Native German specialists | Hochschulgrad accuracy | Fachhochschule/Universität distinction preserved | WES & ECE ready | 24-hour delivery
Reviewed by Natalia Vega
Senior Certified Translation Reviewer • ~2 min response
100% acceptance guarantee · unlimited revisions
Reviewed by Natalia Vega
Senior Certified Translation Reviewer • ~2 min response
German diploma translation produces a certified English version of degree certificates (Urkunden) from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, formatted for WES, ECE, university admissions, and professional licensing boards [Source: WES Required Documents, wes.org/required-documents].
A German Diplomurkunde, Bachelorurkunde, or Masterurkunde carries a Hochschulgrad (academic degree title), Fachrichtung (field of study), institution seals, and academic terminology that differs between pre-Bologna credentials (Diplom, Magister, Staatsexamen) and post-Bologna degrees (Bachelor/Master with ECTS credits), between Fachhochschulen (universities of applied sciences) and Universitäten, and between German, Austrian, and Swiss academic frameworks.
Your diploma is translated by a native German speaker who handles academic credential translation daily, so Hochschulgrad rendering, Fachrichtung labeling, Diploma Supplement integration, and institutional seal identification are handled by a specialist who understands the German, Austrian, and Swiss higher-education landscape.
If an evaluator asks for a translation-related correction, we revise the file at no additional cost so the layout, degree-title rendering, and terminology remain aligned with your evaluation packet.
Native-speaking translator, never raw machine output.
On company letterhead with translator credentials.
Recognizable by USCIS adjudicators on sight.
We refine until you’re satisfied — at no cost.
Not a rush-fee tier. It’s just the normal speed.
Rejected? Full refund + free re-translation.
Email-ready file, print-ready format.
PDF, photo, or scan — any format works. Takes about 30 seconds.
A native-speaking German translator handles every word, stamp, and signature. Signed Certificate of Accuracy included — USCIS-ready format.
Delivered as a searchable PDF, typically within 24 hours. Free revisions if any institution requests adjustments.
4.9/5•From 2,400+ reviews
“My Diplom-Ingenieur degree and Diploma Supplement needed WES evaluation. CertTranslate preserved the original title, the Fachrichtung, and mirrored the layout perfectly. WES accepted the packet without any follow-up questions.”
Friedrich R.
Boston, MA
“I had an Austrian Magister degree with a German-only Diploma Supplement. They handled both documents, kept the Universitätsgesetz references consistent, and ECE processed my file smoothly.”
Monika L.
Philadelphia, PA
“My ETH Zürich diploma was bilingual German/French with ECTS grading. CertTranslate translated everything, preserved the ETH-specific formatting and credit counts, and the university admissions office accepted it immediately.”
Jan S.
Seattle, WA
“My german diploma had a university seal that previous translators treated as decorative. CertTranslate labeled it properly and kept it in the correct position. ECE accepted it immediately.”
Raj P.
Edison, NJ
“Needed the diploma for a professional licensing application. The state board accepted the translation without requesting any revisions or additional documentation.”
Anna K.
Chicago, IL
“The translator preserved the exact degree designation from my german diploma rather than inventing an American equivalent. That precision is what evaluators need.”
Omar F.
Houston, TX
“Ordered diploma and transcript translations together. The degree title, field of study, and institution name were perfectly consistent across both documents.”
Michelle W.
Bethesda, MD
German diploma translation requires accurate rendering of Hochschulgrad (academic degree titles) without inventing U.S. equivalencies, preserving the Fachhochschule/Universität distinction that evaluators use in their assessment, and layout mirroring that lets credential evaluators compare the translation against the original credential side by side.
**Hochschulgrad (academic degree title):** The official designation printed on a German diploma — Diplom-Ingenieur (Dipl.-Ing.), Diplom-Kaufmann (Dipl.-Kfm.), Magister Artium (M.A.), Staatsexamen, or the post-Bologna Bachelor of Science / Master of Arts. The translation must show the original German degree title faithfully and provide a clear English rendering without inventing U.S. equivalencies, because evaluators like WES and ECE need the original credential label to perform their assessment.
