Credential evaluation firms like IEE have seen academic records from so many different places. Ambitious people from all corners of the world utilize credential evaluation services to have their achievements recognized, which can allow them to pursue opportunities and make contributions in a new country. It is the job of a credential evaluator to deliver a fair and understandable credential evaluation that accurately interprets a student’s accomplishment, no matter where it’s from.
Once documentation is received, an evaluator starts constructing the credential evaluation by asking a simple question: where is this document from? From there, more questions are asked. What is the education system of the country like? What kind of job or further education is one qualified for upon degree conferral? Does it resemble a US credential in any way?
This article will explore how variations in international education systems influence the credential evaluation process. We will examine different factors that can affect the interpretation of a credential, identify some basic educational patterns found across the globe and explore how an education system’s structure affects methodologies, policies and conclusions.
Key Factors That Shape a US Academic Equivalency
An academic equivalency describes the US program that the credential from another country most closely resembles. It indicates that an individual has an educational record like what is found in the US at that level. Equivalencies are used for many reasons. An employer or licensing board may need an equivalency to show that an applicant has the requisite qualifications for the position or occupation as mandated by company policy or state law. An immigration officer may use an equivalency to determine that the applicant is eligible for a certain visa. And an admissions specialist may use an equivalency to know that a prospective student has the proper academic background to be granted a spot in a program.
To build an equivalency, a credential evaluator must know a few key factors. First is the credential’s country; this tells the evaluator both the source of the document and the education system from which the credential was obtained. The education system refers to the structure within the country that allows individuals to become educated, trained and authorized to work or continue study; it is often articulated in a framework, which contains information about curriculum, length of study and expectations of competency. From there, an evaluator usually identifies the admissions requirement, the minimum program duration, the institution and its recognition or accreditation status, and the field of study. Some other factors for equivalency conclusions include the level of study, the specific professional or vocational outcome of the program and the access to more advanced academic levels.
While everyone’s grades, periods of enrollment and personal achievements may be different, credential evaluators have identified common trends in systems across the world. By collecting research resources, utilizing databases and networks, and gaining experience over the years, evaluation professionals have a good sense of how credentials in diverse systems function and thus can approximate an equivalency for these credentials. The final results are published on the credential evaluation.
Let’s now look at specific elements in education systems that influence equivalencies.
Global Education Models That Influence Credential Evaluations
Given the interconnected nature of the world, many countries have either inherited from or based their education system on that of somewhere else. Let’s look at a few systems that have served as baselines for other countries and the general education system they use.
A: The US Based Education Model and Its Global Influence
Many countries across the world have adopted patterns like the United States. In these places, students take 12 years of elementary, middle and secondary school, followed by a tertiary system of post-secondary education with both 4-year bachelor’s degrees and advanced credentials like master’s and doctoral degrees. Examples include South Korea, Japan, Ghana, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Spain, Turkey and many provinces in Canada. The system of credits at the post-secondary level often resembles the United States’ post-secondary habits as well. A simple face value comparison is often sufficient in these places. While some institutions may have their own credit systems, and while certain fields like engineering or architecture may require more time to complete, these countries have many similarities that make it easier for credential evaluators to find an equivalency in US terms.
B: The United Kingdom and Commonwealth Style Education Systems
Given the legacy of the British Empire and the continued existence of the Commonwealth of Nations, it is not surprising that many countries follow an education pattern similar to the United Kingdom.
Students complete 6 years of primary education, followed by 5 years of secondary education, culminating in the General Certificate of Secondary Education. After general secondary education, individuals spend 2 years in a university-preparatory program, which results in a General Certificate of Education – Advanced Level. This 2-year program is rigorous and meant to give students adequate preparation for university studies. Undergraduate education comes next, typically lasts 3 years and culminates in the bachelor’s degree. Credentials are often available after each year, in which students get a certificate or diploma that they can use as they wish. Finally, individuals can pursue master’s and doctoral-level study for more specialized education.
Although the particulars may vary, many countries across the Caribbean, Anglophone Africa and East Asia have embraced a system like the United Kingdom. Credential titles may differ but the basic practice is the same. Sixteen countries and territories, including Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Guyana, confer the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate, followed by the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination Certificate after university-preparatory study; these are awarded by the Caribbean Examinations Council. This leads to bachelor’s degrees, which are usually 3 or 4 years long. African countries including Uganda, Zimbabwe and the English-speaking regions of Cameroon follow the UK format too. In Asia, this style is found in Singapore, Malaysia, and was active in Hong Kong until 2012.
Additionally, many countries have teaching centers for UK-based institutions, with a final credential awarded by the institution in the United Kingdom. These are found in countries that follow a UK-model, as well as countries that may have something different but have still created pathways for students to achieve such credentials. These centers have been spotted in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and more, with final certificates issued by UK-based institutions, from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants to universities like University of Sunderland. Furthermore, many secondary schools follow the UK pattern, allowing individuals from these schools to take examinations from one of the six major examination boards, such as Cambridge International Education; IEE has seen cases like these from Kenya, Namibia and more.
