Working against a deadline for your credential evaluation? You have more control over the timeline than you might think. While we offer expedited services with guaranteed delivery, the real key to a fast turnaround is a well-prepared application. Even our standard five-day service moves much quicker when we have everything we need from the start. A complete file prevents losing valuable days to back-and-forth emails. This simple checklist and our practical advice will help you help us, ensuring we can complete your evaluation as quickly and accurately as possible.
What is a Credential Evaluation?
So, you’ve earned a degree or diploma from your home country and are ready to take your next step in the United States. But how do you show a U.S. university or employer what your education is worth? That’s where a credential evaluation comes in. In simple terms, credential evaluation is the process of assessing foreign educational credentials to determine their equivalency in the U.S. education system. An evaluation report translates your academic history into terms that American institutions can easily understand, comparing your coursework, grades, and degrees to their U.S. counterparts. This formal assessment is the key to making your hard-earned education recognized and valued as you pursue new opportunities.
Why You Might Need an Evaluation
You’ll likely need a credential evaluation if you plan to use your foreign education to achieve a specific goal in the United States. These evaluations are essential for people who want to immigrate, go to school, or get a job in the U.S. or Canada. For example, if you’re applying for admission to a university, a course-by-course evaluation will be required to assess your eligibility and transfer credits. If you’re seeking employment, a report can verify to potential employers that you have the required educational background. The same applies to professional licensure, military enlistment, and immigration processes, where an official evaluation is a standard part of the application.
The Role of NACES in Credential Evaluation
When you start looking for an evaluation service, you’ll frequently see the acronym NACES. NACES stands for the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, a U.S.-based group of independent, non-governmental organizations that evaluate educational credentials from outside the United States. Think of NACES as a quality control organization. It establishes and maintains professional standards for the field, and only agencies that meet its rigorous requirements are granted membership. This accreditation ensures that the evaluation you receive is consistent, reliable, and based on thorough research. It provides a benchmark of quality that institutions across the country have come to trust and often require for official purposes.
Why Choose a NACES Member?
If you need to have your non-US education credentials evaluated, you should choose to work with an agency that is a member of NACES. Why? Because most U.S. universities, employers, and licensing boards specifically require evaluations from NACES members. Submitting a report from a non-member agency could lead to delays or outright rejection of your application, wasting both your time and money. Choosing a NACES member like IEE gives you peace of mind, knowing your evaluation will be widely accepted. It signals that your report has been prepared by a credible organization committed to the highest professional standards, ensuring your credentials are given the fair and accurate assessment they deserve.
Types of Credential Evaluation Reports
Not all evaluations are the same, and the right one for you depends entirely on your goal. An evaluation for a job application looks different from one needed for a graduate school application. Understanding the main types of reports will help you select the service that meets the specific requirements of the institution you’re applying to. Generally, reports fall into three categories: a general document-by-document evaluation, a detailed course-by-course analysis, and specialized reports for professional licensure. Always check the requirements of the receiving institution before ordering to make sure you get exactly what you need the first time.
Document Report
A Document Report, sometimes called a General Report, is the most basic type of evaluation. This report identifies your educational credentials and provides their U.S. equivalent. For example, it will confirm that your bachelor’s degree from another country is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States. It’s a straightforward verification of your academic achievements without going into the details of your coursework or grades. This type of report is often sufficient for employment purposes or immigration applications where only the level of education needs to be confirmed. At IEE, a Document Report is a fast and affordable option for these situations.
Course-by-Course Analysis
A Course-by-Course Analysis is the most detailed and comprehensive report available. This evaluation not only identifies your degree’s U.S. equivalency but also lists every course you took, converts your grades to the U.S. 4.0 GPA scale, and assigns U.S. semester credit hours to each course. This is the report most commonly required for university applications, whether you are transferring as an undergraduate or applying to a graduate program. It gives admissions officers all the information they need to understand your academic performance and determine which credits can be transferred. Because of its detailed nature, it provides a complete picture of your educational background.
Licensure Reports
If you are a professional seeking to practice in the U.S., you will likely need a Licensure Report. Many professions, such as nursing, teaching, and accounting, are regulated by state licensing boards that have very specific educational requirements. A General Licensure Report is tailored to meet the standards of these boards. The evaluation analyzes your coursework to determine if it meets the board’s specific subject and credit hour requirements. This report is a critical step in proving you have the necessary qualifications to earn your professional license and begin working in your chosen field in the United States.
Understanding the Costs of Credential Evaluation
Figuring out the cost of a credential evaluation can feel a bit tricky because the final price depends on the services you need. The base price covers the evaluation report itself, but there are often additional fees for services like translation, document verification, or expedited processing. It’s important to review the pricing structure carefully to get an accurate estimate of your total investment. By understanding all the potential costs upfront, you can budget accordingly and avoid any surprises. This transparency helps you plan your finances as you move forward with your academic or professional goals.
