Certificate translations - English German translator for diplomas, references and transcripts

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Certified certificate & diploma translation for recognition in Austria.

Certified certificate and diploma translation for recognition through ENIC NARIC Austria, university admission and Austrian authorities covers school and university certificates, transcripts and employer references — produced and certified by a sworn, court-certified Austrian translator under § 14 SDG. From €59 incl. certification and shipping.

  • Employment & schoolMatura, degrees
  • Court-sworn§ 14 SDG
  • Grades mappedsystem explained
  • 4,7 · Trustpilot

Sworn, court-sworn and certified translator · certification accepted across Austria · degrees kept in the original, grades never converted · DIN EN ISO 17100

DIN EN ISO 17100certified · Reg. 7U517
over 70 languagesnative professional translators
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Certified school report translations

Certificates translated correctly — and rendered, not re-graded.

Whether for a job application, a study place or professional recognition in Austria, foreign certificates are almost always required as a certified translation. This is prepared by a sworn translator authorised by an Austrian court under § 14 SDG, so the version counts as a certified translation and is accepted across Austria by authorities, universities and employers.

Certificates are delicate because of their grading and education systems: we render grades, degrees and subjects accurately and traceably, without distorting an unfamiliar system — degrees stay in the original with an explanatory equivalent where helpful. For professional recognition in Austria, the certificate translation fits your diplomas and civil-status documents from a single source.

Certificate types

Which certificates we translate and certify.

School

  • School leaving certificates
  • High-school diplomas / A-levels
  • Final-year reports

University

  • Bachelor's & master's degrees
  • Diploma supplement
  • Transcripts of records

Professional

  • Employer references (Arbeitszeugnis)
  • Vocational-training certificates
  • Continuing-education records

Purpose

  • Application in Austria
  • Study & admission
  • Professional recognition

Certified German translation

Which certificate for what — and what the receiving body wants.

For use with an authority, university or employer in Austria, what counts is the certified translation — and the correct handling of grades and degrees, kept in the original rather than re-graded.

Certificate type, purpose and what matters for its certified translation
CertificatePurposeWhat matters
School / high-school certificateStudy or admission in AustriaCertified translation; grading scale explained, not converted
University degree / diplomaProfessional recognition, ENIC NARIC Austria evaluationExact terminology; equivalence assessed via ENIC NARIC Austria, not by the translator
Employer reference (Arbeitszeugnis)Application in AustriaCoded reference language rendered by sense, not word for word
Vocational / professional certificateRegulated professionsCertified by a court-sworn sworn translator
Process & recognitionDIN EN ISO 17100 (Reg. 7U517)Professional translator + revision; recognition is decided by the competent body

The certified translation is the first step; over equivalence and recognition the competent body decides — for higher-education degrees ENIC NARIC Austria, part of the OeAD.

What really counts

Eight pitfalls where certificate translations fail.

A certificate is not running text but a compressed evaluation document. Most rejected translations fail not on vocabulary but on these eight points — each of which can delay an application or a recognition procedure.

Common pitfalls in certificate translation, what goes wrong and how the FÜD handles them
PitfallWhat goes wrongHow the FÜD handles it
Trying to "convert" gradesA 1.3 grade is unilaterally turned into an "A". This creates false precision and can jeopardise recognition.The grade stays in the original, with a neutral note on the grading scale. The FÜD leaves the classification to the competent body.
Assuming degree equivalenceA diploma passed off as a "master's", or a Bachelor or A-level equated with an Austrian qualification — suggesting an equivalence only the evaluation body may establish.The original designation is kept, with an explanatory note where helpful — never an equation.
Subject & module namesTerms such as "Wahlpflichtfach", "Diplomprüfung" or module titles translated too literally or too freely — leaving them unclear or misleading.An established target-language equivalent, otherwise the original kept plus an explanation — consistent across all documents.
Reference language in an employer referenceCoded ratings translated word for word — so the actual rating, positive or negative, is lost or flips into its opposite.A specialist recognises the coded rating and renders it by sense into the target culture and its reference-letter conventions.
Opposed grading scales by countryIn Austria 1 is the best grade, in many countries it is reversed (GPA, ECTS). Without context the body reads a good grade as a poor one.The grading key or scale is supplied as a note — explanatory, not converting.
Certification missing or in the wrong formA university, admissions office or recognition body requires a certified translation; the simple version is rejected.A sworn, court-sworn and certified translator with certification statement; we clarify the required form (original, certified copy, scan) in advance.
Inconsistent spelling of names & institutionsName or institution transliterated differently across certificate, diploma and CV — prompting queries from authorities.One consistent spelling across the whole document set when everything is translated from a single source.
Confusing the apostille with the translationExpecting the translator to handle "everything including the apostille" — which no translation office issues.The apostille is issued by the competent authority, not by FÜD. We advise whether one is needed and deliver a recognition-ready translation.