As the university-preparatory programs from UK-styled systems are advanced in nature and give sufficient preparation for university study in the country or province, many US-based higher education institutions and credential evaluation providers are willing to consider these equivalent to university-level study in the United States. They may assign credit that can be used towards a university program.
C: The French Inspired Education System Across the Francophone World
The French educational model serves as another baseline found in countries across the world. In this system, individuals complete 9 years of elementary and lower secondary education, followed by 3 years of secondary education; the final qualification is called the Baccalauréat. Similar to the United Kingdom’s boards, it is possible to find secondary schools outside France that offer the opportunity for individuals to sit for examinations administered by boards in France; this allows students to receive a secondary-level credential from France.
At the post-secondary level, the most recognizable progression of educational credentials is called the “LMD” progression; “LMD” stands for “Licence-Master-Doctorate.” This method of educational matriculation is found across Europe and Francophone systems. This progression recognizes 3 levels of education, marked as ‘first cycle’ for undergraduate, ‘second cycle’ for graduate, and ‘third cycle’ for doctorate-level. At the conclusion of each level in the LMD progression, an individual is awarded a credential, which can be used in the country for employment, education and more.
The Licence typically lasts 3 years and functions similarly to the US bachelor’s degree. However, there are also a number of undergraduate-level exit credentials available in France. After 1 or 2 years, a student can receive a diploma, such as Diplôme ďÉtudes Universitaires Générales, which is more generalized in content, or a more specialized, technically oriented qualification like the Brevet de Technicien Supérieur. Both credentials allow an individual to receive advanced standing in a Licence program rather than starting from scratch; usually after a year, the remaining work for a Licence can be completed.
The second cycle in the LMD structure results in a master’s degree after two years of advanced, specialized study. After year 1, individuals are often awarded a Maîtrise, a certificate signifying the completion of the first part of the second cycle. Should an individual continue with the second year, they will likely complete a thesis and receive a Master’s credential, which gives access to the third and final cycle of the formal education system. The Doctorate level is the most advanced and resembles doctoral-level study elsewhere.
Outside of the LMD structure, France also features advanced study in fields like engineering. After 2 years of post-secondary study, a student may be eligible to pursue a 3-year engineering degree, which culminates in the award of a Diplôme d’ingénieur.
France has made many kinds of secondary and post-secondary credentials available for learners, and systems in the Francophone world have embraced similar methods mirroring the French way. Haiti is the prominent example in the Western Hemisphere. The French model also appears across French-speaking countries in Africa and the Middle East, such as Algeria, Lebanon, Senegal, Niger and Tunisia. These countries contain their own variations, be it duration of elementary and secondary education in some or more credentials available in others. Furthermore, while examining baseline models like the French system can be good as a starting point or for reference, credential evaluators treat each system individually, and a historical relationship or shared language with another country may not indicate easy or exact comparability. As a result, organizations like IEE consult a plethora of resources to guarantee a fair and accurate representation of the country’s system and its closest US equivalency.
D: The Russian Based Education Structure and Its International Variations
Russia’s education system has experienced changes over the last several decades. During the Soviet Union, elementary and secondary education lasted 10 years; since 1990, the system allows for 11 years. University study commonly takes 5 years. Programs will contain entry level courses, general education courses and advanced courses in specific subjects, similar to an undergraduate program in the US; it will also include research, a thesis and maybe internships or practicals. As these Diplom Spetsialista programs start after secondary education and allow students to pursue doctoral-level study when done, IEE will often equate these to a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Many countries that were part of the former Soviet Union have an education system similar to Russia, including Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
In addition to this model, countries following the Russian system may also have a scheme mirroring the standard tertiary format found across the world, with the 4-year bachelor’s degree (Diplom Bakalavra), followed by a master’s degree (Diplom Magistra). These have been seen with increasing frequency from countries across the former Soviet Union, including Russia. It is also possible to jump between the two, with those holders of a Diplom Bakalavra being able to earn a Diplom Spetsialista after an additional year of study.
How Eleven and Thirteen Year School Systems Compare to the United States
While the United States has a 12-year system, many countries use a combination of 11 years to complete elementary and secondary education. In some instances, like Azerbaijan, Colombia or El Salvador, students receive their secondary-level exit credential and move straight into an undergraduate university program, which can last 4 or 5 years before graduate studies commence.
Another format involves 13-year systems; these are education systems in which a student completes primary and secondary schooling after 13 years. Completion often give access to 3-year undergraduate degrees in the country of education. However, to be granted university credit like the 11+2 systems based on the UK-model, the upper secondary school experience must be rigorous and complex enough that evaluators can view portions of the credential as being on par with university-level work in the United States. This happens in Iceland and Norway, whose secondary-level credentials often result in a high school diploma equivalency along with some undergraduate credit. Some credentials in India and Pakistan may also be eligible for this approach, such as the Indian engineering diplomas issued by state boards of technical education.
These 13-year systems have a key systemic concept in common with the UK-based models: they each grant an individual sufficient preparation for participation in a university-level program. While the first-cycle, undergraduate degree in these countries often lasts 3 years, credential evaluators across the industry will often consider a degree from a system like this as equivalent to the 4-year bachelor’s degree in the United States. This is because an individual in aggregate has both a secondary-level diploma and a minimum 4 years’ worth of progressively complex post-secondary study leading to a credential that, upon conferral, grants access to graduate-level studies; this mirrors their counterparts in the United States and underscores the influence that an education system has on an evaluation.
