Countries that Issue University Documents in English
- Asia: Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand
- Middle East: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen
- Africa: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan
- European Countries: The Diploma Supplement is now issued in English by more and more institutions in Europe regardless of the national language of the particular country. European students should be asked to submit their post secondary academic transcripts issued in English by their institutions according to the Diploma Supplement template developed by the Joint European Commission/Council of Europe/UNESCO Working Party.
There are many more countries where institutions can issue transcripts in English for students who are bound for the
United States. Students from those countries should be required to submit their official transcripts in English directly
from the institutions they attended. When a transcript is issued in English by an institution there is no need to
request documents in the original language as the English language transcript is an official transcript.
Setting Documentation Requirements
To ensure maximum and timely compliance, candidates must be given clear instructions on the documents that they must
submit, how to submit them, and all the deadlines that apply. To avoid confusion, instructions for students should be
written in language that they could understand easily using terminology that is familiar to them. For example the term
'transcript' can mean a syllabus in some countries and what is called a 'transcript' in the U.S. is known in India as
a 'mark sheet' or 'statement of marks'.
"Accreditation" is another word that is not universally used although the concept is more widely understood now than
ever before. When checking the status of an academic institution, asking for its "accreditation" might not always yield
the desired response. The request should be for official information or documentation that attests to the institution's
"recognition" by the appropriate educational authority in that country.
What to Request in Specific Countries or Regions
- China: Transcripts, graduation and degree certificates issued in Chinese by the academic institution.
- North Africa (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) & Lebanon: As it is easier to read documents written in the Latin alphabet,
students should be asked to have their credentials issued in French directly by the academic institution.
- Latin America: Degree/certificate (Título/Licenciado); transcripts (Certificado de Notas/Calificaciones) listing all subjects studied,
with the corresponding grades and credits or hours of study.
- Russian Federation: Students who have not completed their programs and earned diplomas should provide
academic transcripts known as Academicheskaya Spravka (academic certificate). Students who have graduated with a
diploma should submit the Prilozhenie k Diplomu (supplement to the diploma) or Arkhivnaya Spravka (archival certificate).
The facts on document policies
Institution status, recognition and programs of study
Document authenticity and verification
Detecting fraudulent documents and degree/diploma mills
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