An educational degree from abroad can serve as proof of qualification for a US job, but employers may not immediately recognize its worth. There may be uncertainty regarding its nature, scope and US equivalency. As a result, job seekers and employers alike turn to credential evaluation to translate an educational history into one that can be understood in US terms. This opens doors for those educated abroad while providing assurance for reviewers of candidate backgrounds.
A credential evaluation uses academic documents to explain a person’s academic history and convert to a US format. After determining admissions requirements, program durations, institutional accreditation statuses and purposes of programs, it gives a recommended equivalency for applicability in the US.
Some open roles may have a minimum educational requirement, be it a high school diploma, a bachelor’s degree or an advanced degree at the graduate or doctoral level. Employers need to be certain that these minimum qualifications are met before giving an offer or onboarding a new hire. Therefore, in order to stand out in the applicant pool, prove that you meet the minimum qualifications for hire, and show that you have transferable educational achievements, you can review IEE evaluation options and obtain a credential evaluation to enhance your resume and job application.
Credential Evaluations for Strengthening US Resumes and Job Applications: The Basics
US-based hiring committees receive applications from all kinds of candidates. For those educated in another country, it can be difficult to verify that the degree matches expectations. With a credential evaluation, a candidate can show what their achievement is most easily comparable to in the US, thus giving confidence and clarity for recruiters, job creators and hiring managers.
It is common for job advertisements to include a provision about credential evaluation for those who earned degrees from institutions outside of the US. Even if the advertisement doesn’t mention this, it does not hurt to receive an evaluation and attach its findings to a resume or CV in a job application.
You can obtain an independent expert evaluation from a US-based credential evaluation service, which specializes in providing US equivalencies for foreign-earned degrees. This will give an extra sense of legitimacy to the education section of your resume. There are many firms to choose from, so be sure to research options before ordering. Factors helping you choose may include report options, prices, document requirements or delivery speed, among others. It is advised to select a provider who is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES); membership in this organization confirms that the provider is devoted to quality, ethics and standards in the industry.
Make the equivalency clear
One of the first components of a US resume is educational background, which normally features the degree title, major or field of study, the institution attended, the year of graduation, and even a GPA. All of these are also featured on a credential evaluation. However, the credential evaluation indicates your US equivalency as well.
Once you receive your credential evaluation, you can add the equivalency recommendation to your resume. You can also make reference to the organization who provided this equivalency, so that way the claim on your resume is tied to a tangible source. This helps a recruiter connect your academic background to a job’s education requirement without asking them to interpret an unfamiliar credential from a different education system.
It’s important to note that evaluations are advisory and non-binding. Evaluators have unique approaches, protocols and policies to generate your equivalency. The evaluation itself is not a replacement for your original academic history. It is a specific suggestion of what your education is most similar to in the US, which may be used to determine your eligibility for a role. If you’re sharing your equivalency on your resume, be sure to report exactly what your credential evaluation says is the equivalency; that way, an employer or reviewer who needs to see your evaluation can check that there is no exaggeration or embellishment.
Employer instructions come before resume strategy
A credential evaluation for a US resume can make your education easier to understand, but no report is automatically accepted or applied by every recipient. The employer, licensing body, admissions office, or other recipient plays a critical role in the process, as they are likely the reason a credential evaluation is being requested. Therefore, be sure to confirm what they require in an application, including credential evaluation.
Sometimes, an employer wants a specific type of report. Other times, a recipient needs a report quickly in order to meet a deadline. And, some prefer receiving a report by mail, and others by email. Overall, be sure to check the job posting or simply ask the recipient about their preferences for foreign-educated applicants. You can review IEE’s credential evaluation guidance for employment while confirming those details.
Membership in the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services can also matter when a recipient asks for an evaluation. Employers, licensing bodies, law firms or schools often prefer that evaluations they receive come from a member organization. Membership serves as a signal of credibility. IEE has been a member of NACES since 2018.
A resume summary is different from the report
If you are putting your equivalency on your resume, an employer may still request the complete evaluation report or require the evaluator send it directly. The report serves as a supporting document for your resume.
There are many types of reports available to job seekers and employers. Feel free to explore the many credential evaluation options for your U.S. job search.
Which Evaluation Report Fits Your Needs?
Before ordering, find out what content is required for your credential evaluation. Requirements vary by employer. Some employers only want the US equivalency. Others may want a US-style Grade Point Average (GPA), credits and/or grades from specific courses. Regardless, IEE has solutions to help employers and prospective employees. If you plan to put your US-equivalent educational information on your resume, a correct and complete evaluation report type will be necessary to support your resume’s contents.
