# What does an ECE evaluation need when your documents are not in English?

For an ECE evaluation, every document issued in a language other than English needs an English translation, unless you add the ECE Translation Waiver to your order for $85[1]. ECE lets you prepare the translation yourself, as long as it is word for word and in the same format as the original[1]. LoreAI turns a scanned transcript into an English Word file in the original's layout.

## ECE translation rules at a glance

- **When you need one**: For every document issued in a language other than English, without the Translation Waiver[1]
- **Who may translate**: You may prepare it yourself[1]
- **How exact**: Word for word, in the same format as the original document[1]
- **Copies**: Complete and legible[1]
- **Translation Waiver**: $85, and ECE translates for the purpose of the report[1]
- **Waiver not available for**: NABP orders[1]

## Can I translate my own documents for ECE?

Yes. ECE's document requirements say you may prepare the translations yourself as long as they are word for word and in the same format as the original document[1]. That is the biggest difference from WES, which does not accept translations completed by applicants[2].

Word for word in the same format means the translation mirrors the page. Every course keeps its row, the grading scale stays where it is, and stamps and signatures are marked in their place. Grades stay as written, because converting a 1,3 or an 8/10 into a US grade is the evaluation ECE does.

## What is the ECE Translation Waiver?

For a fee of $85, you do not need to submit English translations at all[1]. ECE translates the documents to English for the purpose of preparing the report[1]. The waiver works with every report type, including General, General with GPA, Course by Course, High School and University Level Course by Course, and Subject Analysis, but not with NABP orders[1].

ECE says the single fee covers all the documents in the evaluation, with no extra charge for more pages[3]. Those translations are only used to prepare the report, and ECE gives them neither to you nor to the institution that receives the report[3]. If a university or an employer later wants a translated transcript of its own, the waiver does not give you one.

## Translating a document that arrives in a sealed envelope

Some countries' requirements ask for official documents in an envelope sealed by the school. If the sealed document says the same as a copy you have, translate from your copy[1]. If you do not know what the sealed document says, ask the school for two sealed sets and open one to translate[1].

Where your country's requirement says Photocopy or Scan, you can email the document to ECE as a PDF. Where it says Original or Official Document issued in a Sealed Envelope, you mail it to ECE in Milwaukee[1]. Documents in institution-sealed envelopes are not returned[1].

## ECE and WES translation rules compared

*Checked on November 10, 2026, against ECE's and WES's own pages*

| Rule | ECE | WES |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Who may translate | You may prepare it yourself[1] | A professional translator[2] |
| Applicant's own translation | Accepted if word for word and in the same format[1] | Not accepted[2] |
| How exact | Word for word, same format[1] | Exact and word for word[2] |
| Skip the translation | Translation Waiver, $85[1] | No such service, WES does not translate[2] |
| How to send | Documents by email or mail, depending on the document type[1] | Translations uploaded as PDF or JPEG, up to 10 MB[2] |

If you need a WES report instead, the [WES translation requirements](https://www.loreai.org/wes-translation-requirements) page covers its rules in full.

## What an ECE evaluation costs

ECE lists a General report at $110, a General with GPA at $135 and a Course by Course at $199[3]. Official copies of the report are $40 each, and five-business-day rush service is $90[3]. Add $85 for the Translation Waiver, or prepare the translations yourself[1].

For a Course by Course report on a long transcript, a translation you prepare yourself saves the waiver fee, and a LoreAI draft saves most of the typing.

## How to translate a transcript for ECE with LoreAI

1. **Scan the transcript, diploma and grading scale.** A PDF scan or phone photos of each page work. Include the back of the page if it carries the grading key.
2. **Upload it and choose English.** LoreAI detects the source language and reads stamps, seals and tables.
3. **Download the Word file.** Course rows, credits and grades come back as a Word table in the original order, so the translation keeps the format of the original.
4. **Read it against the original and send it.** Fix any course title you would phrase differently, then send it with your documents.

Your first document is free, up to 3 pages and 3 MB. LoreAI is not a certified translation service. For ECE that is not needed, but a university that asks for a certified translation of the same transcript wants a translator's signed statement, which the [transcript translation](https://www.loreai.org/transcript-translation) guide explains. For degree certificates, see [diploma translation](https://www.loreai.org/diploma-translation).

## Questions people ask

### Does ECE require certified translations?

No. ECE accepts a translation you prepare yourself if it is word for word and in the same format as the original[1].

### How much is the ECE Translation Waiver?

$85. With it you do not need to submit English translations[1].

### Does ECE send me the translations it made?

No. ECE uses them to prepare the report and does not give them to you or to the receiving institution[3].

### Is ECE or WES stricter about translations?

WES. It wants a professional translator and does not accept applicants' own translations[2], while ECE accepts yours[1].

### Can I use the Translation Waiver for a pharmacy (NABP) evaluation?

No. ECE says the waiver is not available for NABP orders[1].

## Sources

1. [ECE: Credential Evaluation Document Requirements by Country](https://www.ece.org/ECE/Credential-Evaluations/Documentation-Requirements), accessed November 10, 2026
2. [WES: Translation requirements for a WES credential evaluation](https://www.wes.org/resource-library/blog/credential-advice/translation-requirements-for-a-wes-credential-evaluation/), accessed November 10, 2026
3. [ECE: Evaluation fees and report types](https://www.ece.org/ECE/Credential-Evaluations/US-Institutions/Services-and-Fees), accessed November 10, 2026

By Matt Mountain · Updated November 10, 2026