ECFMG Certified Translation Services

What ECFMG requires from a translation

ECFMG requires that all foreign-language documents submitted as part of the certification and verification process be accompanied by certified English translations. The translator must be competent in both the source language and English, and must provide a signed certification statement confirming the translation is complete and accurate. ECFMG does not require translators to hold a professional credential or be listed with any official body - what matters is the signed statement and the quality of the work.

Who may produce the translation

The completeness requirement is taken seriously. ECFMG reviewers compare translated documents against originals. If a stamp, a registration number, a date, or a handwritten annotation visible in the original is missing from the translation, the reviewer will flag it. This is true even when the missing element appears minor or purely administrative. Partial translations and selective summaries are both treated as non-compliant regardless of how accurate the translated portions may be.

The Certificate of Accuracy

The certification statement carries substantial weight in the review process. A statement that is unsigned, undated, or missing the translator's contact details will cause a document query even if the translation itself is excellent. ECFMG reviewers are trained to check the statement as a separate step from checking the translation content. Getting the statement right is not a formality - it is a core part of the compliance requirement.

Completeness and formatting fidelity

Further guidance and the Reference Guide for Medical Education Credentials are available on the ECFMG Resources page.

When diploma translation applies

Your primary medical degree is the foundational document in the ECFMG certification process. ECFMG uses it to verify that you hold a medical qualification from an institution listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. Every element on the diploma must be translated - this includes the institution name and location, the degree title in full, the date of award, the names of university officials who signed it, any official stamps or seals, and any annotations printed on the document including registration or certificate numbers. Eligible medical schools must be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.

Institution names and official designations

Diplomas from some countries include both a primary degree title and a professional registration number printed on the same document. Both elements must appear in the certified translation even if the registration number seems administrative rather than substantive. Diplomas issued in Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, and other languages each follow different standard formats. Our translators are familiar with the diploma formats from major medical education systems and know which elements are commonly overlooked in general translations.

Seals, signatures, and security features

A specific issue that arises with medical diplomas is the translation of institutional names. Some medical schools and universities have widely recognised English-language names that differ from a direct transliteration of the original-language name. Our translators use the official English-language name where one exists and note the transliteration alongside it where this is standard practice for ECFMG submissions. This avoids the type of mismatch query that can arise when a translated institution name does not match the name on record in ECFMG's verification system. ECFMG-specific eligibility information for individual medical schools is provided via ECFMG Sponsor Notes in the World Directory.

When USMLE-registration translation applies

USMLE registration for IMGs is processed through ECFMG. Before you can register for Step 1, Step 2 CK, or Step 3, ECFMG must have verified your medical school credentials. This means your primary medical degree and medical school transcript must already be on file with ECFMG in certified English translation. If your institution operates in a language other than English, these translations are required before ECFMG will confirm your eligibility to sit the exam.

Documents most commonly translated

For Step 1, the core documents are your medical diploma and transcript. For Step 2 CK, ECFMG may also require documentation of clinical rotations and training periods. For Step 3, which requires ECFMG certification as a prerequisite, all your underlying credential documents must already have been reviewed and accepted. IMGs applying for the first time often underestimate the document translation workload and submit incomplete packages, which delays eligibility confirmation and exam scheduling.

Matching names across all records

The timeline matters when planning USMLE registration. ECFMG document processing takes time after you submit, and translation takes additional time before that. Ordering your certified translations early - ideally several weeks before your intended registration window - avoids a situation where document delays push your exam date into the next available testing period. We deliver standard translations within 24 hours, which means translation itself is rarely the bottleneck if you plan ahead.

When transcript translation applies

Medical school transcripts list the subjects studied, the grades received, and the number of credit hours or contact hours for each subject across all years of study. ECFMG uses the transcript alongside the diploma to verify that your degree was awarded by a full-curriculum medical program meeting their standards. Every subject name, grade notation, and year-by-year breakdown must be translated in full. Grading systems vary widely by country and must be translated accurately - a simple letter or number grade is often meaningless without the context of the marking scale the institution uses.

Grading scales and the translator’s note

Transcripts from some medical education systems include clinical rotation records integrated with the academic grade sheet. These rotations - covering departments such as internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics, paediatrics, and psychiatry - must be translated with the correct English medical terminology for each rotation title. Using generic terms such as "practical training" instead of the specific clinical specialty name is a common error that can prompt a query from ECFMG reviewers, who check that the listed clinical components match what is expected for a complete medical curriculum.

Course and rotation terminology

Multi-year transcripts issued as separate documents per academic year must each be individually translated and individually certified. A single certification statement covering several separate transcript documents is not compliant. Our process automatically generates a separate signed certification statement for each document in an order, so there is no risk of submitting a set of transcripts with shared certification when individual certification is required.

