner is a member of the BDÜ – the Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators.

Questions about your certificates? Call us on +49 208 99 04 77 (Mon–Fri 8:30 am – 4:30 pm) – we will be happy to advise you on which documents you should have translated.