Academic Translation Services for University Degrees, Theses and Research Papers

What Is Academic Translation?

Academic translation is the translation of documents and texts created in education and research: degree certificates, theses, dissertations, research papers, journal articles, textbooks and course materials. It needs a translator who knows the subject as well as both languages, because one wrong term in a chemistry paper or a law thesis changes the meaning.

There are two kinds of academic translation:

• Certified translation, for documents you submit to a university, a licensing board, an employer or an immigration office. It is a complete, word-for-word translation with a signed certificate of accuracy. Degree certificates, diplomas and transcripts usually need it.
• Professional (non-certified) translation, for work you want to read, share or publish: research papers, journal articles, theses for publication, textbooks and conference papers. The goal here is a text that reads naturally to experts in your field, with the right terminology and style.

Not sure which one you need? Ask the institution that will receive the translation, or tell us where you will submit it and we will advise you before you order.

Academic Documents We Translate

• University degree certificates and diplomas: bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, including diploma supplements and degree classifications.
• Theses and dissertations: bachelor’s, master’s and PhD theses, for submission, degree recognition or publication.
• Research papers and journal articles: manuscripts, abstracts, review articles and preprints.
• Grant proposals and research reports: applications to foreign funding bodies and reports for international partners.
• Conference papers and presentations: papers, abstracts, posters and slides.
• Textbooks, course materials and syllabi: course descriptions for transfer credit, curricula and teaching materials.
• Certificates of completion, enrollment letters and scholarship documents: for exchange programs, transfer credit and scholarships such as Fulbright, Chevening, DAAD and Erasmus+.

Need a high school diploma or a transcript translated? Each has its own page with prices, accepted formats and country-specific examples: high school diploma translation and transcript translation (for high school and university transcripts).

Certified Translation of University Degrees and Diplomas

A foreign degree certificate usually needs a certified English translation when you apply to graduate school, register with a professional licensing board, apply for a job that checks credentials, or submit an employment-based immigration petition.

Our certified translation covers every element of the original: the degree title, field of study, honors or classification, dates, the university’s name, stamps, seals and signatures. A signed certificate of accuracy is attached. We translate the degree title exactly as it appears and never replace it with a US equivalent.

Certified translation and credential evaluation are separate steps:

• Certified translation turns your degree certificate into accurate English, word for word.
• Credential evaluation, done by WES, ECE or another NACES member, decides what your degree is equivalent to in the US system.

Most universities and licensing boards want the certified translation first, then the evaluation. TheWordPoint handles the translation step. Check your evaluator’s current requirements for your country before you order.

Degree certificates are priced per page, from $26.90 for a one-page document.

Thesis and Dissertation Translation

We translate bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral theses in full or in part, for example only the abstract and summary. Common reasons:

• recognition of a foreign degree, when a university or ministry asks for the thesis in its language
• applying for a PhD or a research position abroad
• submitting or defending a thesis at a partner university in a joint or dual degree program
• publishing the thesis as a book, or turning its chapters into journal articles

What we keep in a translated thesis:

• The original structure: chapters, headings, numbered sections, footnotes and appendices.
• Citations and reference lists in their original form, so readers can find the sources. Tell us if quotations should follow existing published translations.
• Tables, figure captions and labels, translated in place.
• Consistent terminology. We build a glossary for your thesis, and you can review it before the full translation starts.

A long thesis can be shared between two or more translators in the same field who work from one glossary. One editor then reviews the whole text, so it reads in one voice. We confirm the delivery date in your quote.

If your university needs a certified translation of the thesis, we add a signed certificate of accuracy.
 

Research Paper and Journal Article Translation

Many international journals publish only in English, so researchers often need their papers translated from their own language. We also translate English papers into other languages for regional journals, conferences and partners.

Your paper is translated by a translator who works in your discipline, such as medicine, engineering, law, economics or the social sciences. The translator keeps your terminology, units, formulas and abbreviations, and follows the journal’s author guidelines and citation style (APA, Chicago, IEEE, Vancouver or another) when you send them.

Before you submit, you can add proofreading by a second linguist, who checks grammar, consistency and readability for reviewers.

Unpublished research stays confidential.

Read also: Translating research papers: keeping academic terms exact

Textbooks, Course Materials and Conference Papers

For publishers, universities and teachers, we translate textbooks, study guides, syllabi, course descriptions, tests and worksheets, with terminology that fits the education system of the target country. Course descriptions and syllabi are often needed for transfer credit and exchange programs.

For conferences, we translate papers, abstracts, posters and slides, so you can present in the language of the event. For online courses and learning platforms, see our e-learning translation services.

Publishers and universities with regular or large projects can request a business quote.

Read also: Benefits of textbook translation for publishers and educators

Academic Translation Prices

Certified academic documents are priced per page, and the price per page is lower in 2- and 3-page documents. Standard delivery for certified documents is 24–48 hours, and rush delivery is available.

Research papers, journal articles and other long texts that don’t need certification can be priced per word: from $0.07 per word for general and educational content, and from $0.11 per word for technical, medical and scientific content, depending on the language pair. You get a fixed quote before work starts.

See all translation prices

How Academic Translation Works

1. Send your document. Upload a scan, a photo or a PDF through our secure order form. For theses and papers, a Word or other editable file saves time.
2. Get a fixed quote. We confirm the price and delivery date before work starts, with no hidden fees.
3. A translator in your field is assigned. We match your document to a translator with experience in your subject and language pair. All translators hold ATA, BDÜ, NAJIT or equivalent professional certification.
4. Translation and independent review. A second linguist reviews the translation for accuracy, terminology and formatting.
5. Delivery. You get the translation by email or in your account. Certified translations come with a signed certificate of accuracy.

How to Prepare Your Thesis or Paper for Translation

• Send the final version. Changes made after the translation starts cost time and money.
• Send an editable file, and send figures that contain text as separate files.
• Tell us the purpose: publication, submission to a university, or reading only. It decides whether you need certification and which style to follow.
• Share the journal’s author guidelines or your university’s style guide.
• Add a glossary or your earlier publications if you have them, so your terms stay consistent with your previous work.
• Say which parts should stay in the original language, such as quotations, reference lists or appendices.
• Plan your deadline. Allow time for translation, review and your own check before you submit.

Why Choose TheWordPoint for Academic Translation

• Translators with academic credentials. Every academic document is handled by a translator who holds at least a master’s degree in a relevant field. We check credentials before we assign work.
• Human translation only. Degree titles, grading terms, institution names and field-specific terminology need human judgment, so we don’t use machine translation for academic work.
• Two-stage review. A second, independent linguist reviews every translation before delivery and before certification.
• Revision guarantee. If a university, WES or USCIS asks for a change to our certified translation, we revise it at no extra cost.
• 80+ languages, including Spanish, German, Chinese, Russian and Latin.

Reviewed and updated  on October 12, 2026, by

Christakis Christodoulou,
Managing Director
Head of the Certified Translation Department