Columbia Translation Requirements
School-by-School Guide | SIPA · GSAS · Teachers College · SPS · Undergraduate
Columbia University requires certified English translations for non-English academic documents. Most graduate schools (SIPA, GSAS, SPS) require WES Course-by-Course ICAP evaluation. Teachers College accepts WES, ECE, or TEC. Undergraduate admissions evaluates credentials internally.
Reviewed by Elena Sokolova
Senior Academic Credential Translation Strategist
“Columbia is more standardized than NYU — almost every graduate school wants WES ICAP. The trap is ordering WES Basic to save money, then discovering your school needs ICAP and losing weeks reordering. Get ICAP from the start if you are applying to any Columbia graduate school.”
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Columbia Translation Requirements: What All Schools Expect
Across all Columbia schools, international applicants must provide certified English translations of non-English academic documents. Translations must be submitted alongside the original-language documents — Columbia reviews both together.
For graduate programs, the dominant requirement is the WES Course-by-Course ICAP evaluation. SIPA, GSAS, and the School of Professional Studies all specify WES ICAP. This is the most common source of confusion for Columbia applicants: ordering WES Basic instead of WES ICAP. The ICAP version includes verified copies sent directly to the institution, which is what these schools require.
Teachers College operates semi-independently and accepts evaluations from WES, ECE, or TEC. This matters if you are applying to multiple Columbia schools — your Teachers College application can use a different evaluator than your GSAS application, though using WES ICAP covers both.
Columbia requires your certified translation to include:
- Complete, word-for-word translation of every element on the original document
- Courses completed, grades received, duration of study, and degrees awarded
- Original grading scales preserved — no conversion to U.S. GPA
- All seals, stamps, signatures, and institutional markings translated
- Signed Certificate of Accuracy from a professional translator
Official Callouts
Columbia translation standard
All Columbia schools require certified English translations submitted alongside original-language documents.
WES ICAP for most graduate schools
SIPA, GSAS, and the School of Professional Studies require WES Course-by-Course ICAP — not WES Basic.
Teachers College flexibility
Teachers College accepts course-by-course evaluations from WES, ECE, or TEC (SpanTran / The Evaluation Company).
Columbia Translation and Evaluation Requirements by School
Columbia is more standardized than Harvard or NYU in its graduate school requirements: most schools converge on WES ICAP. The key exception is Teachers College, which gives applicants a choice between WES, ECE, and TEC. Undergraduate admissions handles evaluation internally.
When applying to WES for Columbia, you select "U.S." for the application country, "Education" as the purpose, and "Graduate Admissions" for the level. You then add your specific Columbia school — SIPA, GSAS, or School of Professional Studies — as a recipient. You upload photocopies of your diploma/degree certificate and the English translation to WES, and your institution sends official documents directly to WES.
If you are applying to multiple Columbia graduate schools, one WES ICAP evaluation can serve all of them. Add each school as a recipient during the WES application.
Standard Requirements
- Word-for-word rendering — no summaries or paraphrasing
- Original document layout preserved — tables, columns, page order
- All seals, stamps, signatures, and institutional markings translated
- Original grading scale preserved (no conversion to U.S. GPA)
- Signed Certificate of Accuracy with translator credentials
Columbia credential evaluation requirements by school
Each Columbia school has different evaluation expectations. Most converge on WES ICAP.
| Columbia School | Credential evaluation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Undergraduate (CC/SEAS) | Not required. Admissions evaluates credentials internally. | Submit certified translation alongside originals through the application portal. |
| SIPA (International Affairs) | WES Course-by-Course ICAP required. | Add "Columbia University - SIPA" as WES recipient. |
| GSAS (Graduate Arts & Sciences) | WES Course-by-Course ICAP required. | Add "Columbia University - GSAS" as WES recipient. |
| School of Professional Studies | WES Course-by-Course ICAP required. | Add "Columbia University - School of Professional Studies" as recipient. |
| Teachers College | WES, ECE, or TEC course-by-course accepted. | Send to "Teachers College - Columbia University" (WES) or "Teachers College, Columbia University" (ECE). |
If applying to multiple Columbia graduate schools, one WES ICAP evaluation covers all of them. Add each school as a recipient.
How to Submit Your Translation to Columbia
The submission process depends on whether your Columbia school requires WES ICAP or accepts direct translation upload. Getting the WES recipient name exactly right prevents the most common processing delay.
Identify which Columbia school you are applying to
Check the school-specific table above. Most graduate schools require WES ICAP. Teachers College accepts WES, ECE, or TEC. Undergraduate admissions accepts certified translations directly.
Get your certified English translation
Have your academic documents translated by a professional translator. The translation must be complete, word-for-word, and include a signed Certificate of Accuracy.
