South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language

Sample translation: a Congolese secondary school transcript

This is what an order looks like when it is delivered, with a fictitious student. The PDF starts with the signed certification page, and the translation follows the original line for line: every abbreviation is explained, stamps, seals and signatures are noted in brackets, and the grid stays the same, so an admissions officer or a credential evaluator can match it without guessing.

Swipe to see the second page →

What to notice

• Two school years in the same grid as the original: every subject, grading period, exam and total, so each grade can be read against its maximum.
• The French rating abbreviations are translated (TB becomes VG, Very good), and every abbreviation is explained in a translator's note at the foot of the same page, including one the original never defines.
• Dates are written the US way (the original's 02/07/2015 is February 7, 2015).
• The photo, seals and signatures are noted in brackets where they appear.

Download the sample PDF

More sample translations

Worth knowing about SFBC

SFBC requirements in detail

TEC or another NACES member

SFBC's transfer students page says students with academic records from outside the US may need a course-by-course evaluation with GPA before prior coursework is considered, and offers a dedicated SFBC application through The Evaluation Company at a discounted rate.

TEC asks for copies of your transcripts in the original language; it accepts outside translations only from translators certified by ATA, or translates in-house after your application is complete (TEC).

If you take the TEC route, ask eVerbary for a free quote for an ATA-certified translator and say it is for TEC.

The registrar accepts any NACES member, so you can also use WES, which wants an exact, word-for-word translation by a professional translator, or ECE, which accepts complete, literal translations.

With the evaluation in hand, you request SFBC's transfer credit evaluation, which costs $50 to $200 and takes about 10 business days.

Translations for the I-20 and for your family

For the I-20, SFBC's financial requirements say every financial document must be written in English or accompanied by an official translation, clearly state the currency, show liquid funds and be less than six months old. Bank letters from abroad usually need translating.

If your spouse or children come with you on F-2 status, SFBC's dependents page asks for a passport for each dependent, a legal marriage certificate for a spouse and a birth certificate for each child, with a complete English translation when they are not in English.

Documents applicants usually translate

• University transcripts and degree certificates, for the evaluation
• Bank statements and sponsor letters
• Marriage certificate, for an F-2 spouse
• Birth certificates, for F-2 children

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 SFBC

• Academic records and their translations go to the evaluation agency (TEC through the SFBC application, or WES or ECE); the agency sends its report to SFBC (SFBC: transfer students).

• Financial documents and dependents' certificates, with their translations, go to SFBC's international student office with your I-20 request (SFBC: estimated expenses and financial documents, SFBC: dependents (F-2)).

If you need a translator certified by ATA

Some offices accept only a translator who is personally certified by the American Translators Association (ATA). eVerbary assigns one on request, for the languages ATA certifies into English:

To order it, ask for a free quote and write in the notes that the translation is for SFBC, which program it is for, and that you need a translator individually certified by ATA, plus anything else the office asks for (notarization, delivery by email to the office).

We confirm the price and the translator before you pay. ATA does not certify other languages into English, so no translator anywhere holds ATA certification for them.

For those languages we provide a notarized certified translation instead, at $44.95 per page plus notarization ($34.90 per order); ask the office to confirm it accepts that, and write its answer in the quote notes.

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