How Is Diploma and Transcript Translation Done?

The basic document of a university or scholarship application in Italy is the sworn translation of the diploma and transcript. In this post we explain what to watch in the translation of these documents and the process.

Why does it need special care?

As the diploma and transcript contain technical elements such as academic terminology, course names, the credit system and grading, their translation is far more sensitive than an ordinary text. Italian universities and recognition institutions trust the accuracy of the translation when assessing these documents. A wrongly translated course name or grading system can lead to your degree being assessed incorrectly or rejected. So translating academic documents is specialist work requiring knowledge of both the language and the education systems. A correct translation reflects the academic value of your application in full.

Translating the grading and credit system

The Turkish and Italian education systems use different grading and credit logic. A good academic translation carries your grades across as they are and, where needed, adds a note explaining the system; but it does not “convert” the grades on its own, because official equivalence is a separate process. Reflecting the credit and course load correctly lets the Italian institution position your education correctly. These subtleties show why experience matters in academic translation. For the service, see our diploma-transcript translation page.

Its link to the apostille

Diploma and transcript translation usually runs together with the apostille step. The right order is usually this: put the diploma through the required official certifications, have it apostilled, then have it sworn-translated from the apostilled version. That way the translation covers the apostille note too. Muddling the order may require preparing the document from scratch. For the apostille process, see our apostille guide, and you can leave the translation with us with apostille tracking included.

Name and date consistency

One of the most critical details in the translation is that the name and dates are exactly consistent with the spelling in your passport. How names containing Turkish characters (ç, ş, ğ, ı, ö, ü) are written in official documents must match the Italian institutions’ records. Even a small inconsistency can make the documents look as if they belong to different people and halt the procedure. So when having the translation done it is important to give the office your passport details correctly. An experienced office ensures this consistency from the outset.

Its difference from degree recognition

Translation and degree recognition (equivalence) are often confused. Translation produces the Italian version of the document; recognition officially determines your degree’s academic equivalent in the Italian system. In Italy, recognition is usually done with a CIMEA report or a Dichiarazione di Valore (DoV) from the consulate. Most applications want both the sworn translation and the recognition document together. Knowing the two are separate processes lets you plan correctly. For recognition, see our DoV guide.

Time and planning

Diploma-transcript translation can take from a few working days to a few weeks, by the documents’ page count and preliminary steps such as the apostille. Multi-course transcripts need more work. Planning your application calendar back from these times prevents last-minute panic. If you will apply to several universities, it is efficient to have the translation done once and take the needed number of certified copies. For an exact time and price, share your documents and take a free quote.

How many copies are needed?

If you will make several applications, bear in mind that each institution may want its own certified copy. Determining how many certified copies are needed when having the translation done is more economical than waiting for an extra copy later. Some institutions want a digital copy, others a wet-signed physical copy. Learning these details from the application requirements and passing them to your office lets the process be completed in one go. For university application documents, see our university application translation page.

Frequently asked questions