In June, when Tbilisi schools hand out their certificates, two kinds of parent come to us at the same time. One already knows that their child needs a translation of the certificate with an apostille for a Studienkolleg application in Germany, and only asks about the timing. The other is still working out why an Italian university will not accept an English translation without an apostille and what the "12 years" everyone mentions is. This page is for both: here in one place is what you need to know about translating the certificate, the apostille and its recognition abroad before the application deadline runs out.
What the certificate means to a foreign university
The certificate of complete general education in Georgia consists of two parts: the main sheet, with the graduate's name, the school, the year of issue and the certificate number, and the grade sheet with the final grade for every subject on a 10-point scale. It is precisely this grade sheet that the admissions committee reads: it calculates the average, looks for the profile subjects (mathematics for engineering, biology and chemistry for medicine) and compares them with its minimum requirements. So a translation of the certificate without the grade sheet is rarely of use, and one wrongly entered grade in the sheet, for example 6 instead of 8, directly affects the chance of admission.
The number of years deserves a separate word. Since 2008 Georgian school lasts 12 years; before that it was 11. Most European countries, the USA and Canada require 12 years for university admission. This is not a problem for the holder of an 11-year certificate if they have studied at a Georgian university for at least a year: an academic transcript with the first-year credits is added to the certificate, and both are translated together. The number of years is not written separately in the translation, but the years of starting and finishing school must be carried over exactly, because it is from them that the authority calculates the period.
Country by country: what is required of the certificate
Germany
A Georgian certificate does not usually give direct university entrance entitlement (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung) in Germany: a one-year Studienkolleg course and the Feststellungsprüfung are needed, or one or two years successfully completed at a Georgian university. For the Studienkolleg and uni-assist application the certificate with the grade sheet, an apostille and a German or English translation is needed, often together with a German language certificate. Some Studienkollegs accept only a translation by a German sworn translator; we check this before the order.
Italy, Spain, France
Italian universities require 12 years of schooling and consider the certificate with an apostille, an Italian translation and often a CIMEA statement of comparability or a consular Dichiarazione di Valore; a second apostille on the translation may be needed too. In Spain the homologation of the certificate (homologación al Bachillerato) goes through the Ministry of Education and requires a sworn Spanish translation. France's Campus France platform asks for the certificate with the grade sheet and a French translation, with an apostille depending on the programme.
The United Kingdom, the USA, Canada
For UCAS and the American Common App a certified English translation of the certificate is enough, without an apostille, often uploaded as a PDF; some universities ask for a UK ENIC or WES evaluation, where the translation must be literal, with the table structure of the original. Here the certificate is almost always accompanied by teachers' recommendations, a personal essay and IELTS or TOEFL.
Turkey, Poland, the Baltic states
Turkish universities ask for the certificate together with YÖS or SAT results, with a Turkish or English translation and often consular certification. In Poland and the Baltic states the certificate with an apostille and a translation is enough, and recognition is carried out by the university itself.
The apostille on a certificate: who verifies it and how long it takes
The apostille on a school certificate, as on a diploma, is placed by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement. The Center verifies certificates of recent years in the education register, which is fast; for old certificates, especially from the 1990s or the Soviet period, it requests confirmation from the school or the archive, and if the school has been liquidated that takes weeks. So if the certificate is old, the apostille procedure should be started as early as possible before the application deadline. The apostille is placed both on the main sheet of the certificate and on the grade sheet; translation starts only after that, so that the apostille text goes into it too. If the certificate has been lost, the school issues a duplicate, which receives the apostille under the same rules.
Particulars of the translation
Subject titles
"Georgian Language and Literature", "History of Georgia", "Civic Education", "Natural Science", "Me and Society": some Georgian school subjects have no direct analogue in a foreign system. We translate them with the terms foreign admissions committees know (Georgian Language and Literature, History of Georgia, Civic Education, Natural Science), and add a short explanation to unusual subjects so that they land in the right category and are not lost when the average is calculated.
Grades and exams
The 10-point grades are carried over in their original form, with a description of the scale: 10-9 the highest, 5 the minimum pass. Conversion into a GPA or an Abitur grade does not take place in the translation; that is the receiving side's job. If the certificate contains the results of school-leaving or national exams, they are translated as a separate block with the type and year of the exam stated. A gold or silver medal note, a certificate with distinction and honours diplomas are translated as well: for a scholarship committee this is an important detail.
Name and school
The graduate's name is written according to the Latin entry of the passport; if the surname changed after the certificate was obtained, the relevant certificate is attached to the translation. The school's name (for example "Tbilisi Public School No. 51") is translated in its official form, while the proper names of private schools are transliterated.
Certification and the package
The translation is not attached to the original certificate: the notary certifies a copy of the certificate and the grade sheet, then the translator's signature, and formalises everything as one bound document. The original is needed only to compare the copy. In the application package the certificate is often accompanied by olympiad and course certificates, a CV and, if the applicant is already a student, a student status certificate; when transferring from a bachelor's programme, syllabi for credit transfer. We prepare the whole package with one transliteration and in one visit. The general rules are on the educational documents page.
Turnaround
The certificate with the grade sheet is ready with notarization within one working day; a document delivered in the morning the same day. In June and July, at the peak of applications, we prepare an urgent translation within a few hours. Send the scan through the website form; you receive the finished translation at the office, by courier or as a PDF for uploading.
Frequently asked questions
Are both parts of the certificate translated?
Yes. The main sheet of the certificate and the grade sheet are translated as one document, with every subject, grade and exam result. It is precisely the grades part that the university assesses.
Where is the apostille placed on a school certificate?
At the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement. The Center verifies the authenticity of the certificate with the school or in the education register and then places the apostille, usually within a few working days.
Is an old, 11-year certificate valid abroad?
It is translated just like a new one. For recognition, however, the university counts the years of study: many countries require 12 years, so an 11-year certificate is often supplemented with an academic transcript of the first university year.
How soon will it be ready?
The certificate with the grade sheet with notarization within one working day, delivered in the morning the same day. The apostille at the Center takes extra days.