What does a document-by-document credential evaluation include?
A document-by-document report focuses on credentials and their stated equivalencies rather than a full course-level analysis. Confirm that this level of detail meets the recipient’s purpose before ordering; a shorter report may not answer a transfer-credit or licensing question.
Sources: Recognition of foreign qualifications · Checked October 25, 2026
What this guide covers
- Ask which question the recipient is deciding
- Identify every credential to include
- Preserve the report’s limits
- Let the receiving institution define the deliverable
- A practical review for this handoff
- Keep an auditable handoff for document-by-document evaluation and credential-level summaries
At a glance
- A document-by-document report focuses on credentials and their stated equivalencies rather than a full course-level analysis.
- Identify the credential-level question.
- Use the free checklist to organize the handoff before ordering a paid service.
Ask which question the recipient is deciding
An overall award comparison can be useful where the recipient asks about credential level. It may be insufficient where subjects, credits or grades must be analyzed individually. Do not choose by price alone.
Identify every credential to include
A report about one degree does not necessarily cover all prior education or a separate professional license. Match the requested credentials to the source list and ask how additional awards are handled.
Preserve the report’s limits
An evaluator’s opinion is not a license, government benefit or university offer. Keep the report title and purpose visible when sharing it with another recipient, which may require a different format or evaluator.
A practical review for this handoff
Read how the report identifies the issuing institution, credential and completion status. An overall comparison can be useful without addressing every prerequisite. If a later recipient asks for individual courses, obtain its instruction before paying for an upgrade; do not assume that adding a transcript translation turns the existing report into course-level analysis.
Understand the level of comparison being purchased
WES describes document-by-document evaluation as an overall credential comparison rather than detailed analysis of every course. This can answer questions about the nature and level of an award while leaving subject preparation, individual credits and grade calculations unaddressed. Read the product description for the specific evaluator instead of assuming the report title has identical content across all services.
A report about a completed bachelor's award is not automatically a report about every institution attended on the way to that award. List the credentials you want evaluated, including separate awards and unfinished study, and ask how the evaluator handles them. The report should identify the actual institution and qualification examined. A translated professional membership card is another record category, not necessarily an academic credential included in the same analysis.
Compare the report with the recipient's question
The Department of Education identifies the receiving authority as the decision-maker for recognition. An employer asking about degree level may pose a different question from a school reviewing prerequisites. Obtain the required report type before ordering an overall evaluation and later discovering that detailed course analysis was requested. A transcript translation can support another task but does not retroactively change the analytical scope of an existing report.
For a practical review, read the credential name, institution, completion status and stated U.S. comparison together. Flag an incorrect identity or omitted award through the evaluator's review channel, with the relevant source. Keep an evaluation separate from the original records so no one mistakes its conclusion for wording issued by the foreign university. If another recipient later asks for additional detail, compare that new request with the report and ask about an update or different product rather than presenting the existing opinion as universal recognition.
| Item to inspect | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Detail | Credential summary or individual-course analysis? |
| Coverage | Which awards are included? |
| Reuse | Will the next recipient accept this report? |
Prepare your next questions
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Version: October 25, 2026.
Go to the source
Sources & verification
Follow the institution that owns the requirement and check its current instructions.
Common questions
Does this report list every course?
Do not assume so. Read the evaluator’s current product description and the recipient’s requirement.
Can it replace a licensing review?
Only the licensing authority defines acceptable evidence and evaluation scope.
Is one recipient’s acceptance universal?
No. Confirm each destination’s accepted report and evaluator.
Can additional credentials require another order?
Ask the evaluator how it scopes and charges additional credentials without assuming they are included.
About this guide
By Immigrant Insider editorial desk. Updated .
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