German Diploma Translation
German diploma translation for a credential evaluation, an H-1B petition, a US professional license or an employer. We translate degree certificates from German, Austrian and Swiss universities, the older Diplom and Magister, the Staatsexamen and Promotionsurkunde, and vocational certificates such as the Gesellenbrief and Meisterbrief.
- Up to 250 words per page
- $25 per page
- Standard turnaround
- From 24 hours
- Certificate of accuracy
- Signed & stamped
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Written for German diploma records
Degree titles with no US equivalent
A German graduate usually receives two documents: the Urkunde, which confers the degree, and the Zeugnis, which lists the grades. US evaluators ask for both.
Diplom, Magister and Staatsexamen
Before the Bologna reform, German universities awarded the Diplom, as in Diplom-Ingenieur (Dipl.-Ing.) or Diplom-Kaufmann (Dipl.-Kfm.), and the Magister Artium in the humanities. Law, medicine, pharmacy and teaching end with a Staatsexamen set by the state, not the university. We translate the title literally and keep the German form beside it. Whether a Diplom equals a US master's is the evaluator's call.
Promotionsurkunde
The doctoral certificate names the faculty, the dissertation title and the grade, often in Latin: summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude or rite. We keep the Latin, translate the dissertation title, and keep the date of the certificate distinct from the date of the oral exam. In Germany the Dr. title may be used only from the certificate date, which matters on a US license form.
Gesellenbrief and Meisterbrief
Germany's vocational system awards a Gesellenbrief or an IHK Prüfungszeugnis after an apprenticeship, and a Meisterbrief to master craftsmen, which in many trades allows the holder to run a business and train apprentices. The US has no single match. We translate the trade name exactly, such as Elektroniker für Energie- und Gebäudetechnik, so an evaluator or a state licensing board can assess it.
Who is asking for your German diploma translation?
The translation is the same. What changes is whether the recipient wants anything added to it.
Credential evaluators
WES, ECE and similar services ask for a word-for-word certified translation sent with the original. The degree name stays in the original language beside the English.
ECFMG and medical boards
Physicians trained abroad send their diploma and transcript through ECFMG, which asks for an English translation of every document that is not in English.
USCIS
USCIS asks for a complete English translation and a signed certification from the translator. No notarization is needed.
Before you upload
Three things that save a day of back and forth on a German diploma.
Scan the back of the diploma
Registration numbers, the ministry stamp and the book and folio entries are often printed on the reverse. Send both sides.
Send the companion document
A professional license, a graduation act or a transcript often goes with the diploma. Upload the set so the numbers and dates are translated consistently.
Tell us who the translation is for
An evaluator, a licensing board and a university each read the degree name differently. Say in the order notes where it is going.
Details and pricing
What is included in a German diploma translation
One price per page covers the translation and its certification. A page is up to 250 words, and the quote tells you the page count before you pay.
Everything on the diploma is translated, including stamps, seals and handwritten notes. Tell us the English spelling you use for each name when you order.
Certified Translation
Word-for-word translation with a certificate of accuracy for official use.
$25
USD / page
up to 250 words per page
Included
- Signed & stamped certification of translation accuracy
- Certified by a professional translator
- Digital delivery via PDF
- Review and approve final translation
- 100% Guaranteed Acceptance
- Standard turnaround starting at 24 hours
Optional services
- Expedited turnaround
- Priority handling when your deadline is shorter than the standard turnaround.
- By deadline
- Notarization
- A notary public signs and stamps the certification statement.
- $20 per order
- Physical copy
- A wet-ink original of your translation, mailed by express courier.
- $35 per order
- Apostille
- Authenticates the notary’s signature and seal for use in Hague Convention countries.
- $180 per document
What the certificate of accuracy states
Your translation arrives with a Certification of Translation Accuracy issued by ImmiTranslate. It is the page the receiving organization checks first.
- The translation is complete and accurate.
- The document title and the language pair.
- The translator is competent in both languages.
- A signature and the ImmiTranslate certification stamp.
- Our American Translators Association corporate membership.
Our translation process
Our goal is to make the translation process as simple as possible for you. Our service is streamlined specifically for documents of this nature.
German Diploma FAQ
Most questions about pricing and turnaround can be answered faster by requesting a quote.
- Do you translate the Diploma Supplement?
- Often it is not needed. Since the Bologna reform, German universities issue a Diploma Supplement, usually in English, that describes the degree and the German higher education system. If yours is only in German, we translate it, and evaluators find it useful alongside the Urkunde and Zeugnis.
- Do I need an apostille on my German diploma for the US?
- US evaluators and employers rarely ask for one, though some state licensing boards do. In Germany the apostille comes from an office of the Land where the university sits, not from the university itself. We translate the apostille with the diploma when it is attached.
- Can you translate a US diploma into German for recognition?
- Yes. Americans moving to Germany apply to the ZAB for a Zeugnisbewertung, or to a state authority to have a regulated profession recognized. Many of these offices accept English documents, while others want a German translation by a translator sworn in Germany, and that is not us, so read their document list first.
- How much does a certified translation cost?
- Certified translation is $25 per page, with a page counted as up to 250 words. Notarization, a mailed physical copy and an apostille are optional and priced separately.
- How long does a certified translation take?
- Standard turnaround starts at 24 hours and depends on the length and language of your documents. If you have a deadline, include it in your quote request.
Other German documents we translate
Diploma translation in other languages
Each of these pages is written for that language's diploma records.
Sending it with an application? Read the Certified translations, Apostille service before you order.