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U.S. Office of Personnel Management (foreign education for federal jobs): Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language
Yes, through the evaluation: OPM asks for a credential evaluation, and WES, one of the agencies it accepts, takes certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary.
Original or copy: Set by the evaluation service you choose
- $24.95 per page
- Usually 24 h for 1–3 pages
- Signed certificate of accuracy, PDF
- See the price before you pay
How we know · policy checked on October 21, 2026
OPM publishes no translation rule of its own: for General Schedule jobs, education completed abroad must be shown equivalent to accredited U.S. education, normally through an evaluation from a private U.S. credential evaluation service, which sets the translation rule.
Evaluation services such as WES and ECE accept certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary, so the order is translation, then evaluation, then your application.
We translate your diplomas and transcripts; the evaluation comes from the evaluation service, and the hiring agency decides whether to accept it.
OPM at a glance
Does it accept eVerbary? Yes
OPM requires foreign education to be evaluated by "a private U.S. organization" that specializes in foreign credentials and names none in particular (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education); WES, one such service, accepts a word-for-word translation by a professional translator (WES translation rules), and ECE accepts a complete, literal translation (ECE).
A certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets those rules. Policy checked on October 21, 2026.
- Translation
- Through the credential evaluation (WES, ECE…)
- Who may translate
- Set by the evaluation service
- Original or copy
- Set by the evaluation service you choose
- Price
- $24.95 per pageUp to 250 words, certification included
- Delivery
- 24 hoursStandard for one to three pages
- Certificate
- SignedCertificate of translation accuracy, PDF
Checked on October 21, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Policies change: confirm on OPM's own page before you submit.
Worth knowing about OPM
Evaluation, not translation
OPM sets no translation rule; the evaluation service does.
Five required elements
Evaluations missing them, or citing insufficient information, are refused.
Agency discretion
Even a favorable evaluation is accepted at the hiring agency's discretion.
OPM requirements in detail
Translation
OPM publishes no translation rule for foreign education; the credential evaluation service sets it.
Who may translate
Evaluation
Required for foreign education that is not accredited by a body the U.S. Department of Education recognizes: the applicant submits all necessary documents to a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpreting foreign educational credentials (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education).
What the evaluation must state
The type of education; its level compared with the U.S. system, with a statement that the comparison follows the guidelines of the International Education Standards Council; the content and standard of the program; the school's recognition in its home country; and other relevant information, such as how the service verified it (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education).
Evaluations refused
Those that lack that information or say the applicant gave insufficient information to evaluate (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education).
Original or copy
Set by the evaluation service you choose; follow its document list for transcripts and diplomas.
Exceptions
A few foreign medical schools accredited under standards found "comparable" to U.S. ones, and a valid, current U.S. professional license, which is enough proof that the foreign professional education is equivalent (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education).
No agency named, but the report has to say five things
OPM's General Schedule qualification policies do not send you to a particular evaluator.
They say the foreign credential evaluation must come from a private U.S. organization that specializes in foreign credentials and must describe five things: the type of education, its level relative to U.S. education with a statement that it follows the general guidelines of the International Education Standards Council, the content and standard of the program, the recognition and legitimacy of the school in its home country, and any other relevant information, such as what the service did to obtain it and the evaluator's qualifications (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education).
Evaluations that leave any of this out, or that say the applicant provided insufficient information, should not be accepted, and a favorable evaluation is still accepted at the discretion of the hiring agency (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education).
Before you order, ask the evaluation service whether its report states all five points; that is a question about the evaluation, not the translation.
Translation, then evaluation, then the application
The evaluation service cannot assess a record it cannot read, so the translation comes first and goes to the evaluator with your documents, not to the hiring agency.
WES requires an exact, word-for-word translation by a professional translator and does not accept translations made by applicants (WES).
ECE accepts a complete, literal, word-for-word translation in the same format as the original, by anyone (ECE). Other services have their own rules; check them before you order.
For a federal application this order matters because job announcements close on fixed dates. A certified translation is usually ready within 24 hours for one to three pages, and the evaluation's own processing time starts only when the service has everything, translation included.
When foreign education counts without an evaluation
OPM lists two situations where the evaluation is not the route.
A few foreign medical schools are accredited under country standards that the Department of Education's National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation has found "comparable" to U.S. standards.
And a graduate of a foreign professional school who holds a valid, current U.S. professional license has sufficient proof that the foreign education is equivalent to the U.S. professional education for that field (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education).
Need a certified translation for OPM?
$24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages. See the price before you pay.
Documents people usually translate
- University degree certificates and diplomas
- University transcripts and mark sheets, for the evaluation
- Diploma supplements and certificates of completion issued with the degree
- Professional titles or registration certificates issued abroad
What an eVerbary translation includes
- A complete English translation of every page, stamps, seals and handwritten notes included, laid out like the original so each line can be matched.
- A signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead, with our contact details, delivered as a PDF you can upload or print.
- $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included; 24 hours for one to three pages as standard. Regular clients who need it can get delivery in as little as 30 minutes, on request.
- Notarization added at checkout ($34.90 per order) when the office asks for a notarized translation.
Submitting the translation to OPM
The translation goes to the credential evaluation service with your records, following that service's instructions; WES, for example, takes uploads in your WES account (WES). The evaluation service then issues the report you give the hiring agency.
OPM's policy leaves the decision to the hiring agency, which may accept the evaluation at its discretion (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education); attach it to your application as the job announcement instructs.
What we do not do
eVerbary translates documents; it is not a government agency or a filing service. We do not complete or file applications, and we do not issue or certify the original document.
For federal jobs that means we translate your diplomas and transcripts; the credential evaluation comes from the evaluation service, and the hiring agency decides on your qualifications.
How to order
- Scan or photograph every page of the document, front and back, including any stamps on the reverse.
- Upload it, choose the language and "certified", and see the price before paying.
- Receive the PDF, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages, and submit it with the copy of the original wherever the office asks for it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a foreign degree to qualify for a federal job?
Yes, if it is shown to be equivalent to accredited U.S. education. Unless it is accredited by a recognized body, OPM's policy asks for an evaluation from a private U.S. credential evaluation service (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education).
Which credential evaluation service does OPM require?
None by name. OPM requires a private U.S. organization that specializes in foreign credentials, and sets five things the report must state (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education).
Does OPM need a translation of my transcripts?
Not directly. The evaluation service needs it, under its own rules: WES, for example, wants a word-for-word translation by a professional translator.
Can I translate my own transcripts for the evaluation?
It depends on the service. WES does not accept translations by applicants (WES: translation requirements); ECE accepts a complete, literal translation by anyone (ECE: documentation requirements).
Does a favorable evaluation guarantee that the agency accepts my education?
No. OPM's policy says an evaluation showing the education is legitimate and comparable may be accepted at the discretion of the agency (General Schedule qualification policies: foreign education).
Sources
U.S. Office of Personnel Management (foreign education for federal jobs)'s own pages, read on October 21, 2026.
Translating documents for OPM?
Upload a scan of your document and see the price and delivery time before you pay.