Applying to a university that’s overseas? Your application is all in the details. Universities need to accurately assess your academic history, eligibility, and compliance with their admission standards. When you’re applying to a university abroad, that often comes in the form of translations. But if your translations are incorrect or incomplete, your application can be put on hold or even denied. Keep reading for the top mistakes in university application translations and how certified translations can help you avoid them.
What Are the Top Mistakes People Make with University Application Translations?
1. Missing or Improper Certification Statement
A certified translation is more than a simple translation – it includes a signed certification statement attesting to the accuracy and completeness of the translation. Without the proper certification statement, admissions offices can’t legally accept the document, regardless of how accurate the translation may be.
- The common application mistake: Many applicants submit translations without a certification statement, a signature, or a date, or submit a statement that doesn’t meet the university’s wording requirements.
- How to avoid it: Work with a professional translation service that’s experienced in academic and immigration-related certifications.
2. Incomplete Translations
Another common mistake in university applications is submitting a partial translation. From a university’s perspective, everything in the document matters. Admissions officers need to see official stamps and seals, registrar notes, page headers and footers, and any annotations or handwritten notes. Missing elements in the translation can raise red flags or require resubmission.
- The common application mistake: Applicants sometimes translate only what they believe is important – like course titles or degree names – while leaving out stamps, seals, marginal notes, grading scales, or comments.
- How to avoid it: Make sure your translation mirrors the original document line by line, including non-text elements described in brackets.
3. Incorrect Academic Terminology
Academic systems vary widely from country to country, and literal translations often fail to convey the correct meaning. This can lead the admissions team to misinterpret your academic standing or to request further verification.
- The common application mistake: Many applicants translate a credential as a Bachelor’s Degree when it’s technically a pre-university diploma, use informal or non-standard academic terms, or they mislabel grading scale or credit systems.
- How to avoid it: Choose a translator who specializes in educational and academic translations, not just general-language translations.
4. Name Inconsistencies Across Documents
Universities are meticulous about identity verification. Even minor inconsistencies, such as spacing, hyphenation, or surname order, can delay your application, as the admissions office may request additional documentation to confirm your identity.
- The common application mistake: Applicants interchange their married vs. maiden name without explanation, or use different spellings of their name across transcripts and diplomas.
- How to avoid it: Make sure all translations use the same standardized spelling as your passport, and include translation notes for any variations.
5. Using Non-Professional or Machine Translations
It’s tempting to save money by using machine translation tools or a bilingual friend. However, universities almost always reject these types of translations.
- The common application mistake: Applicants don’t always understand that machine translations often miss contextual meaning, mishandle academic terminology, and lack certification. Even fluent bilingual speakers may not understand certification standards or academic formatting requirements.
- How to avoid it: Always use a professional certified translation provider with documented credentials.
6. Formatting That Doesn’t Match the Original
Universities expect translations to reflect the original document’s layout closely. Inconsistent formatting makes it harder for the admissions team to evaluate your records.
- The common application mistake: Many applicants submit translations with missing tables, merged columns, or altered text order.
- How to avoid it: A high-quality certified translation preserves the original document structure, making it easy to compare the original and translated documents side by side.
Keep Your Application on Track with The Perfect Translation
Small mistakes in your university application translations can lead to delays and missed deadlines. At The Perfect Translation, we help keep your application on track with certified academic translations that meet admissions requirements the first time. Your future shouldn’t be delayed by avoidable translation mistakes. Our team of professionals has the experience to make sure your documents are as ready as you are. Contact us today for a free quote.
Leave a Reply