Where Can I Get My Foreign Degree Evaluated?
A practical guide for internationally educated professionals looking to have their foreign degree recognized for employment, graduate school, or professional licensure in the United States.
Key Takeaways
- A foreign degree evaluation is a professional assessment that determines how your international education compares to the U.S. educational system.
- You may need an evaluation for employment, university admission, professional licensure, or immigration-related processes.
- The type of evaluation you need — document-by-document or course-by-course — is determined by the organization requesting it, not by you.
- Choosing the right evaluation agency matters: look for experience, professional membership, transparency, and acceptance by the receiving organization.
- A credential evaluation provides a professional opinion — it does not guarantee admission, employment, or licensure. Final decisions rest with the receiving organization.
What Is a Foreign Degree Evaluation?
You have the degree. You have the experience. You have years of professional work in your home country. But in the United States, no employer, university, or licensing board can verify the value of your education without a document that explains it in terms they can understand.
That is where a foreign degree evaluation becomes essential. A foreign degree evaluation is a professional assessment that compares your international education to the U.S. educational system. The result is a formal report that explains — in terms recognizable to U.S. employers, universities, and licensing boards — how your degree compares within the U.S. educational framework.
This is necessary because educational systems vary significantly from country to country. A degree with the same title may represent different academic levels depending on the country and institution where it was earned. A credential evaluation removes that ambiguity.
For a deeper look at how the evaluation process works, visit our Comprehensive Guide to Credential Evaluation.
When Do You Need a Foreign Degree Evaluation?
You may not need an evaluation immediately. However, most internationally educated professionals reach a point where one is requested. These are the most common situations:
Employment
Employers in regulated fields often require an evaluation to verify your degree level before extending an offer.
University Admission
Colleges and graduate programs typically require an evaluation to assess eligibility and review transfer credit.
Professional Licensure
Most state licensing boards for teaching, nursing, engineering, and accounting require an evaluation before processing your application.
Immigration Processes
Certain visa or work authorization processes may require documentation of your educational level.
Important: Alianza Academic Evaluations does not provide legal or immigration advice. If your process involves immigration matters, consult a qualified attorney or accredited representative.
Which Type of Evaluation Do You Need?
Before searching for an evaluation service, it is important to know what type of report the requesting organization requires. There are two primary types:
Document-by-Document
Course-by-Course
If you are unsure which type applies to your situation, that is normal — the type of evaluation is almost always determined by the recipient organization, not by you. Ask them directly before ordering. You can also review our full guide to what to do after earning a degree abroad for a detailed breakdown.
How to Choose a Foreign Degree Evaluation Agency
Not all evaluation agencies work the same way. When selecting a provider, consider the following factors:
Experience and Track Record
Look for organizations with years of experience evaluating credentials from a wide range of countries and educational systems. Experience directly influences the quality and reliability of the evaluation report.
Professional Membership
Membership in professional associations within the credential evaluation field is an indicator that the agency adheres to recognized standards of methodology and professional ethics.
Transparency
A trustworthy agency clearly explains what documents you need, how the process works, and what the turnaround times are. If that information is not readily available, consider it a red flag.
Turnaround Time
Confirm processing times before applying, especially if you have a deadline. Some agencies offer accelerated processing for applications that meet certain eligibility criteria.
Acceptance by the Requesting Organization
Before contracting any service, verify with the university, employer, or licensing board that they accept evaluations from that specific agency. Some organizations maintain lists of accepted providers or have specific reporting requirements.
How the Foreign Degree Evaluation Process Works at Alianza
Alianza Academic Evaluations is an organization with more than two decades of experience evaluating international credentials. As an Endorsed Member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE), Alianza is committed to the highest standards of methodology and professional ethics in the field.
Our process follows four steps:
Document Submission
You gather and submit your academic documents: degree certificate, diploma, transcripts, and — when applicable — certified English translations.
Document Review
Our team reviews the authenticity, completeness, and academic level of the submitted documents. If anything is missing or unclear, we will contact you promptly.
Institutional Research and Equivalency Analysis
We research the institution and educational system of your country to determine how your credential compares to the U.S. educational system using established evaluation methodology.
Evaluation Report Issued
We issue a formal evaluation report that you can present to employers, universities, licensing boards, or government agencies. Standard processing takes approximately 3 weeks. Rush processing may be available for eligible applications.
Learn more about our Foreign Degree Evaluation services and what each report type includes.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions we hear most often from internationally educated professionals beginning this process.
Ready to Evaluate Your Foreign Degree?
Alianza Academic Evaluations helps internationally educated professionals present their academic credentials for use in employment, higher education, professional licensure, and other purposes in the United States.
Always confirm the specific requirements of the organization requesting your evaluation before applying. Alianza Academic Evaluations does not provide legal, immigration, or professional licensing advice.