Validity of European degrees

[Amy Versyp 15]

Hello everyone,

 

Could someone tell me if European degrees are recognized in the States?

I obtained my Masters degree in Criminology here in Belgium and I’m wondering if this will be valid when applying for jobs (in the Los Angeles area). 

 

I’ve been searching for answers online but I haven’t been successful so far. 

Thanks in advance!

 

[Amadia 711]

I have certificates for courses completed in Trinidad for Human Resources Management, Accounts Receivables, etc.

I ensure to include them with my resume when applying for jobs.

Wouldn't hurt to try  

[Sean & Summer 1]

Typically any degree needs to be verified using a number of agencies that deal with this. You don't need any kind of apostille or such things though. If you are trying to find a job in academia, they can tell you which agency they prefer. As long as your field of employment doesn't require any special certification, you should be fine in the US. Certification is another matter as the US is very picky about who can work in specialized fields. In such cases you would have to certify in the US again.

You may want to read this website and see how it applies to you.

https://usces.org/blog/how-to-validate-foreign-degree-in-usa/

 

 

[Boiler 45,712]

Depends on the job, for example if they require you to be able to show High School Diploma then it should not be an issue.

[Hypnos 6,577]

Generally, foreign degrees from western countries are recognised in the UK. 

 

You would likely need to have an evaluation service review your degree(s). Some employers/universities/colleges will require specific organisations to perform this. Others may give you a list of several and say you can choose any on that list. 

 

When I wanted to take some classes at Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, I had to get an evaluation of my British Bachelor's before they would enroll me. I was told I could choose any evaluation service belonging to NACES - the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. 

 

I went with IERF to perform my evaluation. It cost around $150 and took about six weeks since they required some documents to be sent to them directly from my university in the UK and that took some time. But overall it was reasonably straightforward. 

Edited June 22, 2019 by Hypnos

[Hypnos 6,577]

*Are recognised in the US, even. 

[carmel34 3,639]

You won't know for sure until you start applying for jobs in the US.  I would suggest in the next 10 months, while waiting for the visa approval, that you identify jobs that you are interested in and do lots of research on the degree requirements, licensing, certifications, etc. that they require to be a qualified applicant.  If you find some jobs that you are seriously interested in, contact the hiring manager and send them an email with your question.  Some will answer, some won't, but it's worth a try.  Online searches will help you a lot in your research.  Your job experience listed on your resume will often be viewed as more important than the academic degrees that you have, it is very specific to the job, so it is difficult to answer your question in a general sense.  Sometimes degrees from other countries are recognized in the US, sometimes they aren't.  If special licensing or certifications are needed for the jobs you are wanting to apply for, you could check out those requirements and even take online courses from US universities or complete paperwork, write exams, or file applications during the next ten months while you wait for the visa process, so that when you arrive you'll be ready to apply for jobs and be qualified for those you want.  As an example, I just returned from Tokyo where my university has a partner program with a Japanese company to provide courses that allow people living in Japan to write the US CPA exam and become licensed CPAs (certified public accountants) as recognized by US states.  There may be similar programs in Belgium for your specific field.  Good luck with the visa process!

Edited June 23, 2019 by carmel34

[millefleur 5,047]

**Moved from Working & Traveling During US Immigration to Finding Work in America; topics of degrees and work experience abroad are usually discussed there**

[visafrompa 9]

On 6/22/2019 at 10:13 AM, Amy Versyp said:

Hello everyone,

 

Could someone tell me if European degrees are recognized in the States?

I obtained my Masters degree in Criminology here in Belgium and I’m wondering if this will be valid when applying for jobs (in the Los Angeles area). 

 

I’ve been searching for answers online but I haven’t been successful so far. 

Thanks in advance!

 

It will all be up to the employer.  Technically, unless a degree of study is accredited by regional accrediting authority its not recognized as completion of study.

 

That said most Asian degree's are pretty much ignored.

 

European degrees might have some weight depending on the field of study.  For example STEM is STEM.  Math doesn't change when you cross the boarder (although units of measure do lol nerd joke).

 

But for a business or HR or soft skill.. US laws are wildly different than EU.  So I would expect your experience to hold more weight than the paper. 

[samnrong 52]

On 6/22/2019 at 10:13 AM, Amy Versyp said:

Hello everyone,

 

Could someone tell me if European degrees are recognized in the States?

I obtained my Masters degree in Criminology here in Belgium and I’m wondering if this will be valid when applying for jobs (in the Los Angeles area). 

 

I’ve been searching for answers online but I haven’t been successful so far. 

Thanks in advance!

 

Unless a valid degree is a requirement for licensure (for example, CPA, MD, etc.), it may not be an issue.

 

I think your work experience would be more relevant here. For example, if you're a criminologist and the job your applying for does not mandate a degree (i.e., not that the position requests one but the licensing board actually mandates that all professionals have degrees to obtain the license), and you have 20 years of experience as a criminologist in Belgium, this would likely factor much more into an employers decision of whether to hire you.

 

Generally speaking, if you're going for an advanced level job that requires years or a decade + of experience, chances are that the technicalities of whether the degree is accepted are far less relevant than your work experience and history. 

 

I only see degrees being relevant if you're looking at entry-level jobs (where you don't have the relevant experience to overcome the fact that your degree isn't accepted) or where one is mandated for licensure.