What Qualifications Do I Need in Order to Attend University in the United States
Required Qualifications to Study in the United States-There is no single group in the United States that recognizes foreign degrees and other credentials that you may bring with you to earn a degree in the U.S. International agreements and practices recognize the institution of admission for those who wish to attend a U.S. University.
Read also: Tuition fees in the United States.
What Qualifications Do I Need?
In order to be considered for admission to a United States university, you must have at least one secondary school diploma or equivalent. After that, there are a number of factors that are taken into consideration, such as your grades and any relevant test results. In many instances, the university will need to determine your home country’s equivalent to these standard requirements. Because each country’s educational system is unique, some universities may find it difficult to make this determination.
The admitting university will often rely on credential evaluation services. While your international studies office may provide you with the information you need to be accepted to the university, they will ultimately turn to these services. These are independent groups that analyze qualifications and credentials and inform the university of what they are equivalent to.
If the institution suggests a specific credential assessment service, go with that. In some cases, you don’t need to do anything at all and the university handles that part of the process. If the institution simply tells you that you need to find an assessment service, then be very cautious; there are many of them, but there isn’t any federal or state oversight of them.
Choosing a Credential Evaluation Service
How do I know which credential assessment services are legit?
You can’t go wrong using one of the credential assessment services that are part of one (or both):
- National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)– 19 Credential Assessment Services with Admission Standards and an Adhered Code of Ethics.
- Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE)– The Association is made up of 10 credential evaluation services; each of which has a Board of Advisors and a Code of Ethics.
What do Credential Evaluation Services Need From Me?
Below is a list of some of the information the credential evaluation service (CES) will need to process your application for an evaluation.
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- Fees. Cost of the evaluation will differ on what information you have available.
- English translations.If you have documents in your native language, try to get certified English translations of the documents.
- The program you are studying. Your admission to a university may vary depending on the type of program you are attending; some universities may have different admission criteria.
- More is better.If you have information regarding your education history in your country of residence, please provide it to your credential evaluation service. Grade average, degree, diploma, certificate, test results, and anything else you have should be provided to them so that they can have all the information they need to assess your case. More information is more likely that you will be accepted
Whst next?
Your case will then be evaluated by the credential evaluation service. There are many elements involved in the evaluation process and the service will evaluate your case on a case-by-case basis. This is how U.S. citizens are evaluated; we discuss this more in the section on Applications.
Depending on the university you are applying to, you may be evaluated differently.
If you don’t agree with an evaluation, the university has an appeal process. The university’s international studies office can help you navigate the appeals process without any hassle. The appeals process may take some time and may not result in a positive outcome, but it’s worth trying if you really want to attend that particular university.
Qualifications
The qualifications you need to attend college in the United States are determined by the university you want to attend and/or the credential evaluation service you use.
The international studies office of your desired university will help you with any questions or concerns you may have during the application process.
Don’t give up hope and keep in touch on a regular basis. Best of luck with all your applications!
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