If you earned your education outside of the United States and plan to become a teacher here, you may be asked to obtain a credential evaluation. A credential evaluation displays a representation of what your educational qualifications best resemble in US terms. Both practicing and aspiring teachers with credentials from abroad use services like those at IEE to prove their eligibility for roles that have certain educational requirements. This allows employers, school districts, state licensure boards and educational departments to be sure that they are qualified and prepared to teach. While a credential evaluation is an advisory recommendation of how best to understand a potential teacher’s qualifications, it is also a critical document that could serve as the final lynchpin in getting someone a job offer, a teaching position or an educator license.
IEE is here to help get your education recognized in the United States. If you recently discovered that you need your credentials evaluated, feel free to reach out to our customer service team and learn about your credential evaluation options.
What can credential evaluations show for aspiring teachers?
A credential evaluation is a report that summarizes your educational achievements and determines your US equivalency. It is used for many purposes, including educational pursuits, immigration benefit or job application support. Using academic documentation from abroad, it highlights relevant information about the credential, from admissions requirement and program duration to issuing institution and accreditation status. Depending on the report type and its purpose, it may also show a US grade point average, conversion of credits to the US pattern, and individual grades per course. The most important component of the report is the equivalency; this is the degree title or qualification that the foreign credential most corresponds to in the US. By providing an equivalency, a hiring committee, recruiter or adjudicator can get a sense of what your education is equivalent to in US terms, which will help with determining your eligibility for a job, visa, license or admissions slot.
For someone wishing to become a teacher in the United States, the credential evaluation serves as an indicator of your completed educational level. In order to become a teacher, perhaps the most important factor is your educational background. Schools, districts and state licensure boards frequently have minimum education requirements for their teachers. This is done to guarantee a minimum standard, assure that teachers are in fact qualified to teach, and ensure compliance with local, state or internal policies. While the credential evaluation does not itself grant permission to teach, it does provide tremendous support to those wishing to use their qualifications to get a job in a regulated field. It also may prevent the need to restart your education and get a new teaching credential from scratch.
In over 40 years of evaluating credentials, IEE has come across many teaching credentials from all over the world. From the Caribbean to East Asia, education systems feature different kinds of teaching qualifications. Some come directly after high school and last 2-3 years, from the Ghanaian ‘Diploma in Education’ to the Jamaican ‘Diploma in Teaching.’ Countries like Belize or Guyana have 2-year Associate degrees in Education, followed by Bachelor’s Degrees completed after 2 more years. The United Kingdom, by contrast, often sends a “Postgraduate Certificate” or “Postgraduate Diploma” in Education, which comes after the completion of undergraduate studies, and may include eligibility to teach at schools in the United Kingdom. Finally, India, Pakistan and even parts of Canada have a “Bachelor of Education” degree that acts as an advanced, upper-division undergraduate credential, with coursework related to teaching methodology, educational psychology and possibly a teaching practicum.
As there are so many ways for people to become teachers in countries all over the world, it can be difficult to understand what it best compares to in the United States. A licensing board committee, program director, department head or school principal may be uncertain. To create understanding and recognition for qualified teachers, these leaders responsible for making key decisions turn to credential evaluation for reference. By doing so, they grow more sure that the candidate or applicant is able to do the job, and has the qualifications required for entry. Credential evaluation vouches for qualified teachers looking to join the US workforce and helps enable them to continue (or start) their teaching careers in a new country; it simultaneously serves schools who desire to bring in diverse, qualified talent while also maintaining legal compliance with applicable law or policy.
What should you confirm before choosing a report?
After you learn that you need a credential evaluation, find out the needs of the receiving organization. Requirements can vary by both the reason for evaluation and by recipient. A report that is useful for one application may not be for another. A school you’re applying to might want a basic report emphasizing equivalency, while a state board that issues teaching licenses may want details about credits or grades. It’s good to identify a few points before placing any orders or opening any applications.
- Purpose: Is the report for employment, licensure, immigration or admission to an educational program?
- Level of detail: Does the recipient need a basic report, a course-by-course analysis, or something else?
- Required evaluator: Does the recipient give guidance about where to obtain the evaluation? Did they name an evaluator, list of accepted evaluators, or some other criteria for the credential evaluation they wish to receive in support of your candidacy?
- Delivery: Must the report be sent directly to the institution, or can you submit a copy yourself?
- Records: Which academic records are necessary? Should they be sent officially by the institution you attended, are any scans sufficient, and are translations required?
- Deadline: By what date must the recipient receive the report?
If an instruction is unclear, ask the recipient before placing an order. This can prevent the natural frustration of receiving a report that does not fit the criteria of your application. It can also save time, money and energy.
This Guide to Credential Evaluation from The Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals (TAICEP) shows the typical steps in getting an evaluation. Credential evaluation usually starts with a question about purpose: why are you getting a credential evaluation? Once you identify the purpose, you can tailor the rest of the process to support this.
What type of evaluation report best fits a teacher?