The one rule behind it

The translator renders; the translator does not evaluate. Anything that looks like conversion or equation belongs not in the translation but in the recognition procedure — where the competent body decides. Keeping that line clean is the real specialist job.

One grade misjudged — and the application no longer holds.

That is why: a sworn, court-sworn and certified translator, grades rendered faithfully and a certification statement.

Recognition of foreign qualifications

Translation is not grade conversion — and not the recognition decision.

What the sworn translator does. The translator renders grades, subjects and degrees faithfully to the original and adds an explanatory note where helpful — but does not convert grades into an unfamiliar system. A degree title stays in the original (for example Diplom-Ingenieur or Magister), with an explanatory equivalent rather than a substitute, so no equivalence is implied that only the evaluation body may establish.

What the competent body decides. The actual evaluation and classification is made by the competent body. For higher-education degrees this is ENIC NARIC Austria, the national information centre for academic recognition, part of the OeAD (Agency for Education and Internationalisation) and acting on behalf of the education ministry; it evaluates the degree and its issuing institution, and — where a foreign degree is to be equated with an Austrian one — the Nostrifizierung procedure at the relevant university builds on that assessment.

Why this speeds recognition up. The FÜD supplies a certified translation that fits the evaluation — on request together with the diploma supplement and transcript of records, so the body has everything it needs for recognition. Each certified page carries the translator's certification statement confirming completeness and accuracy.

From translation practice

The hidden code in an Austrian reference — why literal is wrong here.

An Austrian employer reference (Arbeitszeugnis) must be worded benevolently — yet it still grades. This contradiction is resolved by the so-called reference language: friendly-sounding standard formulas whose gradation carries the actual mark. Translate such sentences word for word and you save the words but lose the rating.

A specialist therefore reads the grade behind the phrasing first, then renders that rating in the tone the target culture expects. In English-speaking practice this is often not a "Zeugnis" at all, but a reference letter of an entirely different convention.

Examples of Austrian reference language and its actual rating
Austrian standard phraseActual rating
“…stets zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit” (always to our fullest satisfaction)very good
“…zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit” (to our full satisfaction)satisfactory
“…bemühte sich, den Anforderungen gerecht zu werden” (endeavoured to meet the requirements)unsatisfactory

The FÜD invents nothing: the translation stays true to the rating built into the original — it only makes it legible in the target language instead of burying it in formulaic German.

Use cases

Three typical paths — and the delicate point in each.

Which certificate, which purpose, which stumbling block: the three most common occasions for a certified certificate translation at a glance.

School · high school

High-school certificate for study in Austria

Starting point
Application to an Austrian university — a school leaving certificate with a transcript, often directly with the university's admissions office.
The delicate point
A foreign grading scale has no 1:1 equivalent in the Austrian 1–5 system, and subject labels rarely map cleanly across systems.
What the FÜD delivers
A certified translation with the grading scale as an explanatory note, without converting — matched to your diplomas.

University · profession

University degree for recognition

Starting point
A degree earned abroad is to be recognised in Austria — via ENIC NARIC Austria's credential evaluation or the relevant chamber.
The delicate point
Diploma and Bachelor designations, diploma supplement and module names must not suggest equivalence — that is for the body to decide.
What the FÜD delivers
A professional translation with consistent terminology as a complete set for the procedure; the evaluation is made by ENIC NARIC Austria.

