A course-by-course evaluation is the most detailed form of academic credential evaluation available. Unlike a general academic evaluation that provides an overall degree equivalency, a course-by-course evaluation analyzes every individual course you completed during your program — assigning US credit hours, converting grades to the US grading scale, calculating your GPA, and producing a complete subject-by-subject breakdown of your academic record.
An academic evaluation answers one question: what is the US equivalent of your foreign degree overall? A course-by-course evaluation goes deeper — it answers what each individual course you took is equivalent to in the US system, how many US credit hours each course represents, and what your grade translates to on the US 4.0 scale. Universities and licensing boards that need to assess your eligibility for specific programs or professional qualifications require this level of detail. For most USCIS immigration petitions, a general academic evaluation is sufficient. If you are unsure which you need, contact us and we will confirm before you commit.
US graduate programs use course-by-course evaluations to determine whether an international applicant has completed the prerequisite coursework required for admission. Professional licensing boards — including those for engineering, nursing, pharmacy, and architecture — use them to verify that a foreign-trained applicant's education covers the subject areas required for US licensure. Some employers in regulated industries also require course-by-course evaluations when hiring foreign-trained professionals for positions that have specific educational prerequisites.
Most USCIS employment-based petitions are satisfied by a general academic evaluation. However, in cases where the educational equivalency is complex — such as a combination of a shorter degree plus work experience being used to establish equivalency, or where USCIS has issued an RFE questioning the specific content of a foreign degree — a course-by-course evaluation provides the detailed evidence needed to address the issue. We recommend discussing your specific situation with us before choosing between evaluation types.
Course-by-course evaluations are required in situations where a detailed, subject-level analysis of your academic record is needed — rather than a simple degree equivalency statement.
Most US master's and doctoral programs require a course-by-course evaluation as part of the international admissions process. Admissions committees use the report to verify that you have completed the foundational coursework required for your chosen program and to assess your academic performance in the context of the US grading system. Submitting a complete, professionally prepared course-by-course evaluation strengthens your application and reduces the risk of delays in the admissions review process.
State licensing boards for engineering, nursing, pharmacy, architecture, social work, and other regulated professions typically require a course-by-course evaluation to verify that a foreign-trained applicant's education covers the subjects required for US licensure. Requirements vary by profession and state — our team can advise on the specific format required for your licensing board before you submit.
For employment-based visa petitions where the beneficiary's degree is from a system that differs significantly from the US — such as a three-year degree in a country where a three-year qualification is the standard bachelor's degree — a course-by-course evaluation provides the detailed evidence USCIS needs to properly assess the educational background. This is particularly relevant for H-1B specialty occupation petitions where the specific field of study matters as much as the degree level.
If your educational background includes coursework or degrees from more than one institution — whether in the same country or across multiple countries — a course-by-course evaluation consolidates your entire academic record into a single, comprehensive report. This is particularly useful for applicants who completed part of their education at one institution and transferred, or who hold qualifications from both a foreign institution and a US institution.
If USCIS has questioned the specific content or level of your foreign degree in an RFE, a course-by-course evaluation provides the subject-level detail needed to demonstrate that your education meets the requirements for your visa category. Our Express plan delivers in 1 to 3 business days — fast enough for most RFE response deadlines. We coordinate with our Expert Opinion Letter service for RFE responses that require both credential documentation and field-expert validation.
Our course-by-course evaluation reports are prepared to meet the requirements of USCIS, US universities, and professional licensing boards. Every report includes the following elements.
Every course you completed during your program is listed by title, with a brief description of the subject matter. Course titles are translated into English where necessary and standardized to reflect the closest US academic equivalent. This gives the recipient of the report a clear understanding of what each course covered, not just its title.
Each course in your foreign program is assigned an equivalent number of US semester credit hours based on the contact hours, course load, and academic calendar of your institution. This conversion is essential for US universities assessing whether you have met the minimum credit hour requirements for admission or for transfer credit purposes.
Your grades from each course are converted to the US letter grade system and the US percentage equivalent. The conversion is based on established equivalency standards for the grading system used by your institution and country. This allows US institutions and licensing boards to assess your academic performance directly against their own grading standards.
Your overall grade point average is calculated on the US 4.0 scale based on the converted grades from all courses in your program. The GPA calculation follows standard US methodology — weighted by credit hours. Many US graduate programs and licensing boards require a minimum GPA and use this figure to assess your academic standing.