How Evaluation Methodology Impacts the Final Equivalency
With so many nations and regions on Earth, it is unsurprising that most education systems don’t perfectly match the US system. Regardless, credentials at different levels can be understood as meeting or exceeding the standards in the United States by invoking the right methodology.
IEE has developed two methodologies for generating equivalencies: year-counting and benchmarking. Each of these methodologies consider the unique factors that contribute to an equivalency, but they place priority on some factors more than others. In the year-count methodology, duration is most essential. This methodology counts the amount of years or academic terms required to complete the program. Meanwhile, the benchmark methodology prioritizes level of study, educational access and contact hours rather than raw amount of years or terms; while a program may be 3 years in length, an evaluator may view it as equivalent to a four-year bachelor’s degree in the United States if appropriate.
The application of methodology depends on a few considerations. First is the purpose of evaluation; at this point, IEE exclusively uses a Year-count methodology on evaluations made for military, immigration or licensure purposes. Second is recipient; IEE gives recipient institutions, from employers to higher educational institutions, the opportunity to select their preferred methodology. The last consideration is the country of education.
While variations exist, a country may be eligible for benchmarking based on its qualification framework. Evaluators consult frameworks to get a sense of what is required to obtain a credential and what the credential unlocks for the individual.
Frameworks may share information about duration too. In many cases, countries have a first cycle, undergraduate credential that takes 3 years to achieve, followed by a 1- or 2-year second cycle, graduate credential, mirroring the LMD method seen in France. Examples with this scenario include India, Poland, Portugal and Sweden.
While IEE has this approach, it may not be applicable in certain countries due to the education system there. An undergraduate bachelor’s degree program may be 3 years long, but it may not meet our criteria for a bachelor’s degree equivalency. This could be due to less raw time in the program or lack of professional access upon conferral. In some countries, while 3 years are required to achieve the bachelor’s degree, another year at a higher academic level may be required before an individual embarks on what is considered graduate-level study. Systems like this include Australia, Canada-Ontario, Myanmar and South Africa. This fourth year may be called an “Honours” bachelor’s degree program, or it may be called a different credential name, such as “Graduate Diploma.”
The evaluation methodology will always be visible at the top of an IEE report. For more information about how IEE utilizes methodologies, feel free to read our White Paper on the topic.
How Diverse Education Pathways Lead to Comparable US Outcomes
In over 4 decades of evaluations, IEE has seen credentials of all sorts. It’s extremely common to see credentials from higher educational institutions in fields like business, engineering, fine arts, social science, medicine or technology. We’ve also seen culinary arts, cosmetology, aircraft piloting and opticianry, among other practical subjects. Certainly, systems produce credentials that hold professional value or academic repute in the home country, but there may not be a perfect way to translate them into US terms.
One example of this relates to vocational credentials. Countries like Germany, Italy or Philippines have specific vocational tracks that can begin as early as secondary school. An individual may complete an apprenticeship, take professional examinations or go straight into the workforce. By contrast, the United States does not have a similarly centralized infrastructure for vocational education. IEE attempts to display the equivalency in a way that demonstrates its value and the context surrounding the pursuit and perception of the credential; however, it also attempts to compare it to the most applicable US program.
Some systems have various credentials available for specific vocations, such as nursing. Due to the sophisticated nature of nursing education across the world, as well as the significant demand for qualified nurses in a continuous shortage in the US, IEE has many specific nursing licensure products available, as well as a selection of US equivalencies to match the method of education to its closest US counterpart, despite differences between the US system and the nursing credentials within other systems.
In many countries and periods of time, undergraduate and graduate education is achieved in one single credential; these are sometimes called ‘long cycle’ programs. In these cases, a student is admitted after secondary education and takes about five years to graduate. This format was commonly found in Europe until the Bologna reforms were introduced in the late 1990s. As discussed earlier, this format of education is still found in Russia.
A last instance involves professional education in fields like medicine, law, physical therapy or dentistry. In the United States, degrees in these fields are at the graduate-level, with individuals eligible for admission after earning a 4-year bachelor’s degree; some countries follow a similar pattern, such as law degrees in South Korea. Most countries allow education in these professionally oriented fields to start straight after high school. Credential evaluators often equate credentials from these systems to a first professional degree. When applicable, IEE includes an additional note on reports to provide recipients with context, professional rights and advice about credentials from these systems.
Why Understanding Global Education Systems Strengthens Every Evaluation
Credential evaluation in comparative education starts with the premise that a complete credential in one country can be equated to a complete credential in another. As demonstrated, IEE considers various aspects in generating an equivalency, placing great care on understanding the education system from which a credential comes. Every evaluation is given attention and diligence before it is sent to a university, employer, licensing board or immigration applicant. Our dedication to excellence, understanding and transparency is inspiring so many to choose us as their credential evaluation provider. Start your evaluation journey today!
