English to Arabic Certificate Translation for University Admission

What an English-Language School Certificate Contains

A secondary school certificate issued by a Pakistani Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education follows a structured format that admissions offices recognise. Understanding its layout helps you see exactly what the Arabic translation needs to capture.

Key fields on a BISE-issued certificate

Every Secondary School Certificate includes the candidate’s name, roll number, father’s name, date of birth, the board’s full title, the examination session (annual or supplementary), the year of passing, the group (for example, Humanities or Science), and a detailed breakdown of subjects. The bottom section carries the controller of examinations’ signature, the issuing date, and the board’s official seal.

How marks, grades, and group information are presented

Marks obtained for each subject appear in both figures and as a grade or division. The certificate lists total marks, marks secured, and the overall result (pass, second division, first division). For the Humanities Group, you may see the designation “المجموعة الأدبية” or “العلوم الإنسانية” in the Arabic version. The AI translation reproduces these numeric values precisely and renders the group description in standard academic Arabic.

Common English Terms on Pakistani Board Certificates, and Their Arabic Equivalents

Below are headings found on an English-language board certificate, paired with the Arabic phrasing commonly expected by universities in the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab states.

English term	Arabic equivalent (typical)
Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education	مجلس التعليم المتوسط والثانوي
Secondary School Certificate	شهادة الثانوية العامة
Roll Number	رقم القيد
Annual Examination (year)	الامتحان السنوي (السنة)
Humanities Group	المجموعة الأدبية / العلوم الإنسانية
Grade / Division	الدرجة / التقدير
Marks Obtained	العلامات المتحصل عليها
Result	النتيجة
Rechecking	إعادة التدقيق
Improvement of Grades	تحسين الدرجات

Why People Translate an English Certificate into Arabic

Applying to universities in the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab states

The most common reason is undergraduate or postgraduate admission. Arab universities routinely require foreign credentials in Arabic. Without a translation, an admissions officer cannot verify your subject-wise marks, group, or division, slowing your application. An Arabic version clarifies your qualification immediately.

Scholarship applications and degree equivalency checks

Scholarship bodies and ministries of higher education often perform a formal credential assessment to confirm that a Pakistani board certificate meets local standards. A clear translation of the certificate, including the grading scale and group descriptor, streamlines that evaluation. It also supports applications for postgraduate studies or professional licensing when an Arabic record of your secondary education is mandatory.

AI Translation vs. On-Demand Certified Translation for Your Certificate

When a self-serve AI translation may be sufficient

If the university’s checklist does not explicitly demand a “certified,” “sworn,” or “court-attested” translation, a self-serve AI translation is often enough. It produces an accurate Arabic DOCX that preserves marks, subject names, and board details, letting you submit your documents electronically for initial review or for institutions that accept a self-translated copy alongside the original English certificate.

When the university requires an officially certified Arabic version

Some Arab universities insist that the translation be issued by a recognised translation office or bear a translator’s seal. In these cases the instant AI output alone will not satisfy the requirement. Lekhak offers certified translation on-demand for those submissions, it is not self-serve, but it is available at that stage.

What Lekhak’s AI Translation Produces from an English Certificate

Output format and what is preserved

Upload a scanned certificate and you receive a single DOCX file. The translation preserves the table structure, marks, grades, the board’s full title, examination session, and all subject-level details. Personal identifiers, name, father’s name, roll number, date of birth, are rendered in Arabic script inside the same layout, so a reviewer reads your certificate as if it were originally issued in Arabic.

Limitations: why signatures and stamps are rendered as text, not as certified true copies

The AI output is a freshly generated document, not a reproduction of the original’s security features. The controller of examinations’ signature, the board’s embossed seal, and any QR code are described as text (e.g., “[signed] Controller of Examinations”). This makes the translation readable for university evaluation but, on its own, not a certified true copy. If your application demands a certified translation, the on-demand path provides a formally endorsed document.

The Attestation and Legalisation Chain for Pakistani Certificates Bound for Arab Universities

Typical verification sequence: Board → IBCC → MOFA → Embassy

Most Arab universities want the original English certificate verified as well as translated. The standard chain starts with attestation by the issuing board, followed by the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC), then Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and finally the destination country’s embassy. Each step stamps or signs the original certificate before it reaches the university.

Where a certified translation fits into that chain

The translation, whether AI-generated or certified, is typically submitted together with the attested original, not as a replacement. Because the Apostille Convention does not apply between Pakistan and most Arab states, the embassy legalisation remains essential. Lekhak does not handle notarisation or embassy attestation; those are separate government acts you arrange with the relevant authorities.

How to Obtain a Duplicate Certificate from Your Board (if the Original Is Lost)

General application steps for a duplicate SSC/HSSC certificate

If your original certificate is missing, contact the board that issued it, for example, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Lahore. Each board has a duplicate certificate procedure requiring an application form, attested copies of CNIC, an FIR copy (if lost), and a fee deposit. Processing time is at the board’s discretion, and the duplicate is issued as a replacement for the original.

Why you may need the original or a board-duplicate before translation

A translation can only be as reliable as the source document. If you only possess a worn or incomplete scan, details such as embossed text or correct marks may be unclear, leading to discrepancies in the Arabic output. Obtaining a clean duplicate first ensures the AI translation, and any subsequent certified version, accurately reflects the official record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an Arabic translation of my matric certificate for a UAE university?

Yes. UAE universities routinely list an Arabic-translated copy as part of the admission documents. Check the specific programme’s checklist, but it is a standard requirement for credentials issued in English.

Is an AI translation accepted if the university doesn’t mention “certified translation”?

Often yes. When no special translator’s seal is specified, an accurate AI Arabic translation together with the original English certificate may meet the requirement. Confirm with the admissions office if you are unsure.

Can I translate the certificate myself and submit it?

Some universities accept self-translated documents, but a self-translation is rarely trusted for official admission. A machine-generated translation produced through a platform like Lekhak offers consistency and layout accuracy that a manual effort may not match.

How long does the AI translation take?

The instant self-serve translation is ready in minutes after you upload the file. You receive a downloadable DOCX without any courier or postal delay.

What if the university asks for a sworn or court-certified translator?

In that case the AI output alone is not sufficient. Lekhak can arrange a certified translation on-demand for situations that require a formally endorsed document, and you submit that alongside your attested certificate.

Does Lekhak send a hard copy by post?

No. All output is digital. You receive the translated DOCX online, which you can print or attach to an electronic application directly.

Are the signature and stamp reproduced as images?

The AI translation describes the signature and stamp as text (e.g., “[signed] Controller of Examinations”) within the layout. It does not replicate them as images. For a certified true copy, the on-demand certified translation path is the appropriate option.

What does the Arabic DOCX look like?

It mirrors the original certificate’s table structure: board header, candidate details block, subject-wise marks columns, totals, and result. All fields appear in Arabic, with right-to-left formatting where appropriate.

Do I still need to attest the original certificate if I use Lekhak’s translation?

Yes. Translation and attestation are separate processes. The university will almost always require the original certificate to be attested by the board, IBCC, MOFA, and the destination embassy, regardless of how the translation was produced.

Can Lekhak get my certificate attested at the embassy?

No. Lekhak does not handle notarisation, apostille, or embassy attestation. Those are government-to-government verification steps you complete directly with the issuing board, IBCC, MOFA, and the relevant embassy.

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