Understanding Which Academic Evaluation You Need: A Guide for International Applicants

One of the most common questions international students, professionals, immigrants, and military applicants ask is:

“What kind of academic evaluation do I need?”

The answer depends entirely on the institution or organization requesting the evaluation. In the United States, there is no universal evaluation standard that applies to every university, employer, or licensing board. At the same time, academic evaluations for immigration is its own ball game.

Because of this, the most important part of the evaluation process is not simply ordering an evaluation, it is understanding exactly what requirements your evaluation must meet before placing your order.

At Evaluation USA, we help you navigate the credential evaluation process every day. This guide explains how to determine which type of evaluation you need, who to contact to verify the requirements, and why confirming these details in advance is essential.

Why Requirements Matter So Much in the United States

Many international applicants assume that any academic evaluation will be accepted everywhere in the United States for every purpose. Unfortunately, that is not how the U.S. system works.

Unlike countries with centralized education systems, the United States does not have a nationalized higher education or credential evaluation system. Universities, employers, licensing boards, immigration authorities, and military branches are often free to establish their own evaluation requirements.

This means:

• Different institutions may require different evaluation types
• Some organizations require Course-by-Course evaluations, while others only need a General Evaluation
• Some schools only accept evaluations from NACES or AICE member agencies
• One institution may accept a particular evaluation provider while another may not
• Requirements can vary even between departments within the same institution

Because of this decentralized system, no evaluation agency can guarantee acceptance by every institution in all states.

For this reason, it is always your responsibility to confirm the exact evaluation requirements with the receiving institution before ordering services.

Failing to verify requirements can lead to:

• Application delays
• Rejected evaluations
• Missed deadlines
• Additional evaluation costs
• The need to reorder services

The good news is that confirming requirements is usually straightforward once you know what questions to ask.

The Two Main Types of Academic Evaluations

In the United States, foreign credential evaluations generally fall into two categories:

• General (Standard) Evaluations
• Course-by-Course Evaluations

Understanding the difference between them is the first step in determining which one you need.

General (Standard) Evaluations

A General Evaluation, called a Standard Evaluation at Evaluation USA, provides an overall comparison of your foreign education to the U.S. education system.

This type of evaluation focuses primarily on:

• The credential earned
• The level of education completed
• The U.S. degree equivalency

For example, a General Evaluation may state that a bachelor’s degree earned in another country is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.

However, it typically does not include:

• Individual course analysis
• GPA calculation
• U.S. credit conversions
• Semester-by-semester breakdowns

Because General Evaluations are less detailed, they are commonly used when an organization only needs to verify that you meet a minimum educational requirement.

This evaluation type is often sufficient for:

• Immigration applications
• Employment verification
• Military recruitment
• Some professional licensing cases

Course-by-Course Evaluations

A Course-by-Course Evaluation provides a much more detailed academic analysis.

In addition to determining U.S. degree equivalency, it typically includes:

• Individual courses completed
• U.S. semester credit conversions
• Grade conversions
• Calculated GPA

This type of evaluation is most commonly required by colleges and universities because admissions offices need detailed academic information to make enrollment decisions.

Course-by-Course evaluations are commonly required for:

• College admissions
• University admissions
• Graduate school applications
• Transfer credit evaluation
• Certain licensing boards
• Professional certification programs

For example, a university may need to verify that you completed specific prerequisite courses before admission into a program. A General Evaluation would not provide enough detail for this purpose. Additionally, most universities require a U.S. GPA to be calculated for financial aid and other admissions requirements.

Evaluations for Immigration and USCIS

In many immigration-related cases, the receiving party is primarily concerned with confirming overall degree equivalency rather than reviewing detailed coursework or GPA calculations.

Because of this, General (Standard) Evaluations are commonly sufficient for immigration purposes.

For example, an immigration attorney or case preparer may simply need documentation showing that a foreign bachelor’s degree is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree for a visa petition or professional immigration case.

However, immigration requirements can vary depending on:

• Visa category
• Attorney preferences
• Supporting documentation requirements
• Case strategy

Before ordering an evaluation, you should confirm requirements directly with your immigration attorney, immigration specialist, or case preparer.

Evaluations for Employment

Employers frequently request academic evaluations to verify that a candidate meets educational qualifications for a position.

In many employment cases, employers are primarily interested in confirming degree equivalency rather than reviewing detailed coursework analysis.

As a result, General (Standard) Evaluations are often sufficient for employment purposes.

However, requirements can vary depending on the employer, profession, or industry. Some regulated professions and technical fields may require more detailed analysis.

Before ordering an evaluation, you should confirm requirements directly with the employer, hiring manager, or HR representative.

You should specifically ask:

• Which evaluation type is required
• Whether Course-by-Course analysis is needed
• Whether translations are required
• Whether the employer has preferred evaluation providers

Evaluations for Military Recruitment

Foreign credential evaluations are also commonly required for military enlistment and recruitment purposes for those who are eligible to join the U.S. Military and have foreign education credentials.

