Credential Evaluation Delays: Why Some Countries Take Longer Than Others
As societies become more interconnected than ever, credential evaluation services is one of the best ways to help people bring their academic qualifications across geographic borders. Whether you are trying to get into a university, get a license in a certain profession or move to another country for work, credential evaluation services translate your academic qualifications from one country so they can be understood and recognized in another.
But not all evaluations happen at the same rate. Some are reviewed in days, others in weeks, or even months. Why does this happen and what can applicants do to avoid such unnecessary delays? Let’s break it down.
Common Delays in Credential Evaluation— And What You Can Do
- Diverse Education System
Education systems are structured differently around the world, as well as their grading systems and terminologies. For example, in places like India and Australia, there’s a regional complexity. India has multiple school boards, and Australia has state-based certificates, creating confusion about what they are equivalent to.
What You Can Do:
Submit additional documents to boost your case, including a grading scale, a course catalog and syllabi. Choose a credential evaluation service that knows the system of your country so that you will get an accurate interpretation.
- Documentation Challenges
Credential evaluation gets delayed when a document is incomplete, unofficial, and mislabeled. A couple of the most common mistakes involve issuing transcripts that do not carry and institutional seal, or translations that inaccurately state the academic qualifications. For instance, a mistranslation stating that secondary diplomas are the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree.
What You Can Do:
Present original documents with signature, seal, and if necessary, a notarization. Provide certified translations of the exact wording of the documents without modifying the original terms. Mistranslated qualifications are a leading caused for prolonged evaluation periods.
- Administrative Barriers
Evaluations can be stalled by slow responses from schools, licensing boards or ministries. This is especially the case in areas where there is no centralized database.
What You Can Do:
Begin gathering documents early. Some evaluators will also accept copies of the documents being certified true copies, or affidavits if the originals are not available.
- Regulatory Requirements
Academic qualifications in some countries need to be processed as a separate application before evaluation can be undertaken. This could include notarization, legalization, or apostille. Still, it may be slowed down by strict data protection laws or institution policies that limit how records can be transmitted across a country’s borders, contributing to the delays.
What You Can Do:
Research what is required by your country, prior to turning in documents. If official records cannot be sent directly, see if other formats such as notarized copies or written confirmation from institutions will suffice or be accepted. It is also a good idea to contact the credential evaluation services early to confirm submission processes or regional exemptions.
- Language and Translation Barriers
If academic documents are not in English, certified translations are necessary. As previously mentioned, the misinterpretation due to inconsistent formatting, vague use of terminology, or failure to translate literally from the original language, can lead to misunderstanding and added turnaround time for the evaluation service.
What You Can Do:
Work with a professional and certified translators who specialized in translating academic or credential-related documents. Ensure the translations are word-for-word, properly formatted, accompanied by the original documents. Do not include interpretative summaries and adhere to any submission guidelines provided by your selected evaluation agency.
- Political or Institutional Instability
If there is conflict, political unrest, or if schools are closed for a lengthy period of time, applicant may face trouble to provide the official documentation.
What You Can Do:
For documents that are not available, inquire if other documentation such as letter from faculty, affidavit, and a publicly certified copy will be acceptable. Some providers of foreign credential evaluation are able to work through these issues using extra steps for verification.
Final Thoughts
Credential evaluation services are unlocking the world for exploration and education, but its success greatly depends on the quality and transparency of the documents provided. Knowing the system differences as an applicant is also what can make the difference between an unwanted delay and smooth processing. And by being proactive in seeking the service of reputable, reliable evaluators, applicants can navigate the credential evaluation process with confidence and ease.
