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Maryland State Department of Education, Educator Licensure: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language
Yes, through the evaluation: MSDE asks for a credential evaluation, and WES, one of the agencies it accepts, takes certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary.
Credential evaluation: Course-by-course from originals; NACES or AICE
- $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
The Maryland State Department of Education says it cannot translate foreign credentials or judge their equivalency, so credits from other countries must be evaluated course by course, from original documents, by an independent agency on its list or a NACES or AICE member.
Agencies on that list, such as WES, ECE, IERF and Educational Perspectives, accept certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary.
We translate your records for the agency; the evaluation and the license decision are not ours.
MSDE at a glance
Does it accept eVerbary? Yes
MSDE requires a course-by-course evaluation by an approved agency and recognizes NACES and AICE members (MSDE agency list), and WES, one of the agencies it designates, accepts a translation from a professional translation service (WES translation rules); ECE, also listed, accepts any complete word-for-word translation (ECE).
A certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets both. Policy checked on October 21, 2026.
- Translation
- Through the evaluation; MSDE does not translate
- Who may translate
- Set by the agency (WES: professional)
- Credential evaluation
- Course-by-course from originals; NACES or AICE
- Price
- $24.95 per pageUp to 250 words, certification included
- Delivery
- 24 hoursStandard for one to three pages
- Grades
- As recordedNever converted to a US GPA
Checked on October 21, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Policies change: confirm on MSDE's own page before you submit.
Worth knowing about MSDE
MSDE does not translate
It says it lacks resources to translate or evaluate.
Original documents
The course-by-course evaluation must be based on them.
NACES or AICE
Members of either are recognized, plus a designated list.
MSDE requirements in detail
Translation
MSDE does not translate foreign credentials and publishes no translator rule; the evaluation agency applies its own (MSDE approved foreign transcript evaluation agencies (archived MSDE page, linked from msde.maryland.gov)).
Who may translate
Evaluation
Course by course, using original documents, by an independent agency authorized to analyze foreign credentials (MSDE approved foreign transcript evaluation agencies (archived MSDE page, linked from msde.maryland.gov)).
Approved agencies
NACES and AICE members, plus a designated list that includes ECE, Educational Perspectives, IERF, The Evaluation Company and WES (MSDE approved foreign transcript evaluation agencies (archived MSDE page, linked from msde.maryland.gov)).
Degree
Pathways for teachers prepared or licensed abroad accept a bachelor's degree or the U.S. equivalent of a foreign degree (Pathways to initial licensure).
Preparation or license
A teacher preparation program approved in another state or country, or a valid professional license from another country, in the area sought (Pathways to initial licensure).
How to apply
Through TEACH, MSDE's Educator Application and Credentialing Hub (Educator licensure).
Two pathways that open to teachers from abroad
Maryland's pathways to initial licensure include an out-of-state teacher preparation program, which may be approved in another country, and an out-of-state professional license, which may be issued by another country.
Both start from a bachelor's degree or the U.S. equivalent of a foreign degree, and both add a reading instruction test for some areas and one of four proofs of effectiveness, such as two years of effective evaluations from a school system (Pathways to initial licensure).
The foreign degree is what the agency evaluation establishes. Records of practice teaching and the license itself support the program or license requirement, so translate them with the transcripts.
Where MSDE's agency list lives
MSDE moved its educator licensure pages to a new site.
The new Educator Licensure page links the "Maryland Approved Foreign Evaluation Agencies" item to an archived copy of the former marylandpublicschools.org page, which is where the evaluation rule and the agency list are published (MSDE approved foreign transcript evaluation agencies (archived MSDE page, linked from msde.maryland.gov)).
If you are unsure whether an agency qualifies, check that it belongs to NACES or AICE, which MSDE recognizes.
Need a certified translation for MSDE?
$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 applicants usually translate
- University transcripts and mark sheets
- Degree certificates and diplomas
- Records of practice teaching or internship
- Teaching license or certificate from another country
- Employment evaluations from a school abroad, if you use that pathway
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.
- Grades, hours and credits exactly as recorded, with the grading scale the document prints. We never convert marks to a US GPA or equivalency.
- 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 MSDE
The translation goes to the evaluation agency with your original documents, following its instructions; the agency's course-by-course report then supports your application to MSDE (MSDE approved foreign transcript evaluation agencies (archived MSDE page, linked from msde.maryland.gov)).
Applications are filed in TEACH, the Educator Application and Credentialing Hub (Educator licensure).
What we do not do
eVerbary is a translation service, not a credential evaluation service or a licensing agency: we do not issue evaluations, US equivalencies or GPA conversions, we cannot send documents on behalf of the school or authority that issued them, and we do not file the license application.
For Maryland that means we translate your records for the agency; the course-by-course evaluation, the tests and the licensing decision are between you, the agency and MSDE.
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
Does MSDE translate foreign transcripts?
No. MSDE says it does not have the resources to translate foreign credentials or determine their equivalency (MSDE approved foreign transcript evaluation agencies (archived MSDE page, linked from msde.maryland.gov)).
Which evaluation agencies does Maryland accept?
Members of NACES or AICE, plus a designated list that includes WES, ECE, IERF, Educational Perspectives and The Evaluation Company (MSDE approved foreign transcript evaluation agencies (archived MSDE page, linked from msde.maryland.gov)).
Does the evaluation have to be course by course?
Yes, course by course and based on original documents (MSDE approved foreign transcript evaluation agencies (archived MSDE page, linked from msde.maryland.gov)).
Can I translate my own records?
It depends on the agency: WES does not accept self-translations (WES: translation requirements), while ECE accepts a complete word-for-word translation by anyone (ECE: documentation requirements).
Sources
Maryland State Department of Education, Educator Licensure's own pages, read on October 21, 2026.
Translating documents for MSDE?
Upload a scan of your diploma, transcript or license and see the price and delivery time before you pay.