For degree-based employment requirements
A Document Report is often sufficient for employers simply needing a US educational equivalency. For each credential, it identifies the credential title, admission requirement, program duration, the issuing institution and its recognition status, dates completed, and of course the US equivalency. It is the simplest report option, highlighting basic program details and the US equivalency. It is considered the best option for employers prioritizing equivalency, likely to verify that the candidate meets the role’s minimum education requirement as stipulated by job advertisements and internal policies. It is also a shorter report. You can easily copy the equivalency onto your resume, and if an employer requests to see the evaluation, it is brief enough that it won’t take much time to review and corroborate your resume’s educational claim.
For deeper analysis beyond equivalency: evaluations with GPAs and course details
You can also obtain a more detailed report. US-based employers may wish to see a US-formatted GPA; this symbolizes how successfully you performed in your program. Reviewers of your education may view your GPA as an indicator of your competency, knowledge or work ethic. GPAs are often featured on US resumes, so it may be beneficial to have a credential evaluator determine your US-equivalent GPA to accompany your US equivalency; a Document+GPA Report does just this, adding a GPA calculation to the basic Document Report. This may be relevant when an application asks for your average.
A Course Report goes even further. It contains all of the courses taken in an education program, along with a US letter grade and credit amount for each course. It is usually broken down by year, semester or academic term, or it may just list each course based on the order it appears on the original transcript. This type of report will reveal the GPA, as well as the US grading scale being used. This report may be appropriate for roles that require evidence of time spent in particular subjects; for instance, a candidate for an accounting role may wish to show all the courses taken about different types of accounting, plus the final results in each subject.
A Divisional Course Report organizes coursework by academic level. It is more geared for graduate and doctoral admissions offices. It may not be the natural choice for a standard job application unless the recipient specifically requests this format or you are also preparing an admission application. They may do this in order to discern how rigorous your academic program was.
| Report type | What it includes | When it may fit |
|---|---|---|
| Document Report | Credential title, admission requirement, graduation date, program duration, institution attended, and US equivalency | Verification of equivalency, to show that a candidate is minimally eligible or qualified |
| Document+GPA | Document Report information, plus a GPA calculation | To get a sense of how successful a candidate was in their academic careers |
| Course Report | Same as Document+GPA report, as well as individual courses and their grades and credits | When detailed academic history, subjects, grades, or credits are prioritized |
| Divisional Course Report | Same as Course Report, plus indication of academic level of courses | To indicate rigor or level of difficulty, often for graduate admissions |
It is advised to confirm what type of report best fits recipient needs before ordering.
What Documents are Used to Generate Equivalencies and GPAs?
All credential evaluations are based on academic documentation. The right records for evaluation depend on your country, institution, credential, and type of report. Before ordering a report, review IEE’s country-specific documentation requirements. Common records include academic transcripts, degree certificates, examination certificates, mark sheets and diploma supplements.
In some cases, a scan of a document may be sufficient. In other cases, official records must be sent from either the attending institution or a secure, third party delivery service. Sometimes, an individual can deliver documents themselves if they are in a sealed institution envelope. This is done in order to be certain that the credential is authentic. Credential evaluation providers and educational institutions alike go to great lengths to prevent and detect fraud. Similarly, employers want to be sure that their recruits, applicants and new employees are genuine and that their actual backgrounds match what was reported on resumes, submitted in applications or stated in interviews. Therefore, official documentation sent properly plays a critical role in accurately reporting and evaluating an individual’s educational achievements.
It may be necessary to contact your university’s registrar or alumni services department in order to have documents sent to the credential evaluator. It will likely take some time for this documentation to be sent, so be sure to give yourself enough of a head start so that you don’t miss any deadlines or open application periods.
If your documents were not originally issued in English, you will likely need to provide a certified translation.
Careful preparation and submission of documents helps prevent delays, so be sure to do so completely. The credential evaluator will reach out if something more is needed.
How to Use a Credential Evaluation on a US Resume
Resume formatting is already a complicated process. When adding an equivalency to the education portion of your resume, it can be even more difficult. Credential evaluators present educational histories for employment purposes in the US all the time, so you may follow these tips based on experience in comparative education.
Present the original credential and equivalency together
In the education section, identify the credential title (either in the original language or translated), along with the awarding institution, location, field of study, and graduation year. Make sure your information matches what appears in your academic records. Then, add a separate line for the evaluation result.
It can be as simple as this: “U.S. equivalency: [the exact equivalency stated in my evaluation report]”. Replace the bracketed language with the report’s actual finding. Examples of popular equivalencies include “Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering,” “Master of Business Administration degree in Finance,” or “Doctor of Philosophy degree in Physics”. Credentials in professional fields like law, medicine or dentistry are often equated to “first professional degrees.”
