Diploma & Transcript
Korean Diploma & Transcript (졸업증명서·성적증명서) — Certified Translation
Korean academic documents — diplomas (졸업증명서), degree certificates (학위증명서), and transcripts (성적증명서) — must be translated by a certified translator before a foreign university, employer, credential evaluator (such as WES or ECE), or immigration authority will accept them. Private-institution documents often also require notarization before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can apply an apostille. Seoul Apostille determines the correct route, completes notarization where needed, obtains the apostille, and delivers certified translations — all through one service request.
When This Guide Is Relevant
- Credential evaluation by WES, ECE, IQAS, or other foreign evaluation bodies
- Graduate or undergraduate admissions applications at foreign universities
- Skilled migration and work visa applications that assess or verify educational qualifications
- Professional licensing abroad (engineering, nursing, accounting, teaching)
- Employer background verification that requires original academic documents with translation
What to Prepare
- Original diploma, degree certificate, and/or transcript (졸업·학위·성적증명서) — sealed or with official seal if required by the evaluator
- Whether the issuing institution is a national/public or private university — this determines whether notarization is required before apostille
- Target country, authority, and credential evaluator name (e.g., WES, University of British Columbia, NZQA)
- Any evaluator-specific requirements (e.g., sealed envelope, direct mailing from institution, include course descriptions)
Process Notes
- Public (national) university documents are typically apostilled directly by MOFA; private institution documents usually require notarization first — we confirm which applies to your school
- Some credential evaluators (e.g., WES) require the document be mailed directly from the institution — in this case, apostille and translation are applied to the evaluator-received copy, not a personal copy
- The apostille certifies the document is genuine; the certified translation renders it readable — both are required by most foreign academic and licensing authorities
- Course description supplements to transcripts must also be translated if submitted — these are often required by graduate programs
- If the issuing institution has closed, we advise on which government authority now holds the records and the alternative route to a valid apostille
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need notarization before apostille for a private university diploma?
Usually yes. Private institution documents in Korea typically require notarization by a notary public before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will apply an apostille. National (public) university documents are often apostilled directly. We verify your institution's status and handle the correct route.
Can I get a diploma and transcript translated together?
Yes. Each document receives its own translated version, but we process all academic documents in a single request so they arrive as a matched set — useful for credential evaluations that require multiple documents submitted together.
Does WES require the apostille as well as the translation?
WES typically requires documents sent directly from the Korean institution, not personally held copies. Once WES receives the documents, if they require an apostille, we can assist. For the translation component, many evaluators accept certified translations submitted by the applicant. Confirm WES's current Korea-specific instructions before ordering.
My school has a Korean name only — will the translation be accepted abroad?
Yes. Our certified translators render the full Korean institution name and all academic terminology into English, noting the original Korean in parentheses where useful. This is standard practice for credential evaluations.
Related Translation Guides
Need Apostille + Certified Translation?
Share your document and target authority. Seoul Apostille handles the full workflow — MOFA apostille and certified translation in one request.