Profession · application

Employer reference for an application in Austria

Starting point
An international application supported by a qualified employer reference that should evidence prior performance.
The delicate point
The coded reference language: translated literally, the rating is lost — and many countries do not know the format.
What the FÜD delivers
A specialist renders the rating by sense and in the right tone — on request aligned with your CV / résumé for one consistent set.

What a German translation costs

What a certificate translation costs.

Two billing routes, depending on the document: a single certificate (one to two pages) usually runs on a flat fixed price. Extensive documents — diploma supplement, multi-year transcripts — are billed by standard line from € 0.89. After a brief review we name the binding price.

Binding fixed price
from € 0.89 / standard linecertified translation · everything included
Price up front · no unannounced extra costs
Certified professional translationincluded
Certification statementincluded
PDF sent in advanceincluded
Postal dispatch of the originalincluded
Quality assurance & final checkincluded

A standard line is 55 characters incl. spaces; a rush surcharge applies only for the 24-hour express, otherwise no unannounced extra costs. How the price is made up →

Upload certificate & get a fixed price

FAQ

Certificate translation — frequently asked questions.

Does a certificate have to be translated by a sworn translator?

For applications, university admission and professional recognition a certified translation by a sworn translator — one authorised by an Austrian court under § 14 SDG — is usually required. For private use a simple translation often suffices.

Do you convert my grades into the Austrian grading system?

No. The sworn translator renders each grade faithfully and, where helpful, adds a neutral note on the grading scale. Conversion and classification are done by the competent body — for higher-education degrees ENIC NARIC Austria, part of the OeAD, supported by the wider ENIC-NARIC network.

Do you translate the coded wording in an Austrian employer reference?

Yes. An Austrian Arbeitszeugnis encodes the actual rating in seemingly benevolent standard phrases. A specialist recognises the true rating and renders it by sense into the target language and its reference-letter conventions, instead of translating it word for word and thereby distorting it.

Will the translation be recognised in Austria and abroad?

A certification by a translator authorised by an Austrian court is accepted across Austria by authorities, universities and employers. Some foreign procedures additionally require an apostille, which is issued by the competent authority — not by FÜD. We advise whether one is needed.

Do you handle the recognition of my qualifications?

The recognition itself is decided by the competent body — for example ENIC NARIC Austria's credential evaluation or the relevant chamber. We deliver the certified translation it requires, in the correct form and on time, so nothing is missing from your file.

What does a certified certificate translation cost?

Single certificates are usually translated at a flat fixed price; extensive documents such as transcripts of records are billed by standard line from € 0.89. Certification and delivery are included — we name the exact price after a brief review. How the price is made up →
My degree and transcript were translated with the titles kept in the original and the grading scale explained — not re-graded. ENIC NARIC Austria accepted the file without a single query, and the recognition went through on the first attempt.
★★★★★

Engineer from abroad · degree recognition · ENIC NARIC Austria credential evaluation

Work with us

A native speaker who knows education systems? Translate certificates for recognition.

If you grew up bilingual, the language is not the hurdle — the systems are. To certify certificates for Austrian authorities you need authorisation by an Austrian court under § 14 SDG, German at C2 level, and a firm grip on grading scales, degree titles and recognition procedures. We work continually with sworn translators, employed or freelance.

The path

Court authorisation, plus education-system fluency

A second native language is your starting capital; the market rewards what you build on top. Court authorisation and German at C2 — the level at which you read a diploma supplement or an Austrian employer reference without hesitation — are the real gate. Add a working knowledge of grading scales, degree titles and how ENIC NARIC Austria and the wider ENIC-NARIC network actually classify a qualification. That combination, not language alone, is what a recognition file relies on.

Why it holds up

Judgement, and the expertise behind it

Certificates are exactly where a specialist earns their place: the line between rendering and re-grading, coded reference language, degree titles that must not imply equivalence, and grading scales read backwards across borders are where precision prevents the errors that would otherwise cause rejection. A person who keeps that line clean — and signs the certification statement — is what makes a translation recognition-ready.

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