A person who has completed school or studies abroad may need recognition or evaluation of the qualification for employment, continuing education, enrollment in studies or access to a regulated profession in Croatia.
The first step is not translation, but determination purposes of the procedure and competent authority. Various institutions deal with primary, secondary, vocational and higher education and regulated professions.
Recognition or evaluation?
The evaluation of a foreign educational qualification represents the determination of the level, volume, profile and quality of the qualification and the rights it gives in the country where it was obtained. Recognition is a formal confirmation of the value of a qualification for access to education or continuing education.
To access the labor market, it is important to distinguish between regulated and unregulated professions. In the case of regulated professions, for example in the area of healthcare, education or other specially regulated activities, the procedure is conducted by a body determined by special regulations.
Which body is responsible?
According to information from the state portal, jurisdiction depends on the type of qualification and purpose:
- for certain primary and secondary school qualifications, educational agencies or the institution where the person continues his education are responsible;
- the Agency for Vocational Education and Adult Education is responsible for vocational high school qualifications for the sake of the labor market;
- for higher education qualifications and information on education systems, the National ENIC/NARIC office of the Agency for Science and Higher Education is relevant;
- for regulated professions, you should contact the competent authority for the specific profession.
Which documents are most often requested?
The list depends on the procedure, but the following are often included:
- diploma or certificate;
- transcript of grades or supplementary study document;
- data on the duration and content of the program;
- proof of name change, if the name differs between documents;
- identification document;
- proof of payment of compensation, when prescribed;
- translation of documentation into Croatian, if required by the competent authority.
Why is it not enough to translate only the diploma?
The diploma usually confirms the name of the institution, the degree obtained and the date of completion. For the actual evaluation of the qualification, the body often needs a transcript of grades, a list of subjects, scope of teaching, duration of the program and information on the status of the institution.
If only the title and basic information from the diploma are translated, the process may be incomplete. Before ordering a translation, you should obtain an official list of the necessary documentation from the competent authority.
What must a court interpreter pay attention to?
When translating diplomas and certificates, the following are particularly important:
- the exact name of the institution and study program;
- consistent translation of the degree and professional title without creating a Croatian title that is not officially recognized;
- transfer of grades, points and study duration;
- clear marking of seals, signatures, holograms and illegible parts;
- compliance of the name with the passport or other identification document.
Court interpreter translates the content of the document, but does not recognize the qualification and does not decide which Croatian level it corresponds to. That decision is made by the competent authority.
Do I need an Apostille?
This depends on the issuing country, the type of document and the institution’s requirements. For some countries and documents, the original is sufficient public document, while for others it is required Apostille or full legalization. If a power of attorney is required, as a rule, it should be obtained before the translation so that it is also translated together with the document.
Practical order
- Determine the purpose: work, continuing education or regulated profession.
- Determine the competent authority.
- Request an official list of required documents.
- Check if you need an Apostille or legalization.
- Obtain a certified translation of all required documents.
- Save a scan of the entire delivered package.
CALL TO ACTION
Do you need a certified translation of a diploma, certificate or grade transcript? Inovatus Usluge prepares translations of educational documents for employment, continuing education and official procedures in Croatia and abroad.
Checklist of documents before submission
Before sending the request to the competent authority, prepare the documentation in its entirety, together with all seals, attachments and backs:
- diploma or the corresponding final document;
- the certificate, when it is part of the requested documentation;
- transcript of grades and academic documentation with courses, grades and ECTS credits;
- instructions from the competent authority on the necessary certification, Apostille or legalization.
Send a scan of the entire package before ordering the translation so that it can be checked whether the translation covers all the requested pages.
Official sources
- AZVO, instructions for evaluating foreign higher education qualifications for access to the labor market
- hr, recognition of foreign educational qualifications
INFORMATION NOTE
The content is informative in nature and does not constitute legal advice. The requirements may differ depending on the country, the competent authority, the type of procedure and the specific document. Before submitting, you should always check the current instructions of the competent institution.