There are many reasons why people decide to emigrate to the United States, but in general, it is to look for new opportunities. To have access to these opportunities, you will want to obtain recognition of the studies that you completed in Mexico; However, you cannot simply deliver the original documents.
Although a large percentage of the population in the United States speaks Spanish, for any official procedure or process, it is an indispensable requirement that documents are translated into English. In addition, you will need to obtain an evaluation of these studies, which can be done at a foreign credential evaluation agency.
So that time and economic investment you dedicated to your studies in Mexico are duly recognized, you will need both an official translation of your documents and a formal evaluation of those studies.
Although you or someone who knows is bilingual, you cannot make an official translation of your own documents. Official translations must be carried out by official translators, who are authorized by an official entity and can ensure that translations are correct and trusted.
A crucial part of the official translation is to find the best equivalent in context based on the context, and not simply a literal translation obtained, for example, from Google Translate. This is especially important with the academic history for the translation of the courses.
A challenge is that many study plans or certificate of qualifications in Mexico use specific abbreviations or names for courses. For example, “ICT in education” would not be literally translated as “The Tic in Education.” Based on the context and knowledge of the translator, it is known that “ICT” refers to information and communication technologies, whose correct and common translation in English is “Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)”. This level of precision is what distinguishes an official translation and gives it validity.
An evaluation of credentials is a process that compares the academic titles and records obtained abroad with the corresponding educational system in another country (in this case, the United States) to determine at what level they correspond in the country of destination. This evaluation is based on several factors, such as the duration of the program, the curriculum, the qualifications obtained and the official accreditation of the original institution in Mexico.
The equivalence reports are an essential academic tool used by universities, employers, professional boards and immigration authorities to understand the value and scope of your studies in the US context. These evaluations are carried out by specialized private companies that offer foreign credential evaluation services, recognized by their experience in comparing educational systems from different countries.
With an official translation, you obtain the same content of your original document, but presented in another language, maintaining its format and authenticity. In contrast, evaluation is a much more detailed comparison of the education levels of each country to determine what your training is equivalent to the country of destination.
For example, while a “bachelor’s degree” could literally translate as “Lichsen” or “bachelor’s degree”, an evaluation not only considers the title. Analyze all the details of that study, to determine if it is truly equivalent to a “bachelor’s degree” in the US. Another clear example occurs with the grades in the academic history: in a translation, the titles of the courses are translated, but the qualifications usually maintain with the Mexican standard (eg, 1-10); However, in an evaluation, these qualifications become the American standard (eg, a, b, c, d, f), so that they are understandable in the new system.
Translation and evaluation are processes that go hand in hand when educational documents of Mexico are presented in the United States. It is important to note that, sometimes, some foreign credential evaluation services also offer translation services. This means that you can present your documents in their original language, and they will be in charge of the official translation and evaluation. In cases where they do not offer this combined service, it will be your responsibility to present an official translation together with your original documents so that they can complete the evaluation.
| Official translation | Credential evaluation | |
| What is it? | A faithful and certified reproduction of an original document from one language to another. | A comparison of original studies to the educational system in another country (in this case e. UU.). |
| Who does it? | An official translator, authorized by an official entity. Language experts. | Organizations specialized in credential evaluation. Experts in the educational systems of the world. |
| Main purpose | Guarantee linguistic precision and legal validity of the original content in another language. | Determine academic equivalence and the value of your education in the context of another country. |
| Result | A translated document that is an exact and legally recognized copy of the original in the destination language. | An equivalence report that contains the details of the original studies and the equivalence in the country of destination. |
| When is it needed? | Almost whenever you present official documents in a country whose language is not the original of the document. | When you want your education to be recognized for university admissions, professional licenses, employment or immigration abroad. |
Investing in a good official translation and a professional evaluation is to invest in your personal and professional career. It is essential to know for what purpose you need these documents, since this will determine the specific process that you must complete. When you are ready, you can contact the certified translators or the credential evaluation agencies to guide you and help you complete the process you need.
