If you earned a degree, diploma or transcript outside the United States, almost every American institution that reviews it — USCIS, a university admissions office, a state licensing board, an employer — will ask the same question: what is this qualification worth in U.S. terms? A credential evaluation answers that question in writing, from a qualified third party.
This guide covers what a credential evaluation is, which report type you need, what it costs, how long it takes, and how to choose a provider. It replaces a number of older, narrower articles on this blog and is kept current.
A credential evaluation is a formal report comparing a foreign academic qualification to its closest United States equivalent. The evaluator examines the awarding institution, its recognition status in its home country, the programme length, the admission requirements and the content of the study, and then states the U.S. equivalency — for example, that a three-year Indian Bachelor of Commerce is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.
Two points are frequently misunderstood, and both matter:
Need a credential evaluation?
GEO Credential Services has delivered USCIS-compliant evaluations for more than 20,000 clients over 9+ years. Document-by-document and course-by-course reports, with rush options.
Ordering the wrong report is the single most common and most expensive mistake. There are two main types.
States the U.S. equivalency of your qualification as a whole — “equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.” It does not list individual subjects or grades.
Use it for: most immigration petitions, including H-1B, EB-2 and EB-3; employment; and general proof of qualification.
Everything above, plus a subject-level breakdown: each course you took, its U.S. semester credit hours, its U.S. letter grade, and a calculated grade point average.
Use it for: university admission, transfer credit, professional licensing (nursing, engineering, teaching, accountancy), and any situation where the reviewer needs to see individual subjects.
If you are unsure, ask the institution that requested the evaluation which type they require, and ask before you order. Upgrading later costs more than ordering correctly the first time.
Across the U.S. market, document-by-document reports generally run from roughly $85 to $200, and course-by-course reports from roughly $150 to $400, depending on provider and turnaround. Rush service typically adds a premium. Additional copies, notarisation and courier delivery are usually priced separately.
Standard turnaround is commonly five to ten business days once all documents are received. The phrase “once all documents are received” is where most delays actually happen — not at the evaluator, but in collecting transcripts from the issuing institution.
The translation requirement catches people out. A translation must be complete and certified — a summary, or an unofficial translation done by a relative, will normally be rejected.
Credential evaluation is a document-based service. Your transcripts are reviewed by academic specialists, not by someone in your city, and reports are delivered electronically and by mail. There is no practical advantage to using an evaluator physically near you.
We work with clients in Austin, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle and Washington, D.C., and everywhere else in the United States and abroad. The process, the pricing and the turnaround are the same wherever you are.
Look for transparent pricing, a clearly stated turnaround, evaluators with genuine academic credentials, and honest claims. Be sceptical of guaranteed acceptance, “100% approval” language or claimed government approval — those promises cannot be kept by anyone, and their presence tells you something about the provider.
Need a credential evaluation?
GEO Credential Services has delivered USCIS-compliant evaluations for more than 20,000 clients over 9+ years. Document-by-document and course-by-course reports, with rush options.
The evaluation itself does not expire, but some institutions require one issued within the last few years. Check the requirement of whoever is receiving it.
In some petitions, yes. USCIS has historically applied a three-for-one rule — three years of progressive professional experience treated as equivalent to one year of university study — which requires a separate work experience evaluation rather than an academic one.
Evaluations can often still proceed using national education ministry records or archived accreditation data. Tell your evaluator early so they can advise on documentation.
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