People who immigrate to the United States arrive in this country with a wide variety of foreign degrees and other education. They may have completed high school, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or even Doctoral degree programs in their home countries. Determining to what level of education each of these foreign degrees is equivalent can be a complicated process. Because of this, most people must have their degrees evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation agency prior to getting a job or enrolling in a higher education program in the United States.

In order to enroll in a college degree program in the United States, a person must have the equivalency of graduation from high school in their home country. For example, if a person has completed 11 years of high school and would not be eligible to attend university in their home country, they would not be eligible for higher education here.

People who have earned a Bachelor’s Degree in their home country may or may not have the U.S. equivalency of a Bachelor’s Degree. For example, in Pakistan, many Bachelor Degree programs are of two years’ duration. This is the educational equivalency of an Associate Degree in the U.S. In contrast, though, many three year degree programs, particularly in Europe, are equal to a U.S. Bachelor Degree.

This is because most European students take a 13th year of high school, which is considered equal to one year of undergraduate education in the U.S. Similarly, some Master’s Degree programs are only one year long, and these are therefore usually equal to only one year toward a U.S. Master’s Degree. Generally, however, a Doctoral degree is equivalent to a U.S. PhD.

Some people are surprised to learn that their degrees or diplomas are not considered equivalent to accredited education in the U.S. Others are disappointed to learn that their continuing education or seminar certificates are not evaluated for college credit by the credential evaluation agency. Generally, only course work that has been taken at an accredited college or educational institution recognized by the home country’s Ministry of Education is considered equivalent to U.S. college education.

This week, we were very pleased to hear from another client who had received approval for his I-140 visa. It’s always wonderful to hear good news from people we have been able to help, and to offer help for someone else who has received an RFE or Denial. This person had received an RFE based on EDGE, so this approval was especially good news, and may offer hope to many.

This person had obtained a three-year degree from India, and the USCIS required additional evidence that his degree was equivalent to a US Bachelor Degree. Using all of the documentation and research accumulated by Dr. Sheila Danzig and Professor John Kersey, we were able to show satisfactorily that this degree was indeed the educational equivalent of a US Bachelor Degree.

This can be a difficult process, because universities in India do not document semester credit hours in the same manner as the US. However, when clients are able to obtain the actual number of credit hours from the university, they are usually able to satisfactorily demonstrate that they have at least as many contact hours as those required for a US Bachelor Degree.

We are always very glad to hear from our clients when we have been successful in demosntrating their academic credentials to be equivalent for immigration purposes. We also are glad to be able to share general details about these cases in the hopes that they may help a potential or future client. If you’ve received good news about your RFE or denial, contact us and let us know. We won’t use your name or particular details unless you give us permission to do so. We will honor your privacy. Just let us share the good news and hope with other people who are experiencing the same difficulties you have!

Often, people applying for foreign credential evaluations for their Bachelor or Master Degrees don’t stop to realize that there is a big difference between A and O. Advanced and Ordinary Level secondary exams, that is. In fact, in many countries, Advanced Level exams are equal to an extra year of college education.

Countries such as Norway, the United Kingdom, Spain, Ghana, France, Sri Lanka, and many others offer students ordinary level exams, which is equivalent to US high school graduation. These countries, however, also offer A Level exams, which is equivalent to one year of undergraduate education. Because of this, their three-year Bachelor Degrees can easily be shown to be the US equivalency of a Bachelor Degree, for both education and H1B visa purposes.

Other countries, however, including those in West Africa (including Nigeria, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone) offer both ordinary and advanced level exams. For many of these students, however, the completion of A level exams is equivalent only to graduation from high school – not an undergraduate year of college.

Some people don’t realize the difference, but many other people automatically assume that the credential evaluation service will take these differences into account without having proof of the completion of these exams. This isn’t the case, however. Unless applicants send these exam results, they won’t get credit for this education.

So if you’re ready to apply for an academic credentials evaluation, and your high school education was in a foreign country, send your high school diploma, as well as your ordinary and advanced level exam results. This will save a lot of confusion, and help you get the highest educational equivalency that your academic credentials deserve. Don’t sell your education short – help the evaluators by sending all of your educational documents.