Credential Evaluation: Why is it necessary?

The elementary foundation stone of one’s career in Education. The amount of time and energy one invests in education is crucial to his/her future success. If these educational degrees do not get recognised justifiably by foreign universities, then all the hard work might seem a waste. Therefore, it is vital to get your degrees/diplomas evaluated by expert organisations before applying to foreign universities. Let us discuss everything about credential evaluation and why it is necessary.

Procuring a credential-evaluated degree is the first step for an international student before applying to universities abroad and also for skilled workers aspiring to work abroad/ gain employment. In short, credential evaluation helps you to achieve recognition for your academics. Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), World Education Services (WES), and Educational Perspectives (EP) are three of the famous agencies that provide this kind of service. Before we get to know about ECE, WES and EP, let’s understand the concept and requirements of a Credential Evaluation.

What is Credential Evaluation?

In simple terms, credential evaluation meaning is the valuation of your degree/ diploma through expert analysis. It basically analyses your national education degree to provide an American or Canadian equivalent, i.e. it converts your academic credentials to fall in line with the academic credential system in that of the USA or Canada. It is done mainly for countries such as Canada and the USA as they do not have a national education ministry to evaluate foreign degrees. Hence, universities, employers, etc expect an evaluated degree from independent credential auditors. While some US universities evaluate degrees on their terms, most of the time, the university will ask for an evaluated degree. Even if you are called upon for a job in these countries, you need to submit an evaluated degree during the documentation process. As it is a crucial process, only an expert with an all-around knowledge of international education systems can perform a full credential evaluation.

Why is Credential Evaluation Necessary?

The necessity of a credential evaluation arises from the fact that the education system of each of the countries in the world is distinct from each other. Thus, accurate and precise validation of a candidate’s marks/percentage and degree can be rightly calculated only through a proper evaluation. This is where organisations like WES and EP step in. They can analyse and compare the degree given by a certain university to that of the U.S. or Canadian education system so that your hard work is duly recognized, along with prior education and experience. To throw more light, here is why credential evaluation is necessary:

• Credential evaluation recognises foreign education because education systems vary globally. 
• International applicants can understand where they stand through credential evaluation based on the country they are applying to, especially in the USA and Canada.
• Credential evaluation is also essential for admission committees and immigration professionals to get student or skilled worker visas.
• Credential evaluation is also necessary because it helps institutions authenticate the actual performance of international applicants based on their grading systems. 
• Finally, credential evaluation is an assessment of credentials through document submission. Thus, this way, fraud documentation submissions can be avoided. 

Thus, these are the broad reasons why credential evaluation is necessary and how it aids smoother transitions from one country's education system to another. 

Types of Evaluations Offered by Credential Evaluators

There are three types of evaluations offered by credential evaluators and they are as follows:

These are ideally the broad types of reports that credential evaluators give. They may vary in costs or offerings based on each credential evaluator.

Credential Evaluation from ECE, WES and EP

Let us discuss about the three agencies and see how they work:

Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)

Formed in 1980, ECE is a non-profit organisation that has helped more than 600,000 internationally educated people, including almost 40,000 from India over the past 10 years, receive recognition for their educational achievements. The ECE Reports are valid for five years. Colleges, universities, employers, and governments trust this organisation to evaluate international education as part of their admission or hiring process.

ECE generates reports that are:

• Completed fast with an average turnaround of five business days
• Developed with the highest level of quality and integrity
• Offered at a competitive, often the lowest, cost
• Easy to order online
• Supported by excellent customer service that has earned ECE a 95% customer satisfaction rating

ECE Evaluation Cost

ECE evaluation cost based on each report is as follows:

ECE received an A from the Better Business Bureau and the BBB Torch Award for Ethics in 2018. Besides, it was a founding member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) in 1987.

Read: How does ECE help in the evaluation of your documents?

What is WES evaluation?

WES offers credential evaluation services since its origin in 1974. The evaluation process starts with the candidate sending all the required documents to the organisation. Next, a credential evaluator is assigned to verify and authenticate the documents sent by the candidate. Once it is done, the credentials are assessed based on the following points:

• The education system of your country
• The reputation of the educational institution you attended
• The curriculum and content of your programme
• Any other requirements you had to fulfil while getting admission to the university/college

WES Evaluation Cost

The cost of WES credential evaluation per report, based on each level is as follows:

Post this, the obtained data is then calculated according to the American or Canadian standard depending upon the university/ country you will be going to. This includes the grades obtained, credit hours, and courses converted to their American or Canadian equivalent points. After the first evaluation report is generated, it is sent for a review to check its accuracy and then, sent for approval to a senior credential evaluator. The whole process takes about 7-8 business days right after the verification of the candidate’s documents.

Know more about How WES converts Grades to GPA? and the WES report on How Master's Students Choose Institutions

Educational Perspectives (EP)

EP is a non-profit international education research organisation dedicated to assisting candidates in evaluating their educational degrees to be accepted internationally. They boast of highly experienced evaluators who are actively involved in international education. Being members of the National Association of Graduate Admission Professionals (NAGAP), American Association of Collegiate Registrars (AACRAO), and the European Association for International Education (EAIE), the evaluator is up-to-date with any change in the evaluation process.

Since 2003, EP itself has been a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). It is also one of the Groningen Declaration's signatories that attempts to find a common platform for individuals seeking academic and professional help for international mobility worldwide. The declaration ensures that interested parties and stakeholders unite to serve such candidates. Known for their quick response, EP usually takes five business days to complete a credential evaluation.

While now you must be clear about why students require a Credential Evaluation, there must be a lot of questions arising in your mind regarding it. Here are a few FAQs to clear your doubts:

If you have any questions, please drop us a comment below, and we'll be happy to resolve your queries!