Identify exactly what ECFMG queried

When ECFMG raises a concern about a submitted translation, it typically takes the form of a document query notice sent to your ECFMG account. The notice identifies the specific document and usually describes the nature of the concern - such as missing content, an incomplete certification statement, or a formatting issue that prevents side-by-side comparison with the original. The key first step is to read the query carefully and identify precisely which element of the translation or certification statement ECFMG has flagged, rather than assuming the entire translation needs to be redone.

Preparing the corrected response

The most common grounds for an ECFMG translation query are a missing or unsigned certification statement, stamps or official seals visible in the original that do not appear in the translation, and content marked as illegible without a note explaining what was unreadable and why. Less commonly, ECFMG may query whether the translator is qualified, particularly if the certification statement omits the required competency declaration. In each case, the fix is targeted - correct the specific deficiency rather than replace the whole translation.

Resubmission and timing

If the query relates to a translation we provided, contact us with the query notice as soon as it arrives. We review the notice, identify exactly what ECFMG has flagged, and produce a corrected version at no charge. For most query types, the correction is straightforward and can be delivered within hours. The corrected translation is then resubmitted through your ECFMG account in place of the original. Acting promptly avoids delays to your certification timeline or exam registration window.

When license/council-certificate translation applies

Medical licenses, state registration certificates, and medical council documents vary considerably in format between countries. In some systems, the medical council certificate serves as both a license to practice and a statement of good standing. In others, a separate good standing letter is issued alongside the registration certificate. ECFMG typically requires both the license or registration document and any associated good standing documentation if you have practiced in a country other than where you trained. Each document requires its own certified translation.

Documents most commonly translated

A specific challenge with medical licenses and council certificates is the translation of regulatory authority names and official title designations. The names of medical councils, licensing boards, and regulatory bodies vary widely and sometimes have no commonly recognised English equivalent. Our translators use the official English name where one exists, and provide a direct accurate translation of the regulatory body's name where no official English version is available. The licensing document's official number, registration date, and expiry date must all be translated exactly as they appear in the original.

Registration numbers and issuing authorities

IMGs from countries with tiered licensing systems - where initial registration, full registration, and specialist registration are separate documents - may need translations of more than one license document depending on what ECFMG requires for their specific application. If you are unsure which specific documents to submit, the general approach is to include all current and prior licenses or registrations you hold. Our translators can work across all of these document types in a single order, with individual certification statements for each.

The most requested source languages

Arabic is among the most frequently requested source languages for ECFMG document translation, reflecting the large number of IMGs from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and other Arabic-speaking countries. Arabic medical documents use formal Modern Standard Arabic in most cases, but regional administrative styles and handwritten annotations vary significantly. Translators working on Arabic medical credentials for ECFMG need familiarity not just with medical terminology but with the document conventions and institutional vocabulary used by specific national medical education systems.

Why medical terminology matters

Mandarin, Spanish, Russian, Hindi, and Urdu are also among the top source languages for ECFMG submissions. Mandarin medical documents from mainland China follow specific formats for the diploma and transcript that differ from those issued by Taiwanese or overseas Chinese institutions. Spanish-language medical documents cover a wide range of national formats across Latin America, where grading systems and degree titles differ substantially between countries. Russian-language medical documents often include Soviet-era institutional naming conventions that require specific knowledge to translate accurately for ECFMG purposes.

Regional and less-common languages

South Asian documents in Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali are frequently encountered from medical graduates trained in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Some documents from these countries are partially handwritten in regional scripts, particularly older certificates issued by provincial medical colleges or registration authorities. Our translators have direct experience with medical document formats from South Asian medical education systems, including the specific terminology used by the Pakistan Medical Commission, the Medical Council of India, and the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council.

What the certification statement must contain

ECFMG does not publish an official template for the translator's certification statement. What ECFMG specifies is the content the statement must include - not the visual format or layout. This creates room for variation, and with it, room for error. Statements that list required elements in vague or ambiguous language, use passive constructions like "the translation is believed to be accurate" rather than a direct first-person declaration, or omit the translator's contact information are regularly flagged during review, even when all other aspects of the translation are correct.

Format ECFMG expects

The certification statement must be attached to the specific translation it certifies. When multiple documents are translated in a single order, each document needs its own separate statement. Submitting one statement for a package of documents is not compliant under ECFMG's document requirements, even when that single statement names all the documents included. Our process generates an individual certification statement for each translated document as a standard part of every order.

Common certification mistakes

Typed and formatted certification statements perform more reliably in ECFMG review than handwritten ones. A handwritten statement raises the risk that a reviewer cannot read a specific field, which creates a query about completeness even if all required elements are technically present. Our certification statements are typed, formatted with each required element on its own clearly labeled line, and include the translator's full contact details in addition to the core declaration. This format supports efficient review and leaves no ambiguity about which fields are present.