By 2019 there were more than 6 million international students globally. That just shows that there are a lot of people around the world who want to study in other countries. Are you one of those who want to study abroad? Are you eyeing a European scholarship? How about an Australian one?
One of the crucial aspects of studying overseas is document translation. If you will be studying in a country that has a different official language from your home country, then you will probably need document translation services.
This article will go through the lessons that Tomedes, a company that provides document translation services for the past 15 years, has learned. Those lessons can be helpful to translators and students alike.
The Early Years of Translating Documents for Tomedes
Tomedes was founded in 2007 in Israel. It didn’t take long before the company received projects for translating documents for foreign students. As the demand for document translation services grew, the company learned a few best practices, particularly for translating the requirements of international students.
One crucial learning during this period is that the translators should come from where the original documents are from. That means they know how those documents are issued and used in the local setting. That’s just one example of the learning that Tomedes can share. The company has also learned a few things that can help students get into their dream schools abroad.
How to Get Into Your Dream University by Translating Your Documents
If you’re dreaming of getting into a foreign university, you have to be ready with all your documents. Those schools are very strict when it comes to processing applicants. When you learn that you need to have your document translated then you need to get it done professionally.
Here are other things that Tomedes has learned while providing document translation services.
Get the Original Documents Ready
It has happened several times that a student applicant will have a document translated but he can only present a faded photocopy of the supposed document. Sometimes, it’s so hard to read what’s on the copy that the translators have a hard time figuring out what’s written on it.
While a translation agency can try to translate what’s written on a photocopy, the schools and the embassies processing the application might require the originals of the documents. So, if you are having documents translated, make sure you have access to the originals as well, so your efforts don’t get wasted.
Get Certified Translations
Sometimes, it’s not enough to get your documents translated. There are cases when the documents will be required to have certified translations.
Certified translations are translations that have certifications by the translators stating that the translation is true and correct to the best of their knowledge and ability. It is an assurance that what’s written on the translated version is the actual equivalent of the original document.
In some countries, a certified translation is a requirement. In Canada for example, applications for immigration and refugees require that all documents not written in English or French have a certified translation. If a certified translation is not available, then an affidavit must be provided. The same applies if you want to study in Canada today.
Be Overprepared with Your Requirements
In the years that Tomedes has been providing document translation services, there have been a few instances where its clients failed to get into the school because they don’t have all the requirements.
The lesson here is to just be overprepared. When it comes to your school documents, gather all the papers pertaining to your academic record. Even the ones that are not listed as requirements, just get them ready.
Have the Translation Checked if Possible
There’s one client of the translation agency who availed of their document translation services after encountering a problem. The person was applying to become a student at a British university. He asked a friend to translate his academic records. Before he submitted the documents someone checked the translation and found that it was widely inaccurate.
That was when he turned to Tomedes for their document translation services. An advantage of getting the service of a large translation agency is you’re getting some form of quality assurance at the same time. There is a process for quality control to ensure the accuracy of the translations.
Documents Your Need for Studying Abroad
Based on working with so many student applicants, Tomedes has a list of the most important documents that are needed to start the journey of studying abroad.
Application Form
This one will come from the school itself. You will need to write down your personal and professional information on the form so that the school administrators will be able to review the information.
Make sure that you read the form before you complete it and write down the required information. Every detail on the form should be accurate and should not contradict the information on your other documents.
Statement of Purpose
The statement of purpose or SOP is a very important part of the application. In this document, you will be stating the reason why you want to study at the school that you are applying for. You can also talk about your professional and academic achievements and how you want to continue those in a new school.
It is possible to have your SOP translated as part of document translation services.
Official Academic Transcripts
Your official academic transcripts will contain your grades and your credits. The format of academic transcripts can vary greatly and if it’s written in a language that’s not the official language of the country where you want to study, you may need to have it translated.
Letter of Recommendation
To boost your application, you should get a few letters of recommendation. Ideally, you should get these recommendations from teachers from your school.
These are some of the things that the people behind Tomedes have learned in the 15 years of providing document translation services. Hopefully, these ideas can come in handy for those who want to study abroad.