Regardless of your result, copy it exactly as it appears, as the reviewer of your resume (and potentially your employer during the background check process) may want to see your credential evaluation.
Formatting your educational background and equivalency like this gives an employer both pieces of context: what you earned in your home country + a US benchmark. Both are rooted in official supporting documentation, allowing the framing to be concretely substantiated.
Only include details that support the job application
Match the amount of detail to the position. For a role that only asks for a degree equivalency, a concise education entry and the equivalency may be enough for the resume. If the job description asks for a GPA, specific credits, or detailed coursework, check whether your report includes that information, and enter as necessary.
Know when to share the full report
Some employers may ask to see the complete report after reviewing your application; a simple copy may suffice. Others may require the evaluation service to send the report directly to them. If requested, follow the employer’s delivery instructions. Keep a copy of your report, and be sure that your resume, application, and evaluation all have matching information.
How Long Does a Credential Evaluation Take?
It is recommended to receive your credential evaluation before putting a US equivalency on a resume. However, processing time can vary by provider. At IEE, the standard processing time is 3 business days after all required documentation has been received.
If you need one faster to support your resume and job search, expedited service options are available for additional fees, including 2-Day and Same Day options. However, these are subject to additional conditions, especially as it relates to documents being received completely.
What Should You Do After Receiving the Evaluation?
When your evaluation arrives, you will have an equivalency, which can be utilized in the pursuit of your goals in the US. Of course, make sure everything looks correct and complete, from your biographical information to your educational contents.
Use the report accurately on your resume, and be ready to share it
As previously stated, it is recommended to copy the equivalency as it appears on your report. Do not add or subtract any words, expressions or values. This is so that if employers wish to confirm the accuracy of this claim, they can reference the credential evaluation, which ought to be exactly the same as what you reported.
Once again, be prepared to share your report. It is possible that an employer, HR representative or staffing agent will want a copy, which you may send as an attachment if it’s enough for them. However, they may want an official version sent securely and directly by the credential evaluator. This is a common practice, as credential evaluation organizations like IEE regularly send evaluations to universities, state licensure boards, legal representatives, immigration agencies, recruiters and employers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a credential evaluation for my US resume?
Not always. A resume is meant to show your educational qualifications and work experience, along with other relevant information. It is usually intended for open positions at a place that is hiring. If your educational background is from abroad, the resume may not properly contextualize your credential in US terms. An employer, recruiter or hiring manager may not know how to interpret your foreign credential, due to differences and lack of familiarity with that system of education. A credential evaluation from an organization like IEE closes the loop by recommending an educational equivalency, so that employers can be sure that the educational background on a candidate’s resume matches the open role’s educational conditions. Furthermore, they may directly ask candidates holding degrees from abroad to obtain a credential evaluation, but be sure to learn their requirements if this is the case.
Which evaluation report is usually best for employment?
A Document Report is a good starting point when the employer needs to verify that the education of an applicant matches their job requirements; in short, it’s best when equivalency is the single most important thing they need. If the employer wants specific information about your foreign education, such as grades, credits, or a GPA, an employment-purposed Document+GPA report or a Course Report may be more appropriate.
What documents do I need to submit?
Document requirements vary by educational background, country of education and report type. Typically, documents utilized to construct credential evaluations include academic transcripts and/or degree certificates. However, check your evaluator’s country-specific instructions, then arrange for documents to be sent by your institution if need be. Translations may also be necessary for academic documents not issued in English.
How long does a foreign degree evaluation take?
Timing depends on the report type, document completeness, and service selected, among other things. IEE proudly presents its average turnaround time as three business days, along with rush options for extra speed and peace of mind. Verify current timing and terms on IEE’s pricing page in the event you need an evaluation quickly.
Will every US employer accept the evaluation?
No. Employers set their own requirements for applicants educated abroad. Some employers do not require a credential evaluation, but it can still help your resume to include an equivalency based on a credential evaluator’s analysis. For those requiring evaluations, certain employers may have their own preferences, from report type to evaluation vendor. Confirm these details before ordering an evaluation or submitting a job application. Please also note that evaluations are advisory, and the decision to move forward with a job application, fill an open role, organize job interviews or tender an offer is left to the individual, team or organization hiring, rather than a credential evaluator. Credential evaluation supports resumes and employment pursuits but does not guarantee placement or admission.
Get started with the right evaluation
Once you confirm your employer’s report requirements, reviewing the available options can help you choose an evaluation that fits your intended purpose. Review IEE’s evaluation options and begin the credential evaluation process whenever you’re ready. Our 24/7 customer support is accessible to help you get started.
