Transcript and Diploma Supplement Translation

A transcript is not ordinary text. It is a table with dozens of courses, credits, scores and dates, and every row carries its own meaning. The translator's job is to make sure that, when the translation is laid next to the original, it matches row by row - and that the reviewer never wonders, even for a second, whether they are looking at the same document.

Below we describe what a supplement contains, where mistakes happen most often and how we check every number. The translation is ready the same or next day, with notarization if you need it.

What a diploma supplement contains

A Bologna-model Diploma Supplement consists of 8 parts, and each one is translated in full:

1. information identifying the holder of the qualification;
2. the name of the qualification and the awarding institution;
3. the level of the qualification and the length of the programme;
4. the contents of the programme and the results gained - this is where the table of courses is;
5. the function of the qualification, for example access to further study;
6. additional information;
7. certification of the supplement - signature, stamp, date;
8. a description of the national higher education system.

A supplement often runs from 4 to 10 pages. A transcript or an academic certificate is shorter, but it carries the same table-heavy complexity. Part 8, which describes the Georgian higher education system, is translated too: it is exactly what helps a foreign reviewer understand Georgian degree levels and credits.

Supplement, transcript or academic certificate

These three documents are often confused, yet receiving institutions ask for different ones in different situations:

• The diploma supplement is issued together with the diploma when you complete your studies. It covers the whole programme and includes a description of the national system;
• The transcript is a list of courses and grades. With older diplomas it plays the role of the supplement;
• The academic certificate is issued while you are still studying - for example, when you transfer to another university and do not have a diploma yet. It shows only the courses you have already completed.

All three are translated with the same precision. If you are not sure which one you need, send us the text of the receiving institution's requirement: in foreign instructions the supplement is usually called the Diploma Supplement, while the transcript or certificate is called the Transcript of Records.

Who needs a transcript translation

• Universities abroad - when applying for a master's or doctoral programme and when transferring to another university;
• Recognition centres - the ENIC-NARIC centre of the receiving country compares courses and credits when it evaluates a qualification;
• Employers and licensing bodies - especially in regulated professions, where specific courses must have been completed;
• Embassies - when applying for a student visa;
• The National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE) - if a foreign transcript has to be recognized in Georgia. Details: recognition of a foreign diploma.

Whoever the reader is, they do the same thing with your transcript: they put it next to their own requirements and compare line by line. That is why a translation that reads smoothly is not enough here - it has to be checkable.

Course names

"Civil Law: General Part" and "Civil Law" are two different courses. A receiving university compares each course name with the courses in its own programme, so the name is translated in full and in the terminology of the field, without shortening or generalizing.

If the same course is written differently in the supplement, the transcript and the syllabus, credit recognition stalls: the reviewer cannot tell whether it is one course or two. That is why we keep course names in a single term list that applies to all of your education documents, including the syllabus translation.

If the university has an official English name for a course and it appears in an English-language supplement or programme description, we use exactly that form in the translation.

ECTS credits and totals

Credits are translated exactly as they appear in the original, without rounding or recalculating. An academic year is normally 60 credits and a master's programme 120 credits. The total at the bottom of the table must always equal the sum of the course credits.

We check this separately after translating: we recount the total and compare it with the original. If the mismatch is already in the original, we do not correct it - a translation reflects the document, not what it ought to say. In that case we let you know, so that you can ask the university for a corrected certificate if needed.

The grading system

Georgian universities use a 100-point scale, and in the translation each grade is rendered like this:

• 91-100, A - Excellent;
• 81-90, B - Very Good;
• 71-80, C - Good;
• 61-70, D - Satisfactory;
• 51-60, E - Sufficient;
• 41-50, FX - Marginal Fail;
• 0-40, F - Fail.

We do not change the score or the letter, and we do not convert them into another country's system. Conversion is done by the receiving body using its own methodology. If a translator "converts" a grade on their own into the German 1-5 scale or an American GPA, the translation no longer matches the original and becomes a reason for it to be sent back.

Soviet-era and pre-2005 transcripts

Older transcripts (in Russian, «вкладыш к диплому») list hours instead of credits, and grades on a 5-point scale: «отлично», «хорошо», «удовлетворительно», «зачтено». We keep hours as hours and do not turn them into credits, and we translate the grades as Excellent (5), Good (4), Satisfactory (3) and Pass.

Such transcripts are often in Russian or in Georgian and Russian, with handwritten entries and faded stamps. If an entry cannot be read, we say so in the translation instead of guessing - this is a requirement of official translation. More on the specifics of Soviet diplomas: diploma translation.

How we check accuracy

• The table structure stays unchanged. The order of columns, the number of rows and the page breaks follow the original, so the reviewer can compare the two documents side by side;
• A single term list. The names of the university, faculty and programme match the translation of your diploma;
• A separate check of the numbers. After translating, every credit, score and date is checked against the original row by row, and the totals are recounted;
• Your name and surname are written exactly as in your passport;
• Stamps and signatures are noted in the translation, showing where they appear;
• No AI is used on the content of a client's document.

If a mistake on our side is confirmed in a delivered translation, we fix it the same or next working day. Details: quality control.

Notarization and apostille

For universities and recognition bodies, a supplement translation is usually notarized: the notary certifies that the translator's signature is genuine. If you need an apostille, it must be placed on the original supplement before translation, so that the text of the apostille also appears in the translation.

The diploma and the supplement are separate documents, and each needs its own apostille. The competent body for apostilles on education documents is the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, and you submit the application at the Public Service Hall. Step by step: how to get an apostille on a diploma and transcript.

One practical tip: many Georgian universities also issue the supplement in English. If you have an English-language supplement and the receiving body accepts English, you may not need a translation at all. Check this first.

Turnaround

A transcript or diploma supplement translation is ready the same or next day, including when notarization is needed. If you send your diploma at the same time, you receive all the documents together, in consistent terminology.

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Frequently asked questions

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