Everyone’s situation varies, but the table below shows the different report types found across the industry. It is best to ask the recipient(s) of your evaluation what they need on the report.
| Type of report | What it displays | What to ask the recipient |
|---|---|---|
| Document Report | A simple overview of your credentials: admissions requirement, minimum program duration, issuing institution + accreditation status, and equivalency. | Is an equivalency all that is needed? Will this be enough to support this application and your needs for candidates? |
| Course Report | The same information as a Document Report, along with details about coursework, including courses taken, individual US grade and credit amount for each course, total credits, and a US grade point average (GPA). | Does the application require course, credit or grade information? |
| Other specified report | The particular information named by an institution or agency. For example, IEE’s teaching licensure reports organize courses by category. They also declare if you fulfilled a practice teaching component in your program. | Is there a prescribed report type from a specific evaluator that you require? |
Requirements for credential evaluation content start with the recipient. A school may believe an equivalency is enough, as they feel subject matter competency or teaching ability has been shown enough already. However, a state licensure board may want to know both an applicant’s equivalency and if they took a sufficient number of courses in certain subjects. Overall, it’s best to ask the institution receiving your evaluation what they need in order to help you learn the results of your application sooner. Furthermore, it is important to note that credential evaluations are advisory and non-binding. The final decision over who gets an offer of employment, a license to teach or a spot in a fellowship or degree program is left to the discretion of the appropriate authority, be it a school official, a civil servant or a hiring manager.
IEE offers the credential evaluation services above. Document Reports are both shorter and less expensive than Course Reports; Course Reports are more detailed. Review the recipient’s instructions first, then use the information from IEE’s evaluation guidelines to understand the preparation process. Fortunately, if you have questions, IEE’s support staff can communicate with you 24/7.
What records should you prepare?
Educational qualifications usually come in the form of documentation issued by relevant authorities. This documentation serves as the basis of the evaluation, but they vary by both country and evaluator. Typically, credential evaluation organizations request academic transcripts and/or degree certificates. Depending on the country or region of education, they may go by a different name; teachers with qualifications from Europe may have a diploma supplement while teachers holding degrees from India may have marksheets. These documents are issued by universities, ministries and examination boards, among other institutions.
Additionally, the format the document is sent plays a role. Credential evaluations typically contain an authentication statement. The industry goes to great lengths to prevent fraud, verify authenticity and report forgery. As a result, both recipients and credential evaluators may require documents to be sent directly and officially. On a daily basis, transcripts are sent by universities, secure third party channels or by customers who have the original documents.
It is advised to do the following:
- Gather what you have. Collect academic records and certificates for the education relevant to your application.
- Check issuing requirements. Determine whether the evaluator requires records directly from the institution, in a sealed envelope, electronically, or in another format.
- Confirm name details. If your academic records use different versions of your name, ask what supporting documentation is needed to connect them.
- Check language requirements. Ask whether records not in English need a certified translation.
How is a credential evaluation different from a teaching license?
A credential evaluation is an analysis of your educational achievements from outside of the United States. It describes your degree and provides a US equivalency; some reports may also contain a US-formatted grade point average and credits. As stated above, it is an advisory recommendation of what your education is comparable to in US terms.
By contrast, a teaching license is a document that allows an individual to work as a teacher in a specific jurisdiction. In the United States, this is granted by a state, be it Texas, California, New York or somewhere else. Each state has its own criteria for licensure. Education is quite regulated, so schools, districts and agencies must comply with all laws, policies and standards in the applicable jurisdiction. Depending on the state, licensing may involve requirements beyond academic equivalency, including subject-specific qualifications, work experience, exams, background checks, or additional documentation. If you have identified the state you wish to teach in, be sure to check their requirements for licensure, including their requirements for teachers holding diplomas from abroad.
The license itself gives permission to teach in the jurisdiction, but filling classrooms with qualified teachers is left to schools and districts. If you apply to work at a school, the hiring manager, school principal or other applicable official determines if you fulfill their requirements, which may include educational qualifications, subject-matter expertise, language proficiency, references, general fit, and other criteria.
While the credential evaluation can be used to support the pursuit of teacher employment or licensure, it merely provides a recommendation of how to understand your credential. That being said, the credential evaluation can prove that you meet the minimum educational standard for a teacher role, which may help your application.
Organizations like IEE exist to help get valuable, authentic teaching credentials recognized; teachers regularly come to IEE for employment- and licensure-purposed credential evaluations. Credential evaluators have close working partnerships with state licensure boards, educational institutions and agencies who wish to better understand the qualifications of candidates, applicants and recruits educated abroad. By maintaining these relationships, more people are able to gain employment and work authorization, which then enhances and contributes to the US workforce in a compliant manner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a credential evaluation qualify me to teach in the United States?
No. An evaluation describes educational qualifications and defines them in US terms; it does not itself grant a teaching license or guarantee that an employer will hire you. Check with the relevant state authority and employer about their requirements.
Do all teachers need a Course Report?
No single report type is right for every application. Ask the school, employer, or licensing authority which report it requires before ordering.
Will my evaluation be accepted everywhere?
Possibly, but each recipient sets its own rules for applicants, including for those educated abroad. Ask every school, licensure board or employer about its rules for candidates holding degrees from abroad and for credential evaluations meant to support applications.
What documents are useful for my credential evaluation?
At a minimum, documents used for evaluation include academic transcripts and degree certificates. If your credential documents were not issued in English, they may need to be accompanied by a certified translation. Credential evaluations typically assess academic qualifications, so if you have a teaching license or an authorization document from a province, prefecture or city, it it likely not necessary to present. When preparing your documents, be sure to focus on your educational or academic documentation first.
For more information, you can explore credential evaluation here. IEE looks forward to helping you get your qualifications recognized so that you can begin teaching in the United States!
