Getting a foreign degree recognized: US, Canada, UK, Germany and Australia

Last reviewed 2026-10-12

Each country has its own route. In the US, use a NACES member such as WES or ECE. In Canada, get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an IRCC-designated organization such as WES. In the UK, get a Statement of Comparability from UK ENIC (formerly NARIC), run by Ecctis. In Germany, check the anabin database and, if needed, get a ZAB Statement of Comparability. In Australia, get a skills assessment from the authority for your occupation, such as VETASSESS, Engineers Australia or the ACS.

First: do you actually need one?

Most private employers in most countries will hire without a formal assessment. You usually need one for a work or immigration application, a regulated profession (medicine, nursing, engineering, teaching, law, accounting), public-sector jobs and further study. Check what the receiver asks for before you pay, because ordering the wrong report type is the most common wasted fee.

United States

There is no government evaluator. Employers, federal agencies and visa petitions generally accept members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), such as World Education Services (WES) and Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). A document-by-document report is usually enough for jobs; licensing boards and graduate schools often want course-by-course. Our US credential evaluation guide covers this in detail.

Canada

For Express Entry and other economic immigration programs, IRCC requires an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a designated organization: WES, the Comparative Education Service (University of Toronto), ICAS, IQAS or ICES, or the Medical Council of Canada and the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada for those professions. An ECA is valid for five years for Express Entry. Regulated professions also need approval from the provincial regulator, which is a separate process.

United Kingdom

UK ENIC (the former UK NARIC, operated by Ecctis for the Department for Education) issues a Statement of Comparability that states the UK level of your qualification. The Home Office asks for Ecctis confirmation when you rely on an overseas degree for a visa requirement, such as meeting the English language requirement with a degree taught in English. Regulated professions such as nursing (NMC) and medicine (GMC) have their own registration routes.

Germany

Start with the anabin database run by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). If your university is rated "H+" and your degree is listed as equivalent, that is often enough for an EU Blue Card or a skilled-worker visa. If it is not listed, apply to the ZAB for a Statement of Comparability (Zeugnisbewertung). Regulated professions need formal recognition (Anerkennung); the official Anerkennung in Deutschland portal tells you which authority handles yours.

Australia

Skilled visas need a positive skills assessment from the authority for your nominated occupation. VETASSESS covers many professional and general occupations, Engineers Australia handles engineers, and the Australian Computer Society (ACS) handles ICT roles. The Department of Home Affairs occupation list names the right authority for each job.

How to show it on your CV or resume

Keep the original degree name, then add the local equivalent and who assessed it, so recruiters and applicant tracking systems understand it at a glance:

B.Eng. Electrical Engineering, University of Lagos, Nigeria (UK equivalent: Bachelor’s degree, UK ENIC)
B.Com., University of Mumbai, India (Canadian equivalent: Bachelor’s degree, WES ECA)
B.Sc. Computer Science, University of Ghana (anabin H+, equivalent to a German Bachelor)

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Common questions

Is NARIC the same as UK ENIC?

Yes. UK NARIC was renamed UK ENIC in 2021. It is operated by Ecctis and issues Statements of Comparability for qualifications from outside the UK.

Can I use my US WES evaluation for Canada?

Not directly. Canadian immigration needs an ECA, which is a different report. WES offers both, but you must order the ECA specifically, and it must come from an IRCC-designated organization.

What does H+ mean on anabin?

H+ means the university is recognized in Germany. Your specific degree must also be listed as equivalent; if it is not, apply to the ZAB for a Statement of Comparability.

Do employers require a degree assessment?

Usually only for visas, regulated professions, public-sector jobs and further study. For other private-sector roles it is optional, but stating the local equivalent on your CV helps recruiters who do not recognize your university.