Apply for WES ICAP evaluation (if required)
For SIPA, GSAS, or SPS: apply for WES Course-by-Course ICAP. Select "U.S." for country, "Education" as purpose, "Graduate Admissions" for level. Add your specific Columbia school as recipient. Upload your translation and diploma/degree certificate copies to WES.
Have your institution send official documents to WES
Your educational institution must send official transcripts and degree certificates directly to WES — preferably electronically to expedite processing. WES will not release the evaluation until official documents arrive.
Upload translated documents through the Columbia portal
Submit your certified translation through the Columbia application portal alongside original-language documents. For graduate programs, WES sends the ICAP evaluation directly to your Columbia school.
Timeline
- Our certified translation: about 24 hours for standard academic records
- WES ICAP evaluation: typically 2–4 weeks after official documents arrive
- Application deadlines vary by school — start WES early
Pro Tip
Start the WES ICAP process at least 6 weeks before your Columbia application deadline. The translation takes 24 hours, but WES needs time to receive official documents from your institution and complete the evaluation. The most common delay is institutions being slow to send documents to WES.
Why Columbia Flags Translated Documents — and How to Avoid It
Columbia document issues typically stem from ordering the wrong WES product, incorrect recipient names in WES, or missing translations alongside original documents.
1WES Basic ordered instead of WES ICAP
What happens
Columbia graduate school cannot process the evaluation because the WES Basic report does not include direct institutional delivery.
Why it happens
Applicants order the cheaper WES Basic Course-by-Course instead of the ICAP version.
How we prevent it
This page specifies that SIPA, GSAS, and SPS require WES ICAP. We include this guidance with every Columbia-bound delivery.
2Incorrect WES recipient name for Columbia school
What happens
WES sends the evaluation to the wrong Columbia department, causing delays.
Why it happens
Columbia has multiple schools with specific recipient name formats. SIPA, GSAS, SPS, and Teachers College each have different WES recipient entries.
How we prevent it
This page lists the exact recipient name format for each Columbia school.
3Translation submitted without original-language documents
What happens
Columbia cannot verify the translation against the original.
Why it happens
Applicants upload only the English translation without the original-language version.
How we prevent it
We deliver translations clearly labeled for pairing with originals, and include a reminder to upload both together.
4Grade conversion in the translation
What happens
Columbia and WES evaluators cannot assess the original academic record.
Why it happens
Translators convert grades to U.S. GPA or rewrite degree titles.
How we prevent it
We preserve original grading scales exactly. Columbia and WES provide the U.S. equivalency interpretation.
Translation Cost for Columbia Application
The total cost depends on whether your Columbia school requires WES ICAP evaluation. The translation is needed regardless.
Certified Translation
Starting Rate
Typical Total (Most Columbia-bound academic sets: 2 to 6 pages)
$59.90–$179.70
Pay only after you review the quote
Institution / WES Specific Fees
Typical Subtotals
- • Evaluation fees are approximate. Verify with the evaluator.
- • One WES ICAP can serve multiple Columbia schools — add each as a recipient.
- • Review current translation pricing at /pricing.
Common Questions About Columbia Translation Requirements
Does Columbia accept certified translation?
Yes. All Columbia schools accept and require certified English translations for non-English academic documents. Translations must be submitted alongside the original-language documents.
Does Columbia require WES evaluation?
Most Columbia graduate schools require WES Course-by-Course ICAP evaluation: SIPA, GSAS, and the School of Professional Studies. Teachers College accepts WES, ECE, or TEC. Columbia undergraduate admissions evaluates credentials internally without external evaluation.
What is the difference between WES Basic and WES ICAP for Columbia?
WES Basic Course-by-Course provides a credential evaluation report. WES ICAP includes the evaluation plus verified copies sent directly to institutions. Most Columbia graduate schools require ICAP specifically — not Basic. The price difference is about $85, but ordering the wrong one costs weeks of reprocessing.
Can I use one WES ICAP for multiple Columbia schools?
Yes. Add each Columbia school as a recipient during your WES application. One WES ICAP evaluation can serve SIPA, GSAS, SPS, and Teachers College simultaneously.
What evaluator does Columbia Teachers College accept?
Teachers College accepts full course-by-course evaluations from WES, ECE, and TEC (The Evaluation Company / SpanTran). This gives Teachers College applicants more flexibility than SIPA or GSAS applicants, who must use WES ICAP.
Can I use the same translation for Columbia and WES?
Yes. A certified translation formatted for Columbia admissions also satisfies WES, ECE, and TEC. Upload the same file to the Columbia application portal and to the evaluator.
Does Columbia undergraduate require credential evaluation?
No. Columbia undergraduate admissions (Columbia College and SEAS) evaluates international credentials internally. They are experienced with various international curricula. You only need a certified translation submitted alongside original-language documents.
Related Pages
Evaluators required by Columbia
Other Ivy League / NYC university guides
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