Standard Report Costs
The initial price you see for an evaluation is the standard report fee. This fee covers the assessment of all the academic documents you submit for a single evaluation. For instance, if you are applying for a course-by-course evaluation and have a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, the single report fee will cover the evaluation of both credentials together. At IEE, our pricing is transparent, with a Document Report starting at $95 and a Course-by-Course Analysis at $185. This base fee ensures a thorough review of your academic history by our expert evaluators to produce the report you need.
Additional Service Fees
Beyond the standard report fee, several other services can add to your total cost. These are typically optional or only required in specific circumstances. For example, if your academic documents are not in English, you will need them translated. If your documents cannot be sent directly from your school, a verification fee may apply. You may also choose to pay extra for faster processing if you’re on a tight deadline. It’s helpful to think of these as à la carte services that allow you to customize your order based on your unique situation and timeline.
Translation and Verification
Two common additional fees are for translation and verification. If your documents are not in English, they must be translated by a certified service. IEE offers a translation service for a per-page fee, which simplifies the process by keeping everything with one provider. Additionally, some institutions require that academic records be verified at the source. If your documents don’t come straight from your school, an extra fee may be charged per document to have our team verify their authenticity with the issuing institution, ensuring the integrity of your evaluation report.
Expedited Service Options
When deadlines are approaching, waiting for a standard evaluation isn’t always an option. That’s why most agencies offer expedited services for an additional fee. These rush options prioritize your file and guarantee a much faster turnaround time. For example, IEE provides a popular 3-day rush service that adds a flat fee to your total cost, ensuring you get your completed evaluation in just a few business days. This service is ideal for students and professionals who need to meet urgent application deadlines and want the assurance of a quick and reliable delivery.
Choosing a Credential Evaluation Service
With several NACES members to choose from, it’s wise to compare a few options to find the best fit for your needs, budget, and timeline. While all members adhere to high standards, they differ in their processing times, customer service models, and pricing structures. Some of the most well-known agencies include World Education Services (WES) and Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). Taking a moment to research each one can help you make an informed decision and partner with the service that will best support you on your journey.
World Education Services (WES)
World Education Services, or WES, is one of the most recognized names in credential evaluation. WES helps people who studied outside the U.S. or Canada get their education papers officially checked for use in academic and professional settings. They are a non-profit organization that has been providing evaluations for decades and is widely accepted by institutions across North America. WES offers a range of evaluation types and has a well-established process for submitting and assessing documents, making them a popular choice for many international students and professionals.
Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
Another prominent NACES member is Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). Like other member agencies, ECE helps people get their foreign education evaluated for use in the U.S. for things like school, jobs, getting a license, and immigration. Also a non-profit organization, ECE is known for its commitment to the field and its active role in promoting ethical practices in credential evaluation. They offer various report types designed to meet the requirements of different institutions and licensing boards, providing another reliable option for those needing their international credentials assessed.
Key Steps Before Submitting
- Check with your recipient to see if they have any specific requirements
- Ensure that the provided credential information is accurate
- Refer to our general and country-specific documentation requirements
- If the documents were not originally issued in English, include the original language versions in addition to the translations
- Ensure that any scans that you upload are fully legible
- For evaluations that include a GPA calculation, ensure that a transcript is included in the submitted documentation.
- Ensure that your reference number is added on all correspondence
Confirm Your Recipient’s Evaluation Requirements
We will complete the evaluation for all credentials that you indicate on your application. If you include your entire educational history, we will hold the order until all documentation is reviewed and accepted. If your recipient only requires a review of your university study, for example, waiting for high school documentation may unnecessarily delay your evaluation.
In terms of the recipient of your evaluation, some universities or institutions that require an evaluation of your foreign credentials may have a preference between evaluations based on documents sent directly from the issuing institution (official evaluation) and scans-based evaluations (provisional evaluation). While it may take less time for you to upload your own documents, your recipient may require an official evaluation. This distinction can cause the resulting evaluation to be rejected by your recipient.
Provide Accurate Credential Information
When completing your application, indicating which credentials are incomplete or in-progress can save you time, as well as for our documentation and evaluation teams. It will prevent us from requesting additional information that may not be necessary. Refer to your documentation and indicate exactly the name of the awarding institution, name of credential, and years of attendance that are referred to on the documents. Clear and correct credential information on your application will help to ensure a speedy and accurate evaluation.
Review IEE Documentation Requirements by Country
We prefer to receive official documents via email whenever possible. Documents sent via postal mail may take more time to be received than emailed documents, depending on your institution. Having documents sent directly from your institution will help us more quickly verify the documents and prevent delays. Though provisional evaluation is an option, we may still need to request additional documentation. The following are country-specific tips for our most evaluated countries.
