Several countries in Europe, Australia, the Middle East and North America (such as Canada and the United States) use credential evaluation to assess the academic and professional degrees earned in another country by international students and immigrants. Students who are applying for admission or professionals trying to join the workforce of another country use credential evaluation to ensure their admission or acceptance.
Credential Evaluation in the United States
Many students from around the world want to receive further education in the United States. Since educations systems differ from country to country, it is necessary to have a common basis for evaluating the educational credentials of international students.
There is no national organization that handles credential evaluation in the United States. However, professional associations exist, such as the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE), Academic Evaluation Services (AES), International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IERF), Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) and World Education Service (WES).
These associations are nationally recognized. The membership to any of the associations is voluntary. The evaluators, however, must meet some specific criteria. Do note that American schools and universities also do credential evaluations on their own. However, some schools will refer international students seeking admission to a specific credential evaluation organization. It is best to check with the educational institution first before looking for a credential evaluator.
Types of Credential Evaluation
Credential evaluators follow ethical standards in making their evaluation. They offer different types of credential evaluation, depending on the requirements of the educational institution or employers. The application procedures of credential evaluation agencies are rigorous, and they require detailed documentation.
1. Course by Course
This type of credential evaluation compares each certificate or diploma. It is a detailed report that describes the period the applicant spent on education, the credit hours, grades, courses and degrees. It also describes the academic performance of the applicant compared to the U.S. educational system. The course by course credential evaluation is often needed for college admissions, ascertain transfer credits, or when the international student wishes to apply for an advanced college or university degree. It is also a report which a foreign applicant can use for certification and professional licensing.
Applicants should submit the original or certified copies of school transcripts that show the subjects, grades and credit hours the student earned for each course.
2. Document by Document
In a document by document evaluation (also called educational credential evaluation), the report shows the schools attended by the applicant and the education credentials earned in another country. It indicates their equivalence, such as a Bachelor, Master or Doctorate, according to the U.S. education system. The document by document report is typically used for immigration matters, employment and admission to a university when the transfer credit is not needed. Applicants should submit the original or certified copies of all their academic documents. Documents may include their certificates, diplomas and transcripts, including the date of graduation and their major. It is necessary to have English translation if the documents are written in another language.
3. Evaluation of Professional Work Experience
This type of credential evaluation report is often required for immigration purposes, especially for people applying for a U.S. H-1B visa (specialty work). The evaluation report assesses a person’s education credentials and professional work history to ensure that it is equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an American college or university.
The evaluation of professional work experience is not applicable for licensure or educational purposes. Credential evaluators require the submission of several documents, such as:
· Diplomas
· Degrees
· Certificates
· Transcript
· Detailed resume (with positions held, duties and responsibilities, start and end date of every position
· Skills and skills used
· Employer’s name and geographic location
· Reference letters of employers coming from each employer that also indicate the job title/s, state and end date of each position held and job descriptions
Documents should be original or certified copies with English translations if written in another language.
Things to Remember About Credential Evaluation
Applicants should remember that credential evaluators have strict procedures and they check the validity of every document you submit. Presentation of altered or forged documents is a serious offense. The credential evaluator will communicate with the entity or institution that issued the document to ensure that it is authentic. If there are issues with your documents, the credential evaluator will inform the institution that will receive the evaluation as well as other concerned agencies.
· You should remember that you pay for the credential evaluation. The cost depends on the type of evaluation report you require and the documents you submit.
· It is essential to have English translations of all the materials you are going to provide. It is preferable if they are notarized as well.
· Credential evaluators evaluate each applicant individually according to their case. They look into several factors during the evaluation process, which means that your diploma is not the sole basis for the evaluation.
· Send appeals regarding the recommendations given by the credential evaluator to the credential evaluation agency. The U.S. Department of Education does not handle appeals regarding credential evaluation.
Credential Evaluation for Employment
A credential evaluation report is a useful tool to market your skills for employment. Employers will understand the equivalent of the education you obtained in a foreign country vis-à-vis the U.S. educational standard. The evaluation report assures the employer that you have the right qualification for the job. You can state in your resume that you have a credential evaluation report. See to it that you have a copy of the evaluation report when you come for an interview.
Some credential evaluation organizations offer evaluation services for different professions. You must choose the right credential evaluation agency that will meet the requirements from your prospective employer as part of your preparation for a U.S. employment visa application.
If you are already in the United States and looking for a job, a credential evaluation report will be helpful. The degree equivalency statement in your report will help you to seek a job that fits your credentials.
We Offer Credential Evaluation Services
When you require a credential evaluation, and you’re from another country, your documents should have English translations if they are written in another language. With Day Translations, Inc., you do not have to go to two different companies. We offer credential evaluation services as well as professional translation services. Thus, we can help you with the translation requirements as well as your credential evaluation, knowing the specific needs of the two services. You can get in touch with us 24/7, every day of the year by calling 1-800-969-6853 or sending us an email at Contact us.
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