Military recruiters may require proof that foreign education is equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma or college degree for:

• Enlistment eligibility
• Advanced enlistment pay grade determination
• Specialized program qualification

While a Standard/General Evaluation is the most commonly requested evaluation for military enlistment, individuals who wish to receive consideration for previously earned college credits may need a Course-by-Course Evaluation. Unlike Standard/General Evaluations, Course-by-Course Evaluations include U.S. credit conversion and a detailed analysis of postsecondary coursework.

However, requirements can vary between military branches and recruiting offices. For this reason, we always advise:

Before ordering an evaluation, you should confirm requirements directly with your recruiter.

You should never assume that requirements from one branch or recruiting office will apply universally.

Evaluations for Colleges and Universities

Higher education institutions typically require the most detailed evaluations.

Admissions offices often need to review:

• Individual coursework
• GPA calculations
• Credit conversions
• Academic rigor
• Transferability
• Program prerequisites

Because of this, Course-by-Course evaluations are commonly required for college admissions, graduate programs, and transfer credit review.

Additionally, many schools require evaluations from agencies affiliated with professional associations, such as:

• NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services)
• AICE (Association of International Credential Evaluators)

Students should understand an important reality about the U.S. education system: there is no single national standard for foreign credential evaluation acceptance.

Each college and university establishes its own admissions and credential evaluation requirements, subject to any applicable policies of its governing university system, state authorities, or accrediting bodies.

As a result:

• No evaluation agency is accepted by every institution in all states
• Requirements can vary significantly between schools
• One institution may accept a General Evaluation while another requires a Course-by-Course evaluation
• Some schools only accept evaluations from NACES or AICE member agencies

Before ordering an evaluation, you should verify the institution’s requirements with the appropriate admissions office. Requirements for credential evaluations, accepted evaluation providers, and application procedures vary by institution.

You should never assume that an evaluation accepted by one university will automatically be accepted by another.

Evaluations for Professional Licensing

Professional licensing boards often have highly specific evaluation requirements.

This is especially common in professions such as:

• Nursing
• Engineering
• Teaching
• Accounting
• Social work
• Healthcare professions

Some licensing boards require Course-by-Course evaluations, while others require specialized evaluation formats.

Because licensing rules vary by state, you should never rely on general assumptions or outdated information.

Before ordering an evaluation, you should confirm requirements directly with the relevant licensing authority, which may be a state or regional board, or a national professional association.

You should specifically verify:

• The required evaluation type
• Whether specific evaluation agencies are required
• Whether translations are necessary
• Submission procedures and deadlines

When Are Translations Required?

Another major area of confusion involves document translations.

In practice, certified English translations are almost always required for documents not issued in English.

At Evaluation USA, evaluations can often be completed directly from documents written in languages that use the Latin alphabet. This means translations may not always be necessary for the evaluation process itself.

However, this does not mean translations can be skipped entirely.

The organization receiving the evaluation will almost always require English-language documentation, including:

• Universities
• Employers
• USCIS
• Licensing boards
• Military offices

For this reason, you should generally assume that certified translations will be required for non-English documents.

Before ordering services, you should confirm:

• Whether translations are required
• Whether the translations need to be certified and/or notarized
• Whether both originals and translations must be submitted
• Whether the receiving institution has formatting requirements

Confirming translation requirements early can help prevent delays and rejected applications.

Choosing the Right Evaluation

The table below provides a general guide for common evaluation situations.

Purpose	Most Common Evaluation Type	Who Should Confirm Requirements?
Immigration	General (Standard)	Sponsoring employer representative (HR, talent mobility, or immigration specialist) and/or immigration attorney handling the USCIS case
Employment	General (Standard)	Employer or hiring department
Military Recruitment	General (Standard)	Military recruiter or enlistment advisor
College Admissions (Undergraduate)	Course-by-Course	Admissions office or international admissions department
Transfer Credit	Course-by-Course	Registrar or transfer admissions office
Graduate School	Course-by-Course	Graduate Admissions Department
Professional Licensing	Depends on board requirements	State licensing board or licensing authority

This table should be viewed as a starting point, not a guarantee.

You should always verify requirements directly with the organization requesting the evaluation before ordering services.

Final Thoughts

The most important part of the credential evaluation process is understanding the requirements your evaluation must meet before placing your order.

Because the United States does not have a centralized education or evaluation system, institutions are free to establish their own standards regarding:

• Evaluation type
• Accepted agencies
• Translation requirements
• Delivery methods
• Documentation policies

No evaluation provider can guarantee acceptance by every institution, employer, licensing board, military office, or university.

For this reason, you should always contact the receiving organization directly and confirm all requirements before ordering an evaluation.

At Evaluation USA, we are committed to helping you better understand the evaluation process so you can make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary delays, expenses, and application complications. If you have any questions, feel free to chat with us about credential evaluations, document requirements, or the application process. While institutions and agencies ultimately determine their own evaluation requirements, we are always happy to provide guidance and help you identify the evaluation that best meets your needs.