Certified Vietnamese Diploma and Transcript Translation
💡 TL;DR: A certified Vietnamese diploma and transcript translation is what turns your Vietnamese degree into something a foreign university, credential evaluator or immigration office can actually read and trust. Evaluators such as WES require an exact, word for word translation of BOTH the degree certificate and the full transcript, with nothing left out, prepared by a professional translator and never by you or a relative. The catch most people miss is the grading scale: if the transcript legend, the seals and the rector's signature are not translated too, the evaluator cannot map your GPA and the file stalls. You keep the original and receive a mirrored English version plus a signed certificate of accuracy. Done right the first time, it moves your admission or immigration file forward instead of into a resubmission.
- Credential evaluators like WES require an exact, word for word translation of BOTH the degree and the full transcript, complete with no omissions, done by a professional translator and never by the applicant or a family member.
- The transcript's grading scale and classification legend (Vietnam's 10 point scale: Xuat sac, Gioi, Kha, Trung binh) must be translated too, or the evaluator cannot convert your results into a GPA.
- The certified translation is a separate document that sits beside the original; it does not replace it, so keep two clean sets.
- For US immigration, USCIS needs only a certified translation with a signed accuracy statement, no notary. Canada's IRCC wants the translation plus the translator's affidavit.
- Indicative cost is about 25–60 USD per page (a transcript is usually several pages), with a 1 to 3 business day turnaround. You receive a format mirrored translation plus a signed certificate of accuracy.
Two documents, two different jobs
A certified Vietnamese diploma and transcript translation is really two pieces of evidence working together. The degree certificate, the bang tot nghiep dai hoc, proves that a qualification was awarded: the level, the field of study, the institution and the overall classification. The transcript, the bang diem, proves what you actually did to earn it, listing every subject, its credits, your grades and the scale behind them. A university admissions office and a credential evaluator read the two side by side, because the diploma answers what did you earn while the transcript answers what is it worth.
This is why sending only one is the fastest way to a delay. World Education Services (WES), the evaluator most US and Canadian institutions accept, asks for both the degree and the transcript, and it treats them differently: you upload a photocopy of the diploma yourself, while the official transcript must reach WES directly from your university through an approved channel or a sealed envelope. The translation is a third, independent layer on top of that, and it has to match both documents exactly.
What a Vietnamese degree and transcript actually contain
The bang tot nghiep dai hoc is issued and signed by the university rector and carries the graduate's full name and date of birth, the degree and major, the mode of study (chinh quy for full time), the classification, a diploma serial number (so hieu) and a register number (so vao so), all wrapped around the institution's seal. Since the Ministry of Education and Training moved higher education onto a credit system, most bachelor programmes run about four years and are measured in credits (tin chi).
The transcript is where the detail lives. A Vietnamese bang diem lists each course, its credit weight, the grade, and a cumulative grade point average, and many modern transcripts print results on both a 10 point scale and a 4 point scale at once. Some graduates also hold a diploma supplement, the phu luc van bang. For a translator, every one of these fields matters: I reproduce the layout, the numbers digit for digit, and crucially the grading legend, so the English version can stand on its own as a faithful copy rather than a summary.
What "certified" means for academic documents
In this context, certified does not mean stamped by a court or sworn before a notary. It means the translation carries a signed statement in which the translator confirms two things: that the translation is complete and accurate, and that they are competent to translate from Vietnamese into English. The statement shows the translator's full name, signature, date and contact details. WES is explicit that translations must be exact and word for word, complete with no omissions or summaries, and prepared by a professional translator, never by the applicant. You can read the full rule on the WES translation requirements page.
US immigration applies the same idea. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), any foreign document filed with USCIS needs a certified English translation and no notarization, a standard I cover in detail in my guide to USCIS certified translation rules. So whether your transcript is heading to an admissions office, a credential evaluator or an immigration officer, the certified translation is the common passport that lets it be read and compared.
Who asks for it: evaluators, universities and immigration
The wrapper changes depending on where the documents are going, even though the core, a faithful translation plus a signed accuracy statement, stays the same. This is exactly the kind of academic document I translate and certify for credential evaluation and study abroad files.
| Who receives it | What they require | Notary? | Who may translate |
|---|---|---|---|
| WES / ECE (credential evaluation) | Exact, complete, word for word translation of degree and transcript, with the grading legend | No | A professional translator, not the applicant or family |
| University admissions | Official transcript plus a certified English translation; some accept an evaluator report instead | Usually no | A professional translator or the issuing institution |
| USCIS (US immigration) | Certified English translation with a signed statement of accuracy and competence | No | Any competent translator, not a close relative |
| IRCC (Canada, Express Entry ECA) | Translation plus the translator's affidavit and a certified copy of the original | Affidavit sworn before a commissioner | An independent translator, never the applicant |
| Australia (NAATI) | Translations for use in Australia are generally expected from a NAATI credentialed translator | No | NAATI credentialed, or a translator who states their credentials |
For Canada specifically, the education route runs through an Educational Credential Assessment, and IRCC's own instructions say a document not in English or French must arrive with the translation, an affidavit from the translator and a certified copy of the original, per the IRCC guidance on documents not in English or French. I walk through that path in my piece on certified Vietnamese translation for Canada and IRCC.
