If you are considering study or work in the U.S. or Canada, you will most likely need a credential evaluation report.  

A credential evaluation report from WES provides an accurate and authenticated record of the educational or professional qualifications you earned in other countries, including degrees, diplomas, and transcripts. WES credential evaluation reports help schools, potential employers, and licensing and immigration officials understand your educational background. Credential evaluation reports also verify that your educational credentials are authentic.  

Even if you have not yet decided where to work or study in the U.S. or Canada, getting started with a WES credential evaluation is an important step in your educational or immigration journey. Having your report available when you do decide will help you reach your career or education goals more quickly.  

Getting started is easy! Here are the steps to apply for your WES credential evaluation: 

Create an account 

First you’ll need to create a WES account. As part of this step, you will be asked to verify your email address, so you can access your email inbox when you create your account. You will also need to create a secure password. The final step in creating your account is sharing your name, date of birth, and additional contact information.   

Start your application 

Once you have successfully created your WES account, you may start your application!  

To complete this step, you will need to supply the following information: 

• The complete names of the educational institution(s) where you studied  
• the exact name of the credentials you earned and of your major or program of study 
• the dates you studied in each program or at each institution 

If you studied at more than one educational institution or graduated from multiple programs, you will have the option to add multiple credentials or degrees. Once you have added each of your educational credentials, you will be given an option to identify any recipient you wish to send your final credential evaluation report to. You may select higher education institutions, licensing or regulatory bodies, employers, or others. As part of your order, you will automatically receive a copy of the report for yourself. 

NOTE: Recipient selection at the time you complete your application is optional. If you are not sure who will need to receive the final report when you apply, you can return to your WES account later to purchase additional report copies, to send to the recipients you identify.   

Select your evaluation package 

Depending on how you plan to use your final credential evaluation report, we offer different evaluation types that suit your needs. Some higher education institutions and professional licensing bodies will have specific requirements regarding the kind of evaluation you need to provide. For instance, some recipients may require only that you have the authenticity of each degree evaluated. WES calls this a DxD report. Others may require evaluation at the course level. WES calls this a CxC report. Applicants for certain Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) programs must obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). Be sure to closely review each of your recipients’ requirements so you can select the type of credential evaluation report you need.  

NOTE: If you are not yet sure who will request your final credential evaluation report, we recommend considering the WES International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP) Document-by-Document evaluation. With this option, we will evaluate your earned credentials and securely store your transcripts and your evaluation report after your evaluation is complete.* WES ICAP makes it easy to send your report to future recipients as needed. (Please note that sending your report to additional recipients will incur an extra cost.) 

Review the list of documents required to support your application 

Once you have selected an appropriate credential evaluation report or package, you will be presented with a list of required documents. Review the details carefully. These documents must be “official” – in other words, they must be sent to WES by the appropriate institution. In many cases, this will be the educational institution that awarded your degree. In some countries, you may need to obtain documents from a central issuing authority such as a government agency. 

NOTE: The list of required documents that you see during the application process is based on the information you supplied in your initial application. Upon receipt of these required documents, WES may contact you for additional documents and information that further support your application.  

Finalize and submit your application 

Once you have reviewed the required documents, you will have a final opportunity to review the information in your application. Check your details carefully as inaccurate information can lead to delays in producing your credential evaluation report.  

NOTE: If you need to refer to your required documents at any point in your application process, you can find this information in your WES account. 

After you have confirmed all information provided is correct, you will be directed to our secure payment page.  

Taking the next steps 

Once your application is complete, you will receive a 7-digit WES reference number. Keep this number in a safe place, as you will need to include it in all document requests and any future correspondence with WES. This number will allow us to ensure your documents are matched accurately to your WES evaluation. 

Once we have received and accepted all required documents related to your application, we will evaluate them and produce a report to be delivered to you and any additional recipients you identified during the application process. You can login to your WES account at any time to check your application’s progress.  

After your evaluation is complete, you can always return to your WES account to order another credential evaluation or purchase additional copies of your report. WES evaluations have a lifelong value, so your evaluation will always be available to you in the future.* Remember to keep your WES login and password in a secure place so you can quickly and easily access your WES account. 

Learn more about our credential evaluation process and visit the WES Advisor Blog for more tips, tools, and resources to support your journey to the U.S. or Canada.  

*Due to regulatory requirements, applicants who obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) as part of the requirement to apply to certain Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) programs may, after 10 years, have limited access to their credential evaluation reports and other documents.