Many people have heard that it is possible to get college credit for life experience, but few actually know how this works. In many countries, a college degree is not always required to enter certain career fields. This week, Career Consulting International received a message from someone we had been working with on a work experience evaluation.

This individual had sat for an accounting examination in a foreign country more than 30 years earlier. After working as an accountant for many years, this person decided to work in the United States, and had done so for many years. Having received no formal foreign degree, this person required proof of having sufficient education to begin employment in a new position.

He consulted this particular foreign credential evaluation agency because we had been able to help a family member of his in the past. After reviewing his documents, we were glad to be able to help. This is how his education and experience worked:

Work experience is usually given a U.S. equivalency of one year of higher education for every three years worked. Thus, after working for 24 years, he had achieved the educational equivalency of a Master Degree in Accounting. This together with his accounting certificate from his country of origin, was enough to be able to issue a degree equivalency and advance his employment prospects with the new firm.

And our credential evaluation service was glad to know we had been able to help.

For many of us who attended high school in the United States, it is hard to imagine our diplomas not being recognized. For prospective college students or immigrants from other countries, however, having foreign credentials such as high school diplomas from other countries can be a hardship, and may even delay or jeopardize their immigration visas. For these students, a foreign degree evaluation is required to assess whether their foreign degrees can be demonstrated as a US equivalency to a high school diploma.

For example, some countries distinguish between pre-university diplomas and vocational diplomas. Students with vocational diplomas cannot be shown to have a U.S. equivalency to a high school diploma from an accredited secondary institution in the United States. Because these diplomas are not equal, a foreign credential evaluation cannot offer evidence that a student is eligible to attend university in the U.S. based on their foreign degrees.

Many students, however, do have the international equivalency of a U.S. high school diploma, but have trouble proving this academic equivalency. Foreign credential evaluation agencies can be very helpful if they have a detailed understanding of the level of education experienced by foreign students. Without a complete understanding of these international equivalencies, however, the agency can do more harm than good.

The professionals at CCI work hard to remain up-to-date on the latest information concerning USCIS requirements and international education assessments. We have been able to help a number of prospective university students who otherwise would have been unable to attend college in the United States. Our focus is to help you be the best you can be - just let us help!

The professionals at Career Consulting International are strongly committed to their clients’s successes. We are thrilled to hear when a client has received approval for immigration visas because it means that we have been able to help one more person in a difficult situation.

One of our goals is to communicate these successes to others, so that other people who have foreign degrees will be encouraged to know about these successful visa applications. If you have had a successful application for an H1-B Visa, an I-140, an EB Visa, or a TN Visa through our consultation services, please write us and tell us about your experience. We want to be able to encourage others through spreading the news of your success. We won’t use your name unless you give us permission.

We recently had the pleasure of learning from a person living in Nebraska who successfully applied for an EB-2. This person’s case involved a 3-Year Degree. The individual was unable to produce mark sheets for the transcripts. Despite this, we were able to offer an evaluation report that helped to gain approval.

We care deeply about the outcomes of our clients’ applications, and work hard to ensure every chance of success. Help us to spread the news by sharing your story today!