Study from China:
- Ensure that the English version of CSSD documents is available
- If you have completed a bachelor’s degree, be sure to include both your degree certificate and the qualification certificate
Study from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal:
- For post-secondary study: submit marksheets from the university awarding the degree, rather than college-issued transcripts.
- Documents sent and/or issued by affiliated colleges will not be accepted
- For secondary study: if the program was completed, include or send the board-issued documents.
- If available, include a clear scan of your degree certificates
Study from Nigeria:
- For completed secondary study: have the WAEC or NECO documents sent directly and/or include the ePIN in your documentation. For graduates prior to 1980, online results will not be available, so direct documentation is required.
Include Both Original and Translated Documents
We often see translated documents being submitted rather than the official document themselves. If you have already translated the documents, include them, but make sure the source document is included as well. We cannot complete an evaluation based on translated documents alone. If your institution issues documents in the country’s official language as well as English, we would recommend submitting both sets of documents.
Submit Clear and Legible Document Scans
If you are uploading any documentation, check the file before submitting to ensure that all information on the documents can be read. Proper legibility is critical to both the verification and evaluation processes and any illegibility will result in a documentation request. We review all features of a document. It is critical that features such as the grades earned and institutional information is clear.
Include Transcripts for GPA Calculations
For course reports, any product that includes a GPA calculation, or if you intend on eventually ordering an evaluation that includes a GPA, include a transcript or record of study. We can sometimes complete document reports based on a diploma or degree certificate; the transcript of study will always give evaluators more information to complete your report. It is also important that all study for one program is included. Incomplete documentation will often lead to documentation requests.
Add Your IEE Reference Number to All Correspondence
When sending documentation to IEE or sending an email to us, having your reference number clearly indicated on all correspondence, including envelopes and emails, will help us match your order to the correspondence or documents. This is also true if your institution is sending documents to IEE for an official evaluation. Matching documents to a name in our system rather than a reference number will take longer.
Avoiding Delays in Your IEE Evaluation
In summary, we want to ensure that the evaluation of your credentials is as smooth and stress-free as possible, and it all starts with knowing what to submit and how to submit it. Knowing your needs in advance helps us provide the most appropriate evaluation possible, and being informed about our requirements – as well as those of the institution to whom you will be sending the evaluation – will minimize effort on your end as well as avoid any potential delays.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which type of evaluation report to order? The best way to know for sure is to ask the institution that will receive your report. They have specific requirements and are the final authority on what they will accept. As a general guide, a Document Report is often enough for employment or immigration, while a Course-by-Course Analysis is typically required for university admissions and credit transfers. Always confirm with your recipient before placing an order to avoid any issues.
What happens if I use an evaluation service that isn’t a NACES member? You run a significant risk of your evaluation being rejected. Most universities, licensing boards, and government agencies in the U.S. specifically require reports from NACES member agencies because they trust the quality and consistency of the evaluation. Submitting a report from a non-member could mean your application is denied, forcing you to start the entire process over again with a recognized provider.
My academic documents aren’t in English. How does that affect the process? If your documents were not originally issued in English, you will need to provide a complete, certified English translation. It’s very important that you submit both the translation and a copy of the original-language document. We cannot complete an evaluation using only the translated version. To make things easier, we offer a translation service that can handle this for you, keeping all your documents in one place.
What is the most common reason for a delay in an evaluation? The single biggest cause of delays is an incomplete application. When we have to pause our work to request missing documents, ask for clearer scans, or get clarification on your academic history, it adds extra days to the timeline. The fastest way to get your report is to carefully follow the documentation requirements and submit a complete, well-prepared application from the very beginning.
My university is slow or won’t send documents directly. What are my options? This is a common challenge, and you do have options. First, check if the institution receiving your report will accept a “provisional evaluation,” which is based on clear scans of your original documents that you upload yourself. If they do, this is often the quickest path. If they require an “official evaluation,” where documents must come directly from your school, you will need to coordinate with your university. In either case, adding your IEE reference number to all correspondence will help us process everything much faster once it arrives.
Key Takeaways
- Prioritize NACES members for acceptance: To ensure your evaluation is recognized by U.S. institutions, always work with a NACES-accredited agency. This simple choice prevents potential rejections and delays from universities, employers, and licensing boards.
- Select the right report for your needs: Your goal determines the type of evaluation you need, so confirm requirements before ordering. Choose a Document Report for employment, a Course-by-Course Analysis for university admission, or a Licensure Report for professional certification.
- A complete application is a fast application: You have the most control over your evaluation timeline. Avoid common delays by submitting clear, legible scans of all required documents, including both originals and translations, and adding your reference number to all communications.
