If you’re thinking about moving to the UK to study then it’s an incredibly exciting time for you! If everything goes to plan you’ll be studying in a new country, making lots of new friends and furthering your education in a new language and culture. However, there’s an awful lot to do before you get to that stage.
Firstly, you’ll need to decide what you want to study, then complete the application for your academic course of choice. It’s likely that you’ll need to support that application with specific academic documents from your home country. Once that’s sorted, you’ll then need to think about applying for a student visa too, and if any of the original documents aren’t issued in English, then you may be asked to provide a certified translation of those documents.
In this post we’re going to look at the following:
- The documents you’ll need for both your UK academic application and your UK student visa application;
- Translation requirements for non-English documents.
- How to get certified translations of the documents you need.
The Documents You’ll Need
Contents
UK Academic Applications
Every UK university analyses its applicants against their own unique criteria. However, the documentation they require as part of your application tends to be the same. It’s almost certain that you’ll be expected to submit the following:
- Academic certificate;
- Academic transcript;
- Certificate of English proficiency;
Of course, there can be other documents on top of this, but this is normally the bare minimum. Your academic certificate is the most straightforward. This is the certificate which proves your standard of education and could include anything from school qualifications to a university degree.
The academic transcript is less straightforward but equally important. This document provides the reader with every piece of information about the modules, courses and subjects studied as part of your qualification. You may need to get in touch with your education body to request a copy of it.
Finally, if you’re studying in the UK then it goes without saying that you’ll be studying in English. You need to provide proof of your English proficiency with a suitable certificate. English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) certificates are normally acceptable.
Getting all of these documents organised is one thing. If these documents aren’t presented in English or Welsh, then you’ll also need to get a certified translation for each of them. Those certified translations will then be submitted alongside the original document. If you submit these documents in a foreign language without the required translation, then your academic application may not be accepted.
UK Student Visa Applications
Once you’ve completed your academic application, you still need to think about the documents required for your UK Student Visa application. Again, the requirements for this application can vary depending on any number of personal circumstances such as your nationality, family history or financial situation.
You might be relieved to hear that your passport will not require a certified translation – but it’s pretty much the only document that doesn’t. A fundamental part of your UK Student Visa application is providing proof of your relationship with your parents. This is most easily achieved with a birth certificate. If that birth certificate isn’t presented in English, then it will need to be translated.
You’ll also have to provide proof of your funding and show how you plan to support yourself during the duration of your time in the UK. Bank statements normally support this requirement and like your birth certificate, will also need to be translated into English. Certain applications may also require a medical certificate where there are health concerns and, you guessed it, that’ll need to be presented in English too.
Translation Requirements for Non-English Documents
No matter what type of application you’re completing, the translation requirements for every document you submit will remain the same. This UK Government certified translation requirement is consistent with any range of personal circumstances and nationalities.
The official UK Government website states that any document submitted as part of a visa application which is not presented in English or Welsh must be submitted with a certified translation counterpart. The majority of UK universities and colleges also follow these criteria.
What is a Certified Translation?
So what is a certified translation? According to the UK Government, a UK Certified translation is defined as a translation that meets certain criteria. This is defined below:
“Each translated document must contain:
- confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document
- the date of the translation
- the translator’s full name and signature
- the translator’s contact details.”
This strict translation requirement ensures that each translation meets the required standard. Any translation which doesn’t follow the above standard will be rejected – even if the rest of the application is perfectly acceptable.
When you get your documents translated, you need to make sure that they’re translated to an acceptable standard. If you submit poor, illegitimate translations, then you’ll be adding an expensive and timely delay to your academic or student visa application.
How to Get a Certified Translation of Your Documents
Translayte is a leading provider of UK Certified Translations for Academic and Visa purposes. We translate from over 130 languages into UK English, often within 24 hours and our translations are signed, stamped, and include all relevant statements to ensure they’re acceptable to UK Visas & Immigration, the UK Home Office and all relevant UK agencies.
If you’re looking to have your academic documents or birth certificate translated, then contact us for a free quote.
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