Do you need to translate your transcript to French? Many French schools ask for a translation by a sworn translator (traducteur assermenté), but some accept documents in English, so check each program’s own list before you pay for one.
For tuition, the visa and the other official rules on one page, read the Diplonaut France guide.
When French schools ask you to translate your transcript to French
There is no single national rule for every program. Each school publishes its own list of documents (pièces justificatives). Three official examples show the range.
- First year of a bachelor’s at a public university. The prior admission request (demande d’admission préalable, DAP) for 2027-2028 asks for your high-school diploma with its translation by an official French service or a sworn translator. The file is due by December 15, 2026.
- Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas. Its list states that documents in English do not need a translation. Documents in other languages must be translated by a sworn translator.
- Université Paris-Saclay, on arrival. Its welcome desk asks students to bring the originals of their diplomas and recent transcripts, translated into French by a sworn translator.
Programs taught in English often set their own rules on documents. See English-taught degrees in France for how those programs work.
The French terms, explained
French pages use several words for the same idea: a translation that a French authority will trust.
| English | French | What the official page says |
|---|---|---|
| Sworn translator | traducteur assermenté | The term used by the DAP notice, Assas and Paris-Saclay. |
| Accredited translator | traducteur agréé | A court expert registered on the lists of the courts of appeal or the Court of Cassation (Service-Public). |
| Official translation | traduction officielle | A translation by a sworn translator or an official French service (DAP notice). |
A translation you make yourself, or one by a friend, does not meet these rules. If you only have another kind of translation, ask the school before you send it.
Who can do a certified translation of a transcript for France
- In France. Service-Public points to the national list of the Court of Cassation (Cour de cassation) and the lists of each court of appeal (cour d’appel).
- From the US. Service-Public says some consulates publish a list of translators approved by local authorities. The translator’s signature must then be certified by the consulate.
- Ask your consulate. Paris-Saclay tells students abroad to contact the French consulate in their country of residence for its list of sworn translators.
Paris-Saclay also suggests asking the translator for three copies. You may need them for enrollment, housing and other paperwork.
Build in time. You need the finished translation, and the consulate’s certification if it applies, before the school’s deadline. For the DAP, that deadline is December 15, 2026. Order translations once you know which programs you will apply to, and ask each one which documents it wants translated, so you do not pay for pages nobody reads.
What to prepare, step by step
- Open the program’s own list of documents, on its admissions page.
- Check whether it accepts documents in English.
- If not, order translations of your diploma and transcripts from a sworn translator.
- Keep the originals. Paris-Saclay asks students to bring original diplomas to France.
- Ask the school whether your documents also need an apostille. Paris-Saclay asks for legalization or an apostille before departure, unless your country is exempt.
Translation is not grade conversion
A translator renders your transcript in French. It does not turn your GPA into French grades out of 20. Each school reads your record itself. See how French schools read a US GPA and how a US bachelor’s compares with a French licence.
Planning a graduate degree? Read master’s in France for American students. To weigh France against other countries, use the Diplonaut comparator. Rules change, so check latest changes too.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a certified translation of my transcript for France?
Often, but not always. The national first-year application (DAP) asks for an official translation of your diploma. Some universities, such as Paris-Panthéon-Assas, accept documents in English without translation.
Can any translator translate my transcript to French?
No. French pages ask for a sworn translator (traducteur assermenté) or an official French service. Abroad, the French consulate can tell you which translators it recognizes.
Are English transcripts accepted in France?
It depends on the school. Paris-Panthéon-Assas states that documents in English need no translation. Other schools may require French, so read each program’s list of documents.
Do I need to translate my diploma too?
Usually, when a translation is required. The DAP notice and Assas both list the high-school diploma with its translation, and Paris-Saclay asks for translated originals of your diplomas on arrival.
Official sources
- Service-Public: Traduction d’un document, comment trouver un traducteur agréé
- Ministry of Higher Education: DAP dossier vert 2027-2028, notice (PDF)
- Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas: list of documents (PDF)
- Université Paris-Saclay: documents to bring with you
Checked November 10, 2026. Diplonaut is not affiliated with any school or evaluation body.