Home / Universities / Kent State
Kent State University: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language
Kent State University asks applicants whose records are not in English to upload the original-language documents together with a certified English translation, which its FAQ says must be literal rather than interpretive; no page says who must translate. Kent State University accepts certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary. Kent State evaluates foreign credentials itself and does not accept WES or ECE evaluations, so there is no evaluation to order for admission, and we cannot send official documents on behalf of your school.
Evaluated in-house
International Admissions reads your records; WES and ECE reports are not accepted.
Literal translation
Certified English, literal rather than interpretive, uploaded with the original.
Scans first
Apply with scans; bring the originals to Global Education after you arrive.
Kent State requirements at a glance
| What Kent State asks for | |
|---|---|
| Translation | A certified English translation, uploaded together with the document in its original language, for transcripts, mark sheets, diplomas and certificates; the FAQ adds that it must be literal, not interpretive (FAQ, first-year, graduate). |
| Who may translate | Not stated. No page we read limits the translation to the issuing school, an embassy or a particular kind of translator (FAQ). |
| Evaluation | None from an agency. Kent State evaluates foreign credentials itself and does not accept WES or ECE reports; in some cases International Admissions may ask for a WES ICAP evaluation to verify documents (FAQ). |
| Notarization | The FAQ says Kent State does not accept notarized documents (source). |
| Where to upload | Scanned PDFs in the application portal, under the name of the institution that issued them (FAQ, first-year). |
| Originals | After admission you present your original, institution-issued credentials to the Office of Global Education for verification; otherwise your account is put on hold (catalog, first-year). |
| Deadlines | International undergraduates: June 1 for fall, October 1 for spring; late applications are accepted (source). Graduate deadlines vary by program (source). |
| US applicants with foreign records | The domestic first-year and transfer pages let you upload a copy of a foreign transcript with an official translation, and ask for the originals after admission (first-year, transfer). |
| Does it accept eVerbary? | Yes. Kent State's international FAQ asks for the original document plus a certified English translation that is literal rather than interpretive (international FAQ), and its requirement pages list each record with "Certified English translation and original language" (first-year requirements, graduate requirements). None of them restricts who translates, so a certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets the rule. Policy checked on October 13, 2026. |
Checked on October 13, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Policies change: confirm on Kent State's own page before you submit.
No evaluation agency: Kent State reads the translation
Many universities send applicants with foreign records to WES or ECE. Kent State does the opposite: its FAQ says it does not accept evaluations from WES or any other third party, needs the originals (or copies of them) in the issuing language with an English translation, and evaluates them itself under its own policies (FAQ). The international requirement pages describe the same step: once your application and fee arrive, International Admissions staff evaluate your foreign credentials and English proficiency and decide on that basis (first-year requirements). The one exception is verification, for which the office may in some instances request a WES ICAP evaluation.
That makes the translation the document the admissions staff work from, and Kent State sets two conditions on it: it must be literal rather than interpretive, and it travels with the original (FAQ). We translate word for word, keep grades and grading scales exactly as issued, and keep the original names of diplomas and schools next to the English. The graduate catalog adds that transcripts, certificates or translations that look irregular are verified with the school or exam authority, which delays the application (graduate catalog).
What to upload, country by country
Kent State publishes a country-by-country list of the records it wants. For undergraduates from Brazil it asks for the 10th to 12th grade transcripts and the graduation certificate in English and Portuguese; for Chile and the Dominican Republic it starts at 9th grade (the Dominican list names the Bachillerato); Azerbaijan applicants send the Attestat, and WAEC countries a document with their West African Examination Certificate details. If your country is not listed, you upload everything and the office contacts you if more is needed.
Graduate applicants send a complete record for each institution: transcripts, detailed mark sheets, degree and graduation certificates and diplomas, with every attempted course, including failed ones (graduate requirements). The country list asks Indian applicants for every semester marksheet, any retake marksheets and the consolidated transcript, and Chinese applicants for the transcript, graduation certificate and degree certificate in English and Chinese, or a Ministry of Education verification through CHSI (source). Kent State's FAQ also explains when a three-year bachelor's degree, for example from an Indian institution rated A or above by NAAC, can count as equivalent (FAQ).
