Academic Transcript Translation for UK University Admissions: UCAS & NARIC Guide

Every year, over 150,000 international students apply to UK universities. If your academic transcripts are not in English, you will need certified translations — and the requirements vary depending on whether you are applying through UCAS, directly to a university, or through a postgraduate admissions office.

Getting this wrong can mean missed deadlines, delayed offers, or outright rejection. This guide covers exactly what you need.

Do UK Universities Accept Transcripts in Other Languages?

No. Almost all UK universities require documents to be in English. Even if your university issued a bilingual transcript, some admissions offices will still request a separate certified translation to ensure consistency and accuracy.

The exceptions are rare — a small number of universities accept documents in French, German, or Spanish without translation for certain programmes. But this is uncommon and should never be assumed.

UCAS Applications (Undergraduate)

If you are applying through UCAS for an undergraduate degree, your academic transcripts and certificates must be submitted in English. UCAS does not translate documents for you.

Key points for UCAS applications:

• Upload translated transcripts as part of your supporting documents
• The translation must be certified by a professional translator — self-translations are not accepted
• Include both the original language document and the English translation
• UCAS deadlines are strict — allow at least 1 week for translation before the deadline
• For January deadline applications (most courses), start the translation process in December at the latest

Postgraduate Applications (Direct to University)

Postgraduate applications are usually submitted directly to the university. Each university has its own requirements, but the standard expectation is:

• Certified English translation of all academic transcripts
• Certified English translation of your degree certificate
• Some universities request translations of course syllabi or module descriptions to assess credit transfer
• Russell Group universities (Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Imperial, etc.) are particularly strict about translation quality and certification

ENIC-NARIC (UK NARIC) Credential Assessment

Many universities and employers require an ENIC-NARIC credential assessment (now called UK ENIC) to verify that your foreign qualification is equivalent to a UK degree. This is a separate process from translation, but they work together:

• UK ENIC requires translated documents if they are not in English
• The translation must be certified and include the translator's credentials
• UK ENIC processes applications in 15 working days (standard) or 5 working days (priority)
• Factor in translation time before submitting to UK ENIC — the total process can take 3-4 weeks

A UK ENIC statement confirms the comparable UK level of your qualification (e.g., "comparable to British Bachelor's degree with Honours"). This is often required for Tier 4/Student visa applications and professional registration.

What Documents Need Translating?

Depending on your application, you may need translations of:

• Academic transcripts — full list of subjects, grades, and credit hours
• Degree certificate / diploma — the final award document
• Secondary school certificates — A-level equivalents (Baccalaureate, Abitur, Gaokao results, etc.)
• Course syllabi or module descriptions — detailed content of courses studied, sometimes needed for credit transfer
• Recommendation letters — if written in a language other than English
• Professional qualifications — if applying for professional programmes (medicine, law, engineering)

Grading Systems: How Translations Handle Different Scales

One of the trickiest aspects of transcript translation is handling different grading systems. A professional translator will translate the grades exactly as they appear — it is not the translator's job to convert grades to a UK equivalent. That is the role of the admissions office or UK ENIC.

For example:

• France: 0-20 scale (12/20 is considered "good")
• Germany: 1.0-5.0 scale (1.0 is the highest)
• China: Percentage or GPA, varies by university
• Middle East: Mix of percentage, letter grades, and GPA depending on the country

The translator will faithfully translate the grade labels and any classification descriptors (e.g., "ممتاز" = "Excellent", "جيد جداً" = "Very Good").

Turnaround Times and Planning

Academic transcripts are typically 2-6 pages, making them relatively quick to translate. Expect these turnaround times:

• Standard (2-3 working days): Suitable for most applications where the deadline is more than a week away
• Urgent (same day or next day): Available for common languages when deadlines are tight
• Course syllabi: These can be 20+ pages and may take 5-7 working days depending on the volume

Key Deadlines to Remember

• UCAS (most courses): 29 January — start translations by early January
• UCAS (Oxford, Cambridge, medicine): 15 October — start translations by late September
• Postgraduate (Russell Group): Varies, but many rounds close between January and March
• UK ENIC processing: Allow 3-4 weeks (including translation time)
• CAS issuance for Student visa: Universities need all documents verified before issuing a CAS

How Much Does It Cost?

Academic transcripts are priced based on word count or per-page, depending on length:

• Short transcripts (1-3 pages): Certificate pricing from £35
• Longer transcripts (4+ pages): Per-word pricing based on language tier
• Course syllabi: Per-word pricing — costs vary depending on the total volume

Get Your Transcripts Translated

At Lingo Service, we translate academic documents from over 90 languages for UK university admissions. Every translation is certified and accepted by all UK universities, UCAS, and UK ENIC.

Upload your transcript for an instant quote — most translations are delivered within 2-3 working days.