San Francisco State University: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language

Worth knowing about SF State

SF State requirements in detail

Undergraduates: a translation, not an evaluation

SF State's international freshman and transfer pages apply to F-1 applicants and to US citizens, permanent residents and others whose transcripts come from an international institution.

Transcripts are required from every high school (and, for transfers, every college) attended; lower division transfers also send high school transcripts with proof of graduation.

If a school does not issue transcripts in English, SF State needs a word-for-word certified English translation, and it states plainly that it does not accept credential evaluations from third-party companies (international freshmen, international transfers).

That makes the translation the document SF State reads. A word-for-word translation keeps every course, grade and the grading scale as they appear; we never convert grades.

Admitted students then send official final transcripts in a sealed envelope to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment. For secondary records, see high school diploma translation.

Graduate Studies: who may translate, and a second sealed copy

The Division of Graduate Studies accepts English translations from the issuing university, an embassy or consulate, or a certified translator, and asks that they be literal, word for word and mirror the original.

It suggests planning ahead: request duplicate sealed records from your university, one for the translator and one for Graduate Studies.

Unofficial records uploaded to Cal State Apply are enough for the admission decision; admitted students submit final official records sealed by the university, and notarized copies are not considered official.

Graduate applicants have an alternative the undergraduate office does not allow: a course-by-course evaluation from an approved organization (IEE, WES, ECE, SpanTran, FIS or IERF) may be submitted in lieu of country-specific academic documents, uploaded first as unofficial and then sent officially by the agency after admission (admission criteria by country).

Each agency sets its own translation rule; see translation for credential evaluation.

Documents applicants usually translate

• High school transcripts and proof of graduation
• College or university transcripts from every institution attended
• Degree and graduation certificates, for graduate applicants
• Mark sheets for each year or semester

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 SF State

• Undergraduates: after applying in Cal State Apply, upload the translation with the original for each item on the To Do List in your Student Center by its deadline (International freshmen).

• Graduate applicants: upload the translation with your unofficial records in Cal State Apply; after admission, the official record goes sealed to the Division of Graduate Studies with its English translation (Graduate Studies: required academic documents).

How to order

1. Scan or photograph every page of the document, front and back, including any stamps on the reverse.
2. Upload it, choose the language and "certified", and see the price before paying.
3. 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.

Frequently asked questions