Who decides what your degree equals in another country?

One degree, four doors, four answers

Imagine⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​⁠ Tunde, an invented civil engineer with a bachelor’s degree from his home country. Over a few years he might take it to four doors and hear four answers:

• Canadian immigration: an evaluation says it compares to a Canadian bachelor’s degree, so it counts.
• A US graduate school: send a course-by-course report with a GPA, then we will decide.
• An engineering regulator: the degree is a step toward a license, not the license.
• A UK employer: we only needed to know it is a genuine degree at the right level.

None of these answers is wrong. Each door asks a different question.

Many countries have no central office that converts degrees. The US is one: its Department of Education states plainly that it does not evaluate foreign qualifications. Instead, it lists who does: schools and universities for study, employers for work, state licensing boards for licensed professions and federal immigration authorities for visas.

So drop the question “what is my degree worth abroad?” Ask instead: whose door is this, and what does its lock require?

Some countries have one main door

Some⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​⁠ countries run recognition through one government office. Oman’s higher education ministry, for example, handles equivalency for each university qualification issued abroad, and considers a foreign master’s only after any foreign degrees before it. Qatar’s education ministry has a Department of Equivalency of University Degrees. If you will live and work in a country like this, start at the ministry.

Evaluators write reports. They don’t own the door.

In⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​⁠ the US, evaluations come from private services that charge a fee. The Department of Education says no federal regulation covers them, and it endorses none. The best-known associations, NACES and AICE, are trade groups that set standards for their members, not regulators.

Different services may evaluate the same credential differently, the Department notes. And if you disagree with a result, you appeal to the evaluator, because the federal government has no role in appeals.

World Education Services (WES) describes the two usual report types:

• Document-by-document: names each credential and its US equivalent. Generally enough for immigration, employment and first-year admission.
• Course-by-course: adds every course, converts credits and grades, and calculates a GPA. Licensing boards and graduate programs may require it.

When two evaluations disagree

Do⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​⁠ not shop for a better answer. Use the report the door asked for, from the evaluator it names. If you think that report is wrong, ask the same evaluator for a review and send what it lacked, such as course descriptions. Switch evaluators only if the door confirms in writing that it accepts the other one.

Other countries arrange their doors differently

UK. UK ENIC (formerly UK NARIC) is the UK’s official body for recognizing and comparing international qualifications, run on the UK government’s behalf. Note what its Statement of Comparability leaves out: grades, specific subjects and English ability.

Canada. Express Entry immigration requires an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an organization that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has designated, such as WES. Doctors and pharmacists may have to use their profession’s own body. IRCC accepts an ECA only while it is less than five years old, and it does not promise a job or a license.

Australia. There is no single body: skills assessing authorities for migrants, licensing authorities for regulated jobs, and the university itself for study.

Where the treaties apply, the door should open

This⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​⁠ is the most useful rule in the system. It also has limits.

The Lisbon Recognition Convention, a Council of Europe and UNESCO treaty opened for signature in 1997, says each party shall recognize higher education qualifications from other parties “unless a substantial difference can be shown.” You must supply adequate information. Then the burden moves: the body doing the assessment must show that you fall short. UNESCO’s Global Convention, adopted in 2019, carries the same rule worldwide and asks authorities that find substantial differences to consider partial recognition rather than a flat no.

The limit: a treaty binds only the countries that ratify it. Canada ratified the Lisbon Convention in 2018. UNESCO’s records list the United States as not having ratified either treaty, so the rule does not bind US universities, employers or agencies.

If an assessor in a ratifying country turns you down, ask in writing which substantial difference it found, and whether partial recognition is possible.

Licensed jobs have a second lock

An⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​⁠ equivalency report says what your degree compares to. It does not say you may practice.

In the EU, Directive 2005/36/EC sets the rules for regulated professions, those that by law require a specific qualification. US licenses are generally issued state by state. Canada sends you to the province or territory where you plan to settle.

For Tunde, the regulator’s answer, not the evaluator’s, decides whether he can work as a licensed engineer. Anyone in a licensed job should start there.

Work backward from the door

Before⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​⁠ you pay anyone:

1. Which door? Name the university, employer, regulator or authority that will rely on your degree.
2. Which evaluator does it accept? Use that one.
3. Which report? Document-by-document or course-by-course, with or without grades.
4. How long is it valid? Canadian immigration, for one, sets a limit.
5. Is the job licensed? Then go to the regulator first.
6. Are your papers ready? Evaluators generally need English translations of non-English documents. Our guide to apostille, translation and credential evaluation covers the paperwork.

The bottom line

Nobody⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​⁠ decides what your degree equals in general. Someone decides what it equals at one door, for one purpose. Find that door first, then the evaluator it trusts, then the report it wants. And where the treaties apply, remember who has to prove a substantial difference. It is not you.