Post-Bologna degrees (adopted by German universities starting ~1999, widely implemented by 2010) already use English-style names but carry German-language institutional context, ECTS credit references, and regulatory framework markers. Pre-Bologna diplomas use uniquely German titles that evaluators must see in their original form alongside the English translation.
German higher education distinguishes between Universitäten (research universities), Fachhochschulen (universities of applied sciences, now often rebranded as Hochschulen für Angewandte Wissenschaften), and Technische Hochschulen. This distinction directly affects how credential evaluators classify the degree — WES and ECE may evaluate a Fachhochschule degree differently than a Universität degree.
Translating Fachhochschule as simply "university" strips away a distinction that evaluators rely on. We keep the original German institution-type term visible and provide a clear English label ("University of Applied Sciences") so the evaluator can identify the credential type without ambiguity.
German diplomas show Fachrichtung (field of study), Studiengang (degree program), and often Schwerpunkt (specialization or concentration). These terms must be translated with precise academic vocabulary because an evaluator comparing the diploma against the transcript needs the field descriptions to match exactly.
We translate all three elements with domain-specific academic terminology rather than approximations, and we verify consistency against the transcript translation when both documents are in the same order. This internal consistency is what makes evaluation packets proceed smoothly.
**Diploma Supplement (DS):** A standardized companion document introduced as part of the Bologna Process that describes the degree, the higher-education system that issued it, and the learning outcomes in a structured format. WES, ECE, and most evaluators require the Diploma Supplement alongside the diploma itself when it exists. The DS may be issued in German, English, or both.
When the Diploma Supplement is in German only, it needs full translation. When it is already bilingual (German/English), the German sections still need certified translation to ensure completeness. We handle the DS as part of the credential packet, preserving ECTS credit counts, classification descriptors, and qualification-level references.
Degrees awarded before the Bologna Process use uniquely German titles: Diplom (with discipline-specific suffixes like -Ingenieur, -Kaufmann, -Psychologe), Magister Artium, or Staatsexamen (state examination for law, medicine, pharmacy, teaching). These credentials follow different formatting conventions, may include handwritten elements, and use institutional naming that predates modern rebranding.
The translator must understand the historical academic context so the English version preserves the original degree structure rather than forcing it into a modern template. We label pre-Bologna degrees clearly and include the discipline suffix so evaluators can identify both the degree level and the field without guessing.
The academic framework differs across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, affecting degree titles, institution types, grading systems, and how the credential is formatted for evaluators.
German diplomas follow federal academic standards (Hochschulrahmengesetz) but vary by institution type: Universität, Fachhochschule (Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften), or Technische Hochschule. Post-Bologna degrees (Bachelor/Master) carry ECTS credit counts and Diploma Supplements, while pre-Bologna records use Diplom, Magister, or Staatsexamen titles. The German grading scale runs from 1.0 (sehr gut) to 5.0 (nicht bestanden).
These records are frequently translated for WES (which uses course-by-course evaluation for German credentials), ECE, and university admissions. Germany has been a Hague Apostille Convention member since 1965. We preserve the Hochschulgrad, Fachrichtung, Schwerpunkt, and institution-type labels so the English version remains evaluator-ready.
Austrian academic credentials follow their own framework under the Universitätsgesetz (UG) 2002, with degree titles like Magister/Magistra, Diplomingenieur/Diplomingenieurin, or Bologna-standard Bachelor/Master. Austrian Fachhochschulen (FH) operate under separate Fachhochschul-Studiengesetz regulations. Austrian grading uses 1 (Sehr Gut) to 5 (Nicht Genügend).
The translation must preserve Austrian-specific degree titles, regulatory framework references, and institutional naming rather than converting them to German equivalents. We keep the original Hochschulgrad and FH-specific terminology visible so evaluators identify the issuing country’s academic system accurately.
Swiss German-language diplomas come from cantonal universities, ETH institutions (ETH Zürich, EPFL), or Fachhochschulen, each with distinct formatting, degree-title conventions, and regulatory oversight. Swiss credentials may be bilingual (German/French or German/Italian) depending on the institution and canton. The Swiss ECTS grading scale (A–F) differs from the German numeric system.