Transfer credit is worked out after you arrive
For international transfer students, credit is a second step. After admission you give International Admissions your final official transcripts, translated and in the original language; it assigns general courses and US credit hours to courses with a US grade of D or better, and sends the result to the Credit Transfer Department in the Registrar's Office. Basic English language courses do not transfer, and you then meet an academic advisor to see how the credits fit your major (international transfer requirements).
Kent State asks for course syllabi and descriptions in English where possible, to make that evaluation easier, and the FAQ places it after admittance and arrival on campus (source, FAQ). A syllabus is translated at the same per-page rate as a transcript.
Where Kent State's pages differ
The international requirement pages and the FAQ ask for a "certified" English translation, while the domestic first-year and transfer pages, which also cover foreign high school and college records, ask for an "official" translation. The deadline for showing your originals also varies: the international pages say within the first semester (source), the FAQ says before you register for your second semester (source), and the graduate requirements page and the undergraduate catalog say final transcripts are due by the second week of the first term (source, catalog). We have not resolved these differences; a certified, literal translation satisfies both wordings, and Global Education (intladm@kent.edu) can confirm your deadline.
Documents applicants usually translate
- Secondary school transcripts or mark sheets and the graduation certificate (Bachillerato, Attestat, etc.)
- University transcripts and detailed mark sheets, including failed courses
- Degree and graduation certificates or provisional degree certificates
- Course syllabi and descriptions, for transfer credit
- Bank statements and sponsor letters, needed only after acceptance
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 exactly as recorded, with the grading scale the document prints. We never convert marks to a US GPA.
- A signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead, with our contact details, delivered as a PDF you can upload.
- $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.
Uploading the translation to Kent State
Scan each original and its translation as PDFs and upload them in the application portal after submitting the application, under the name of the school that issued them (first-year requirements, FAQ). Kent State reviews applications on these scans; it does not start processing until all required materials are in.
After admission, bring the original, institution-issued documents to the Office of Global Education for verification (catalog). Graduate applicants may take official transcripts to Global Education, where they are kept or copied and returned (graduate requirements).
What we do not do
eVerbary is a translation service, not a credential evaluation service: we do not issue evaluations, US equivalencies or GPA conversions, and we cannot send documents on behalf of the school that issued them. For Kent State that means we translate your records; there is no third-party evaluation to order for admission, and the originals you present to Global Education come from you and your school, not from us.
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 upload it with the copy of the original wherever the institution asks for it.
Sources
Kent State University's own pages, read on October 13, 2026. Enrollment figure: Open Doors 2025 fact sheet for Ohio (IIE), leading institutions in Ohio in 2024/25: number 4, with 2,840 international students.
- International first-year student requirements
- International transfer student requirements
- International graduate student requirements
- Graduate degree student requirements
- First-year student requirements
- Transfer student requirements
- Admissions FAQ (international)
- International admissions transcripts, by country
- Catalog: admission of undergraduate students
- Catalog: admission of graduate students
Frequently asked questions
Who can translate my documents for Kent State?
Kent State asks for a certified, literal English translation with the original and does not say who must make it (FAQ). A certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets that rule.
Should I get a WES or ECE evaluation for Kent State?
No. Kent State does not accept third-party evaluations and evaluates foreign credentials itself; it may ask for a WES ICAP evaluation only in some cases, to verify documents (source).
Does my translation need to be notarized?
No. Kent State's FAQ says it does not accept notarized documents; it asks for a certified English translation that is literal rather than interpretive (source).
Can I apply with scans of my transcripts?
Yes. Kent State accepts scanned documents of official international credentials for admission; once admitted, you present the originals to Global Education within the first semester or your account is put on hold (source).
Which school records do I need for my country?
Kent State's country list says which grades and certificates to upload, separately for undergraduate and graduate applicants, and asks for the originals and translations together where documents are not in English.
Will eVerbary convert my grades to a US GPA?
No. The translation reproduces the grades and the grading scale exactly as they appear. A GPA conversion is credential evaluation, which the institution or an evaluation agency does.
Translating documents for Kent State?
Upload a scan of your transcript or diploma and see the price and delivery time before you pay.