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Louisiana State University: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language
LSU wants every transcript from a foreign school sent in the original language together with an English translation, which its 2026-2027 catalog calls an official English translation; it does not say who must make it. Louisiana State University accepts certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary. LSU evaluates foreign undergraduate credentials itself, so freshmen and transfers need no agency report, while the Graduate School accepts NACES evaluations, which we do not provide.
Original plus English
The transcript in its own language travels with the translation.
LSU evaluates
Undergraduate credentials are assessed in-house, not by an agency.
120 days ahead
LSU asks for all documents well before the semester starts.
LSU requirements at a glance
| What LSU asks for | |
|---|---|
| Translation (undergraduate) | An English translation with the original-language transcript, from every secondary school, college and university (international page); the catalog calls it an "official English translation" (catalog). |
| Who may translate | Not named for undergraduates. The graduate catalog accepts your academic institution, a licensed state translator from your country, or a member of the American Translators Association (General Catalog 2026-2027: The Graduate School). |
| Evaluation (undergraduate) | None from an agency: LSU's Office of Enrollment Management alone determines the equivalency of international credentials and grading scales (International undergraduate admissions). |
| Evaluation (graduate) | Any NACES member is accepted; the Graduate School names The Evaluation Company, IEE, WES and ECE (Graduate School: International Admissions). |
| Official transcripts | Prepared by the issuing school and sealed in its envelope, mailed to 1146 Pleasant Hall (International undergraduate admissions). For graduate admission, notarized copies, faxes and scans are not official (Graduate School: International Admissions). |
| Timing | Undergraduates: all documents at least 120 days before the semester (International undergraduate admissions). Graduate international deadlines: May 1 for fall, October 1 for spring, February 1 for summer (Graduate School: Requirements and Deadlines). |
| Transfer credit | Official course descriptions or syllabi, from institutions recognized by the Ministry of Education or an equivalent agency (International undergraduate admissions). |
| Does it accept eVerbary? | Yes. LSU's undergraduate catalog asks for an official English translation of any document not in English without restricting who makes it (catalog), and the graduate catalog lists a translation by a member of the American Translators Association among the accepted kinds (graduate catalog). A certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary, an ATA corporate member (#273062), meets those rules. Policy checked on October 13, 2026. |
Checked on October 13, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Policies change: confirm on LSU's own page before you submit.
Undergraduate: LSU reads the translation itself
Many universities send international applicants to a credential evaluation agency. LSU's undergraduate admissions do not: its Office of Enrollment Management is the only office that decides what a foreign diploma and grading scale are worth (International undergraduate admissions). It computes an "academic average" from academic secondary courses only, leaving out physical education, religion, art, music and vocational subjects, and looks for the equivalent of a B (3.0).
That puts weight on the translation. Every subject name has to be clear enough for LSU to tell an academic course from a non-academic one, and every mark has to match the original. Transfer applicants also send official course descriptions or syllabi, because credit is decided course by course and is not given for English as a second language, native-language courses or vocational courses (International undergraduate admissions). Syllabi in another language need translating too.
Graduate School: a certified translation, and a definition
LSU's Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School asks international applicants for transcripts and degree certificates, with a certified translation of anything not in English (international admissions, requirements). Unofficial transcripts uploaded in the Slate application are enough to be considered; admitted students may start provisionally but must deliver official records within 30 days after classes begin, or a hold blocks registration (Graduate School: Requirements and Deadlines).
The graduate catalog spells out what a certified translation is: a line-by-line translation made by your academic institution, by a licensed state translator from your country of origin, or by a member of the American Translators Association (General Catalog 2026-2027: The Graduate School). eVerbary is an ATA corporate member (#273062); that is a company membership, not an individual certification. An evaluation from any NACES member is accepted, and the Graduate School lists an evaluation request form for The Evaluation Company (Graduate School: International Admissions).
Where LSU's pages differ
The undergraduate international page asks for "an English translation"; the 2026-2027 catalog asks for "an official English translation" (website, catalog). For graduate study, the website asks for a "certified translation" without saying who makes it, while the catalog defines it narrowly; the catalog also gives a different office address (114 David Boyd Hall) from the website (124 Hatcher Hall) (website, catalog). We have not resolved these differences. The undergraduate page also still lists 2025 deadlines. Confirm with the office before you send.
Documents applicants usually translate
- Secondary school transcripts and the graduation certificate
- A-level, IB higher-level or other advanced exam certificates, for possible credit
- University transcripts and degree certificates or diplomas
- Course descriptions or syllabi, for transfer credit
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 LSU
Undergraduate applicants apply online ($50 fee) and then send official transcripts, in the original language and with the English translation, to the LSU Office of Enrollment Management, 1146 Pleasant Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (International undergraduate admissions).
Graduate applicants upload unofficial transcripts and translations in the Slate application; official sealed transcripts go to the Office of Graduate Admissions or arrive electronically at gradtranscripts@lsu.edu, and can be dropped off by appointment (Graduate School: Requirements and Deadlines).
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. At LSU that means we cover the translations; the NACES evaluation some graduate applicants send comes from an evaluation agency, and official transcripts come from your school.
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
Louisiana State University's own pages, read on October 13, 2026. Enrollment figure: Open Doors 2025 fact sheet for Louisiana (IIE), leading institutions in Louisiana in 2024/25: number 1, with 1,930 international students.
- International undergraduate admissions (lsu.edu)
- General Catalog 2026-2027: Undergraduate Admissions
- Graduate School: International Admissions
- Graduate School: Requirements and Deadlines
- General Catalog 2026-2027: The Graduate School
Frequently asked questions
Who can translate my transcripts for LSU?
LSU's undergraduate catalog asks for an official English translation and does not limit who makes it (General Catalog 2026-2027: Undergraduate Admissions). A certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary qualifies.
Do I need WES or another evaluation to apply to LSU as a freshman?
No. LSU's Office of Enrollment Management evaluates international credentials and grading scales itself (International undergraduate admissions). Send the official transcript and its translation.
Does the LSU Graduate School accept a translation from an ATA member?
Yes. Its catalog lists a translation by a member of the American Translators Association as a certified translation (General Catalog 2026-2027: The Graduate School). eVerbary is an ATA corporate member.
Can I send a notarized copy of my transcript instead of the official one?
Not for graduate admission: notarized copies, faxes and scans are not considered official (Graduate School: International Admissions). Official transcripts come sealed or electronically from the school.
Do my syllabi need a translation for transfer credit?
LSU asks transfer applicants for official course descriptions or syllabi and requires an official English translation of any document not in English (catalog).
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 LSU?
Upload a scan of your transcript or diploma and see the price and delivery time before you pay.