WES Translation Requirements

WES accepts professional translations that are exact, clear, and completed by a professional translator. In the current WES translation guidance, the agency says it does not accept translations completed by applicants. In practice, that means a proper WES certified translation is a professional academic translation package, not a self-made English summary with a signature added later.

The official WES rule is that the translation must be exact, word-for-word, clear, legible, and completed by a professional translator. Based on our experience, the safest WES translation format also preserves page order, transcript tables, grading legends, and visible seals. That makes side-by-side review easier and reduces the risk that WES has to stop the file to clarify what was omitted or reformatted.

Certified translation starts at $24.95 per page. Most WES-bound academic records fall in the two-to-four-page range, so translation usually lands between $49.90 and $99.80 before optional add-ons. WES evaluation fees are separate. Current WES pricing lists $118 USD for Document-by-Document and $186 USD for Course-by-Course, so the correct budget is translation plus the report type your school, employer, or licensing body actually requires.

Most standard academic records can be translated in about 24 hours. WES timing is separate. Current WES processing guidance says the document-review stage typically runs about two weeks and can take up to four, and only after required documents are accepted does the evaluation stage begin. The evaluation stage then runs up to two weeks for DxD and up to four weeks for CxC.

If WES flags the translation, the first thing to determine is whether the problem is actually the English text or the surrounding workflow. Common WES translation requirements problems include missing transcript tables, applicant-made translations, grade conversion inside the translation, and a sender route that does not match the country instructions. The fastest fix is usually a corrected translation package that restores the omitted detail and aligns the file with the exact WES document route already in progress.

For many completed academic files, yes, WES effectively needs both the academic record and the final credential evidence listed in the country instructions. The exact document names vary by country: India uses mark sheets plus the final or provisional degree certificate, while China splits higher-education transcripts and degree certificates into different sender routes. The safer rule is to translate the full completed credential set, not just the page you think looks most important.

WES says the reference number is created after you submit the application and full payment. It is unique to your evaluation report and should be saved for later communication with WES. It also matters operationally in sender workflows. The current India instructions, for example, tell applicants to enter the WES reference number in DigiLocker and when arranging direct sender routing through the Controller of Examinations or autonomous college.

Not from just any source. WES says translations must be completed by a professional translator, and it specifically says it cannot accept translations completed by applicants. So the real screen is not brand recognition. It is whether the provider produces a professional, complete, word-for-word academic translation that matches the official document set and can survive WES side-by-side review.