What is WES Evaluation? Cost, Fee, Processing, Documents

WES (World Education Services) evaluation in the USA refers to the process provided by World Education Services, a non-profit organization that offers credential evaluation services. WES evaluates foreign educational credentials, such as degrees, diplomas, and transcripts, to determine their equivalence in the United States education system. This service is particularly valuable for individuals who have studied outside the USA and are looking to continue their education, seek employment, or immigrate to the United States.

What is WES Evaluation?

In terms of overseas education in the USA, for international students, a WES (World Education Services) evaluation in the USA is a valuable process that helps assess the equivalency of foreign educational credentials for admission to educational institutions, employment, and other purposes. Here’s how the WES evaluation process works for international students:

1. Reason for Evaluation: International students often pursue a WES evaluation when they have completed education outside the United States and need their foreign credentials to be recognized and understood by the US institutions, employers, or licensing bodies.
2. Application: To initiate the WES evaluation, you need to create an account on the WES website and choose the type of evaluation you require, such as a course-by-course evaluation or a document-by-document evaluation.
3. Required Documents: You will need to submit certain documents for evaluation. These typically include official transcripts, diplomas, and degree certificates from the institutions you attended. Some evaluations may also require syllabi or other supporting documents.
4. Verification: WES verifies the authenticity of your documents with the issuing institutions. This process helps ensure the accuracy of the evaluation.
5. Evaluation Report: Once the verification process is complete, WES provides you with an evaluation report. For a course-by-course evaluation, the report breaks down each course you completed and provides its equivalent in the US education system. For a document-by-document evaluation, the report summarizes your educational credentials. It takes 7 business days for WES to evaluate the documents for US & for Canada (IRCC) it can take up to 35 business days. Once the verification is confirmed then authorized stamped copies will be sent to the recipient.

WES Fees

As per the official site of WES(World education services) evaluation, the cost of evaluation is different for undergraduate (freshman), transfer and graduate students. The basic details of the WES package for freshman students are:

WES Package for Transfer and Graduate Students:

WES Processing

The WES evaluation proves beneficial for both student admission and employment opportunities. Completing the WES evaluation process typically requires approximately 7 to 10 days, underscoring the importance of timely credential assessment for optimal results in various applications.

WES Evaluation Documents

The step wise process for WES evaluation documents is different for the US and UK. If the student is choosing to study in the US the various step wise documents & details that the students need to enter are:

1. Country & Territory of Education
2. Status of Education
3. Type of Education
4. Name of the Institution
5. Name of Diploma & Certificate

For students who are choosing to study in the UK:

1. Applying for IRCC (because WES is designated by Immigration, refugees and citizenship canada to provide Educational Assessments for degrees and diplomas earned outside of Canada.
2. Country or territory of Education
3. Status of your Education
4. Type of Education
5. Name of the Institution
6. Name of the Diploma/Certificate

Challenges to WES Evaluation

The evaluation of credentials by the World Education Services (WES) for Indian students comes with its own set of challenges due to the unique characteristics of the Indian education system and its complexities. Some major challenges specific to WES evaluation for Indian students include:

1. Diverse Education Boards: India has a multitude of education boards, each with its own curriculum and grading system. Every state in India has different state boards like Haryana State Board for students from Haryana, Rajasthan State Board for students from Rajasthan and many more. Therefore, evaluating credentials from different boards and determining their equivalency can be complex and time-consuming.
2. Variability in Institutions: India has a vast number of educational institutions, ranging from highly reputable universities to less recognized colleges. Assessing the credibility and quality of education from such a wide spectrum of institutions can be challenging.
3. Regional Disparities: Substantial variations in educational standards and quality exist among distinct states and regions in India, making it challenging to establish a uniform evaluation process that effectively accommodates these regional differences.
4. Document Verification: Ensuring the authenticity of documents, transcripts, and certificates submitted by applicants can be challenging, especially given the prevalence of document fraud in India.

Conclusion

Through its careful evaluation process, the WES assists students in showcasing their academic achievements accurately and effectively to institutions abroad. The detailed evaluation reports provide admissions committees with a standardized and credible assessment of the students educational qualifications, thereby streamlining the application and review process and increasing the chances of acceptance.

Furthermore the WES evaluation aids in fostering a deeper understanding of the Indian education system and its equivalences in the US and Canadian contexts. This transparency helps institutions make informed decisions regarding the admissibility of applicants, contributing to a fair and equitable admission process. What Indian students benefit from WES evaluations is that they gain access to a wider array of educational opportunities in the US and Canada. The assessment not only facilitates the smoother credit transfer and course exemptions but empowers students to make informed decisions about their academic pursuits and career goals.

WES evaluation has become much more important with the fraudency of higher education transcripts that the Indian students present at the time of university application, as a result of this many universities have started to defer some of the student applications. Therefore, it is best for students applying from India to get their necessary WES evaluation done.

FAQs

What are the fees for WES in Indian rupees?

The WES evaluation fee for Indian students is based on the type of study level and WES evaluation package he or she chooses. However, the basic average amount for WES evaluation is $163 (13,500 INR).

How do you get evaluated by WES?

To be evaluated by WES, there is a three step evaluation process:

1. Step-1: Students need to submit their application and after which they will receive their WES reference number.
2. Step-2: Students need to carefully read the document requirements and send in their documents. It is very important for students to remberer that they should include their WES reference number.
3. Step-3: It is very important for students to verify their credentials, create their report and deliver it to their recipients.

How long is WES valid?

The validity of WES ECA(Evaluation for immigration) is valid for five years from the date of issue  and students can continue using their ECA when they submit a new express entry profile. The express entry for canadian profile is valid for one year from the date the student submits their profile to IRCC.

Is WES required for Canada PR?

A WES evaluation is mandatory for Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) applications via the Express Entry system. However, candidates opting for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or the Canadian Experience Class Program (CEC) are exempted from this requirement.