When the diploma is bilingual, all material content needs complete translation. We preserve ETH-specific terminology, cantonal references, and ECTS grading-scale labels so the English translation accurately represents the Swiss academic credential. Switzerland has been a Hague Apostille Convention member since 1973.
Most clients order German diploma translation for credential evaluation. WES, ECE, NACES members, university admissions offices, and professional licensing boards all require a certified English translation when the diploma contains German-only content including degree titles, fields of study, award dates, and institutional seals [Source: WES Advisor Blog, wes.org].
The same translation is used when a diploma appears in an immigration packet (Form I-140, EB-2/EB-3 employment-based petitions) or a professional licensing application (engineering, medicine, teaching). The core rule remains: the English version must mirror the original credential, preserve official degree-title wording, and stay consistent with the transcript translation in the same evaluation packet.
Combo-specific detail
For German diploma translation, we preserve the Hochschulgrad with original German title visible, maintain the Fachhochschule/Universität distinction, translate the Diploma Supplement with ECTS references intact, and mirror the original layout so credential evaluators can compare the translation and original side by side without guessing at field boundaries.
$24.95
per page (up to 250 words)
Typical length
Most diplomas are 1 page; diploma plus Diploma Supplement is 2 to 5 pages
Typical total
$24.95
No hidden fees. Free Quote.
German diploma translation costs $24.95 per page. A single diploma page starts at $24.95. When the packet includes a Diploma Supplement, the typical total is $49.90 to $124.75 depending on the number of supplement pages. You receive the confirmed page count before payment, and there is no language surcharge for german.
Most diploma orders are delivered within 24 hours once we receive clear scans. Single-page diplomas are typically delivered within 24 hours. When the file includes a Diploma Supplement, Prüfungszeugnis, or legacy degree formatting, we confirm the delivery window before starting.
Yes. This service is structured for WES, ECE, NACES evaluators, university admissions offices, and professional licensing boards that need a complete certified English translation of a German diploma, including the Hochschulgrad, Fachrichtung, and Diploma Supplement. Our package includes the full English translation plus a signed Certificate of Accuracy, which is the format most receiving authorities expect for foreign-language records.
Yes. We handle diplomas from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with the translation adapted to the issuing country’s academic system, institution-type classification, and degree-title conventions. If your record uses a rare regional format, upload every page so the translator can match the exact issuing-country structure before production starts.
We work with scans that include embossed seals, gold-foil printing, and slightly faded institutional stamps regularly. If a seal or degree-title line is too weak to read safely, we ask for a better image before certifying. When a field is genuinely unreadable, we mark it transparently instead of guessing, which is safer than inventing a name, date, or registry number.
If your WES account requires "degree certificate and translation," then yes — WES expects a word-for-word certified translation that preserves the original Hochschulgrad, institution name, Fachrichtung, and award date. We format the translation to mirror the original layout for easy evaluator comparison [Source: WES Required Documents, wes.org/required-documents].
We preserve the original degree title in German (e.g., Diplom-Ingenieur, Magister Artium, Staatsexamen) and provide a clear English rendering alongside it. We do not invent U.S. equivalencies because the evaluator needs to see the original credential label to perform their assessment. The discipline suffix (-Ingenieur, -Kaufmann, -Psychologe) is also preserved and labeled.
Broad diploma requirements, pricing, and evaluator-focused translation guidance.
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WES and ECE usually need both diploma and transcript — order together for terminology consistency.
Often needed alongside diplomas when an evaluator or immigration filing requires identity verification.
Filed alongside academic credentials in combined immigration and evaluation packets.
May appear in the same immigration packet when both academic and civil documents are required.
Sometimes needed alongside academic documents in probate or survivor-benefit filings.
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Overview of credential evaluation requirements for immigration and professional licensing.
Explains the certificate of accuracy, translator qualifications, and acceptance standards.
Upload every page of the diploma, including any Diploma Supplement, Zeugnis, Prüfungszeugnis, or authentication sheet. A complete packet helps ensure degree titles, fields of study, ECTS references, and institution names stay consistent across translated documents.
If your evaluator also needs transcript translation, ordering both together helps us maintain terminology and Hochschulgrad consistency across the academic credential set.
