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University of Chicago: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language
The College asks for an official English translation, sent with the original, of any application document not in English, and its required-materials page adds a certified translation and a grading scale for transcripts; it does not limit who may translate. The University of Chicago accepts certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary. Graduate programs want the original transcript uploaded with a certified English translation, prepared or verified by someone whose work requires both languages; UChicago does not translate, and its graduate FAQ points applicants to the American Translators Association directory (eVerbary is an ATA corporate member, #273062).
Translation plus grading scale
The College wants both with any non-English transcript.
Self-submit first
Official transcripts only if you are admitted and enroll.
Letters may be translated
Recommenders can write in their own language, with a translation.
UChicago requirements at a glance
| What UChicago asks for | |
|---|---|
| Translation (College) | Any application document not in English needs an official English translation in addition to the original (source); transcripts need a certified translation and a grading scale (source). |
| Who may translate (College) | Not stated: the College does not name or exclude any kind of translator. |
| Who may translate (graduate) | Someone whose position requires knowledge of English and the other language, such as an English professor at a French university; the FAQ suggests your consulate or the ATA directory and says UChicago offers no translation service (source). |
| Graduate wording | A certified English translation, uploaded with the original. The rule follows the language of the document, not the country of the school (source). |
| Grades | Do not convert your grades into a 4.0 GPA; admissions officers read your transcript in the context of your school and country (source). |
| Official transcripts | College: self-submitted transcripts are reviewed; official ones only if admitted and enrolling (source). Graduate: none for the application; final transcripts showing the degree generally before you enroll (source). |
| Recommendation letters | A recommender may write in another language and submit the original letter with a translation (source). |
| Does it accept eVerbary? | Yes. The College asks for "an official English translation" with the original documents and does not restrict who makes it (international FAQ), and the graduate FAQ suggests the American Translators Association directory to applicants who need a translator (graduate FAQ); a certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets both. Policy checked on October 13, 2026. |
Checked on October 13, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Policies change: confirm on UChicago's own page before you submit.
The College: read in context, translated by whoever you choose
UChicago's College does not ask for a credential evaluation or a converted GPA. Its international FAQ asks you not to turn your grades into a 4.0 scale, because its admissions officers read each transcript in the context of your school and country. What it needs instead is the transcript itself, in the original language, with an English translation and the grading scale that explains it (required materials). Your counselor normally sends the transcript with the Secondary School Report, but you may also self-submit it by fax, mail or upload through your UChicago Account, and official copies are required only if you are admitted and choose to enroll.
Two quirks are worth knowing. A recommender who is more comfortable in another language may write in it and send the original letter with a translation, so a teacher's letter can be translated the same way as a transcript (source). And refugee applicants who cannot reach their records may self-report grades as they remember them; the College says they will not be penalized for a missing official transcript (source).
Graduate programs: certified, uploaded, bilingual
Graduate applications go through each division's or school's portal, but the central guidelines set the transcript rule: upload a copy of the transcript from every college you attended for credit, including the page that explains the grading, and if it is not in English, upload it with a certified English translation. The test is the language of the document, not the country: a record issued in English abroad needs no translation, and a record in French from anywhere does. No official transcripts are needed to apply; you will generally be asked for an official final transcript showing your degree before you enroll.
The graduate FAQ describes who should translate: someone whose position requires knowledge of both English and the other language, such as a professor of English at a French university. UChicago does not translate documents, and it suggests your country's consulate or embassy, or the directory of the American Translators Association. eVerbary is an ATA corporate member (#273062).
Transfer applicants: two credit evaluations
Transfer applicants may apply with unofficial transcripts, but the College needs official copies to prepare a Tentative Credit Evaluation, which admitted students receive before their reply deadline; the Official Credit Evaluation follows in the summer, based on final official transcripts from every institution attended (source). UChicago may ask for syllabi of courses it is evaluating, so keep them. If your transcripts are not in English, the College's translation rule applies to each of them.
Where UChicago's pages differ
The College's international FAQ asks for an "official" English translation, while its required-materials page asks for a "certified" translation and a grading scale. On the graduate side, the guidelines ask for a certified translation, while the FAQ describes a translation prepared or verified by a bilingual professional without using the word certified. We have not resolved these differences; a certified translation from a professional service fits each wording.
Documents applicants usually translate
- Secondary school transcripts and the school's grading scale
- School leaving certificates and national exam results
- Recommendation letters written in another language
- University transcripts and the page that explains the grading, for graduate applications
- Final transcripts and degree certificates showing the degree awarded
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 UChicago
College applicants send the translation with the original: through the counselor with the Secondary School Report, or self-submitted by fax, mail or upload to the UChicago Account (source).
Graduate applicants upload the original transcript and its certified translation to the online application of their division or school, and add an updated transcript through the account status portal when new grades post (source).
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.
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
University of Chicago's own pages, read on October 13, 2026. Enrollment figure: Open Doors 2025 (IIE), doctoral universities hosting the most international students in 2024/25: number 28, with 7,634 students.
- College Admissions: international applicants (FAQ)
- College Admissions: required materials
- College Admissions: transfer credit
- Graduate admissions: guidelines and deadlines
- Graduate admissions: FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Who can translate my transcripts for the UChicago College?
The College asks for an official, or certified, English translation and does not say who must make it (FAQ, required materials). A certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary qualifies.
Can my teacher write my recommendation letter in Spanish or another language?
Yes. The recommender submits the original letter with a translation (source).
Who should translate my transcript for a UChicago graduate program?
Someone whose position requires knowledge of both English and the other language; the graduate FAQ suggests your consulate or the American Translators Association directory (source).
Do I need official transcripts to apply to UChicago?
No. The College reviews self-submitted transcripts and asks for official ones only if you are admitted and enroll (source); graduate admissions does not require official transcripts to apply (source).
Should I convert my grades to a US GPA for UChicago?
No. UChicago asks you not to convert grades into a 4.0 scale; it reads them in the context of your school (source).
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 UChicago?
Upload a scan of your transcript or diploma and see the price and delivery time before you pay.