Academic Equivalency and Work Experience Evaluations, prepared by U.S. professor. 01
Establish U.S. degree equivalency - and, where the rules allow, qualify work experience - for H-1B, TN, EB-2, EB-2 NIW, and EB-3 petitions
02 Academic Equivalency Evaluation: Available as a Degree Equivalency or a Course-by-Course evaluation. Determines the U.S. equivalent of a foreign degree. For immigration purposes.
Work Experience Evaluation: Assesses professional experience and, where a classification permits (3-for-1 rule for H1B or bachelor-plus-5 rule for EB2 advanced degree), expresses it in U.S. academic equivalency terms. For immigration purposes.
Combined Academic + Work Experience Evaluation: Combines a degree with progressive experience to reach a higher U.S. degree equivalency (3-for-1 rule for H1B or bachelor-plus-5 rule for EB2 advanced degree).
Academic Evaluations - Which type do you need? 02a
what it determines
what it assesses
when it fits the petition
petition strength
The U.S. academic equivalent of your foreign degree.
Academics only: the nature and hours of the coursework, the grades earned, and whether the overseas university is accredited.
When the petition needs to establish your degree’s U.S. equivalency or level, for example, a foreign baccalaureate for EB-3, or the advanced degree level for EB-2.
Sufficient when only the degree’s level or equivalency is at issue.
The same U.S. degree equivalency - plus a detailed course-level analysis.
Everything in the degree evaluation, plus a conversion of your coursework, credits, grades, and overall GPA into U.S. equivalents.
When the field of study and specific coursework matter to the petition.
Generally stronger where the degree’s field must be shown to relate to the role - for example, an H-1B specialty occupation.
Both evaluations are prepared by a U.S. college professor with more than 20 years of experience evaluating college-level coursework and transfer credits, including foreign academic credits, thousands of transfer-credit evaluations, and more than 2,000 academic equivalency evaluations of foreign educational credentials. Not sure which to choose? If the petition only needs to establish the U.S. equivalency of your degree, the Degree Equivalency Evaluation is sufficient. If the field of study and coursework matter, for example, an H- 1B specialty occupation, the Course-by-Course Evaluation is generally stronger.
Which Evaluation do I need? 03
H-1B (Specialty Occupation)
TN (USMCA Professional)
EB-2 (Advanced Degree Professional)
EB2 NIW
EB-3 (Professional)
A U.S. bachelor’s degree or higher in the required specialty, a foreign degree determined equivalent to the required U.S. degree, or the equivalent of the required degree based on education, specialized training, and/or progressively responsible experience in the specialty.
Many TN professions require a baccalaureate degree. Degrees from institutions outside the United States, Canada, or Mexico must be accompanied by an evaluation from a reliable credential evaluation service.
A U.S. advanced degree or foreign equivalent degree; or a U.S. baccalaureate degree, or foreign- equivalent baccalaureate degree, followed by at least five years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience in the specialty, which is treated as equivalent to a master’s degree.
Not a separate degree rule. The petitioner must first qualify under EB-2, either as an advanced-degree professional or as a person of exceptional ability. Degree equivalency applies directly only when qualifying under the advanced-degree basis.
At least a U.S. baccalaureate degree or foreign equivalent degree, and evidence that the occupation requires at least a baccalaureate degree for entry into the profession.
Academic Equivalency when the foreign degree alone is equivalent to the required U.S. degree; Combined Education and Experience Equivalency when education, specialized training, and/or experience are used to establish degree equivalency.
Academic Equivalency for degrees issued by institutions outside the United States, Canada, or Mexico.
Academic Equivalency for a foreign advanced degree; or Academic Equivalency for the foreign baccalaureate degree, plus employer letters documenting at least five years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience.
Same as EB-2 Advanced Degree Professional when qualifying for an advanced degree. For exceptional ability cases, an academic evaluation may support degree-related evidence, but it is not the same as an advanced-degree equivalency requirement.
Academic Equivalency for the foreign baccalaureate.
04 Why professor Prepared?
Every evaluation is prepared and signed by a U.S. professor with 12+ years of experience writing evaluations for employment-based visas. The report includes the evaluator’s qualifications and methodology.
05 How it works
Send Documents
Review by the Professor
Delivery in 5 business days
06 What you receive
A signed evaluation report on professional letterhead
A clear statement of U.S. equivalency and the methodology used
the evaluator’s CV and qualifications
formatted to be included as evidence in the petition
08 FAQ
Can experience substitute for a degree? Sometimes, the rule depends on the visa classification. For H-1B, education, specialized training, and/or progressively responsible experience may be used to establish the equivalent of a required U.S. bachelor’s degree, including under the 3-for-1 rule. For EB-2 advanced-degree cases, experience does not replace the bachelor’s degree itself; instead, a U.S. or foreign-equivalent bachelor’s degree plus at least five years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience may be treated as equivalent to a master’s degree.
What evaluation do I need if I have a foreign degree and work experience? If your foreign degree alone is equivalent to the required U.S. degree, an Academic Equivalency Evaluation may be sufficient. If you are applying for H-1B and need education, specialized training, and/or work experience to establish degree equivalency, a Combined Education-and-Experience Equivalency Evaluation may be appropriate. For EB-2 bachelor’s-plus-five cases, the foreign bachelor’s degree should be evaluated academically, while the five years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience should be documented through employer letters and supporting evidence.
Is the evaluation issued by a NACES-member organization? No. Nather International LLC is not a member of NACES. The evaluation is issued and signed by Dr. Hervé Queneau as an independent expert and U.S. college professor, and its evidentiary value is based on his qualifications, expertise, methodology, and analysis as the evaluator. USCIS regulations for H-1B, TN, EB-2, EB-2 NIW, and EB-3 do not require academic equivalency evaluations to be issued by a NACES-member organization. For H-1B and TN, where the regulations refer to credential evaluations, they use the term “reliable credentials evaluation service,” not “NACES.” For EB-2, EB-2 NIW, and EB-3, foreign degree equivalency is generally supported by official academic records and, when appropriate, an expert academic equivalency evaluation explaining the U.S. equivalency of the foreign degree. In EB-2 bachelor-plus-five cases, the U.S. equivalency of the foreign bachelor’s degree must be established. The required progressive bachelor’s degree experience must be documented separately through employer letters and supporting evidence. Over the past 12 years, Dr. Queneau has prepared over 2,000 academic equivalency and work experience evaluations for employment-based immigration matters, and these evaluations have been used as supporting evidence in petitions submitted to agencies including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Department of Labor.
What’s the difference between a degree equivalency evaluation and a course-by-course evaluation? A degree-equivalency evaluation determines the U.S. equivalent of your foreign degree. A course-by-course evaluation reaches the same conclusion and adds a detailed analysis converting your coursework, credits, grades, and GPA into U.S. equivalents — generally the stronger choice when the field of study and coursework matter to the petition, such as an H-1B specialty occupation.
Is an evaluation legal advice? No. A credential evaluation is an independent academic or professional analysis of education, credentials, and, when applicable, qualifying experience. Immigration eligibility decisions are made by the government agency, and a legal strategy should be provided by an attorney.
09 Closing call to Action
Not sure which evaluation fits your case? Tell us your visa, and we’ll recommend the right evaluation.
Independent expert academic analysis, not legal advice. For legal questions about your eligibility, consult a licensed immigration attorney.