Credential Evaluations

NOTE: if your highest degree is from a U.S. institution, a credential evaluation is not required.

A credential evaluation compares academic and professional degrees earned in one country to those earned in another country, such as the U.S. Colleges, universities, employers, licensing bodies, and government agencies use credential evaluations to assess foreign education as part of the admission or hiring process. 

For immigration purposes, a credential evaluation is required when your degree was obtained from a college, university, or institution outside the U.S. The evaluation will be evidence that your degree is the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree or higher.  At minimum, you must get an evaluation done for your highest degree that is related to the position offered to you unless IFSS advises otherwise. You may choose to get all degrees evaluated, in anticipation of future personal immigration petitions or future employment/academic opportunities. 

How do you get a credential evaluation?
It is your responsibility to obtain the credential evaluation, not the University's. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) can provide you with a list of accredited companies to get your degree(s) evaluated. You can also find other credential evaluation companies by searching "credential evaluation" online. USCIS does not provide a list of companies, so you can use whichever company you would like. By purchasing the credential evaluation yourself, you will own the report and can use that for future immigration cases not at the UW (permanent residency, for example) or perhaps for other employment opportunities outside the UW.

Which company do you choose?
IFSS cannot recommend one company over another. IFSS does, however, recommend shopping around. Some companies will accept copies, not originals, of degree certificates and can offer reports in as little as 3 days. Most companies offer even quicker service but for a higher cost. 

• If you choose to use World Education Services (WES), please add Katie Tollefson (email: katie.tollefson@wisc.edu) as a recipient of the evaluation. IFSS will get an email notification when the credential evaluation is available to us online through our AccessWES account. 
• If you choose to use International Education Evaluation (IEE), go to our landing page here for information: https://myiee.org/university/university-of-wisconsin-madison. By using the IEE link, IFSS will automatically be selected as a recipient of the evaluation once it is completed.

What report do you choose?
Each company has different types of reports you can purchase. Most companies will indicate which reports are sufficient for immigration/USCIS purposes. If you are not sure, contact the company, not IFSS. The report should include details from the credential evaluation company about how they determined the equivalency of the degree. Credential evaluations do not expire, and you can use them again!

What documentation do you need to provide?
Each company will have different requirements. Contact the company for more information or look on their website.

NOTE
Foreign medical graduates who have ECFMG certification do not need an additional credential evaluation. Currently, ECFMG certification will meet this requirement until USCIS specifies otherwise.