The grading scale problem, and why the legend must be translated
The single most common weakness in academic translations is a transcript whose grading legend never made it into English. Vietnam mainly uses a 10 point scale, with degree classifications of Xuat sac (excellent), Gioi (very good), Kha (good) and Trung binh (average), and the exact thresholds vary by institution and by era. A credential evaluator's whole job is to convert those results into a four point GPA or a local equivalent, and they cannot do that if the scale printed on the back of the transcript, or its explanatory notes, is missing from the translation.
My rule here is simple and it protects you: I translate the scale exactly as it is printed, including every band and note, but I do not convert your grades into a foreign GPA. Conversion is the evaluator's decision, and a translator who quietly rewrites a 8.2 into a 3.5 is overstepping and can get the file questioned. A clean, literal rendering of the legend lets WES or the admissions office do their part correctly, which is what keeps your real academic record intact.
The rejection reasons I watch for on every file
After years of academic and civil document work, the pattern is clear: transcripts rarely come back because of hard language, they come back because of small, avoidable gaps.
- An untranslated grading legend. The scale, the classification bands and the notes on the reverse are part of the document. Skip them and the evaluator cannot map your GPA.
- Seals and signatures left in Vietnamese. The university seal, the rector's signature and any registrar stamp must appear in English, usually as a bracketed description such as [Round seal of the University of ...].
- A name that does not match the passport. Vietnamese names carry diacritics that a passport may drop. I keep the spelling consistent with your travel document so one person does not read as two.
- Summarizing instead of mirroring. A certified translation reproduces the full transcript, every course and credit, not a tidy overview.
- Self translation. WES, USCIS and IRCC all reject translations done by the applicant or a relative. An independent translator removes that risk.
- Translating an unofficial copy. A student printout can differ from the sealed official transcript, so the translation should be made from the official document the institution issues.
What you receive, the cost and the turnaround
For a Vietnamese degree and transcript you receive a complete English translation that mirrors each original, seals, grading legend and all, together with a signed statement of accuracy in which I certify that I am competent and that the work is complete and correct. Notarization or Vietnamese cong chung, if a specific office asks for it, is arranged separately through a notary; I am the translator who certifies the content, not the notary.
A degree certificate is a single page, while a transcript is usually several, so pricing scales with length. Indicative cost for certified Vietnamese translation runs about 25–60 USD per page, and turnaround is commonly one to three business days with a rush option when an admissions deadline is close. For what actually drives the number, see my Vietnamese translation cost guide.
| Item | Typical for a degree and transcript |
|---|---|
| Degree certificate | One page |
| Transcript | Two to four pages on average |
| Indicative cost | 25–60 USD per page (certified) |
| Standard turnaround | 1 to 3 business days |
| You receive | Mirrored English translation plus a signed certificate of accuracy |
FAQ
Do I need to translate both my diploma and my transcript?
Yes, in almost every case. Credential evaluators such as WES require both: the degree certificate to confirm the qualification and the full transcript to verify the courses and grades. A university or immigration office reads them together, so a certified translation of only one document is usually sent back. Both are translated in full, including seals and the grading legend.
How much does a certified Vietnamese transcript translation cost?
Certified Vietnamese translation typically runs about 25 to 60 USD per page. A degree certificate is one page, while a transcript is often two to four, so the total scales with length. Turnaround is usually one to three business days, with a same or next day rush often possible. The exact quote depends on page count, legibility and how fast you need it.
Does the translation convert my Vietnamese grades to a GPA?
No, and it should not. A certified translation reproduces your grades and the grading scale exactly as printed. Converting a 10 point result into a four point GPA is the credential evaluator's job, using their own methodology. That is why the transcript legend must be translated in full: it gives the evaluator what they need to convert your results accurately.
Can I translate my own diploma if I am fluent in English?
No. WES, USCIS and Canada's IRCC all reject translations completed by the applicant or a family member, even a qualified one, because of the conflict of interest. You need an independent professional translator who provides a signed certificate of accuracy. This is one of the most common reasons academic translations are refused.
Does a certified transcript translation need to be notarized?
Usually not. For WES and for USCIS, a certified translation with a signed accuracy statement is enough and no notary is required. Canada's IRCC asks for the translator's affidavit sworn before a commissioner of oaths rather than a notarized translation. If a particular office does ask for notarization, that step is handled separately by a notary.
Source: World Education Services, Translation Requirements for a WES Credential Evaluation
About the author
I am Dao Huy (Lucas), a professional translator working across English, Vietnamese, Chinese and French (EN to VI to ZH to FR), with more than seven years in medical, legal, financial and academic translation. Academic records like the diplomas and transcripts described here are daily practice: a faithful grading legend, consistent names and a clean certification statement are what keep a study abroad or immigration file moving.
If you need a certified Vietnamese diploma and transcript translation, other certified document translation for study abroad or immigration, or professional Vietnamese translation services and multilingual localization that read naturally, I am glad to help. Tell me your institution, the receiving authority and your deadline, and I will send a tailored quote at daohuy.com.
Written by Dao Huy (Lucas), Vietnamese translator & localization specialist (EN · ZH · FR → Vietnamese). See translation services → · Certified Documents →