In addition to the course-by-course breakdown, the report includes an overall degree equivalency statement confirming the US equivalent of your foreign qualification. This ensures the report serves both the detailed course-level purpose and the general equivalency purpose that USCIS and employers require.
Every report is signed by a credentialed professional evaluator and includes a certification statement confirming the accuracy of the evaluation and the evaluator's qualifications. The evaluator's credentials — including their professional background and any relevant accreditations — are included in the report. This certification is required by USCIS and is expected by US universities and licensing boards.
A course-by-course evaluation requires more detailed documentation than a general academic evaluation. Submitting complete documents from the start avoids delays and ensures the most accurate report possible.
Submit the official degree certificate or diploma for every qualification being evaluated. This confirms that you completed the program and were awarded the qualification. If you hold qualifications from more than one institution, submit certificates for all of them.
Official academic transcripts covering every year and every semester of your program are required for a course-by-course evaluation. Transcripts must show all courses taken, grades received, and credit or contact hours for each course. Partial transcripts — covering only some years or only some courses — are not sufficient for a course-by-course evaluation.
If your evaluation includes secondary or higher secondary qualifications, submit those certificates and mark sheets as well. For applicants whose total years of education are being assessed as part of the equivalency determination, complete secondary school records are an important part of the overall academic picture.
All documents must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. If your transcripts, certificates, or mark sheets are in another language, we offer certified translation starting from $30 per page — contact us to arrange translation and evaluation together. Submitting both services together can reduce your overall turnaround time.
Our course-by-course evaluation process is thorough and built around your timeline. From your first submission to your final report, every step is handled by professionals.
Upload your documents through our application form or send them by email. Our team reviews your submission the same day, confirms that all required documents are present, and provides a quote and estimated delivery timeline. If anything is missing, we contact you immediately so there are no delays.
Your documents are assigned to a professional evaluator with experience in the educational system of the country where your degree was issued. For course-by-course evaluations, evaluator experience with the specific institution and educational framework is particularly important — our team matches your documents to the right evaluator before any analysis begins.
Your evaluator reviews every course in your academic record, assigns US credit hour equivalents, converts grades to the US scale, calculates your GPA, and prepares the complete evaluation report. This is the most detailed step in the process and the one that distinguishes a course-by-course evaluation from a general academic evaluation. Every element of the report is cross-checked for accuracy before it is finalized.
Your completed course-by-course evaluation report is delivered as a PDF formatted for USCIS submission, university admissions, or licensing board use. The report includes the full course-by-course breakdown, GPA calculation, degree equivalency statement, and evaluator certification. Physical copies are available on request. We retain your report on file for 90 days.
Course-by-course evaluation pricing reflects the detailed analysis required for each report. All plans include the complete course-by-course breakdown, GPA calculation, degree equivalency statement, and evaluator certification.
Best for university admissions and licensing applications with standard timelines. Includes complete course-by-course evaluation report, US credit hour equivalents, grade conversion, GPA calculation on 4.0 scale, degree equivalency statement, and evaluator certification. USCIS-accepted and university-ready format.
Best for immigration petitions and admissions applications where turnaround time matters. Same complete course-by-course report as Economy — delivered in 3 to 4 business days. Most popular plan for employment-based petition filings and graduate admissions.
Built for RFE responses, urgent petition filings, and last-minute admissions deadlines. Priority handling from submission to delivery. Recommended when your USCIS filing deadline or admissions deadline requires the fastest possible turnaround.
An Indian applicant with a four-year Bachelor of Technology degree was applying to a US master's program in computer science. The university required a course-by-course evaluation to verify that she had completed the prerequisite coursework and to assess her academic standing. Our Standard plan delivered the complete report in four business days — including full course breakdown, US credit hour equivalents, grade conversion, and a 3.7 GPA on the US 4.0 scale. She was admitted to her program.
A Filipino registered nurse seeking licensure with a US state nursing board needed a course-by-course evaluation to verify that her nursing education covered all subjects required for the US licensure examination. Our evaluator — experienced with Philippine nursing programs — prepared a detailed report matching her coursework against US nursing education standards. The licensing board accepted the evaluation and she was cleared to sit for the NCLEX examination.
A Pakistani software engineer received an H-1B RFE questioning whether his three-year bachelor's degree in computer science was equivalent to a US bachelor's degree. Our Express plan delivered a course-by-course evaluation in two business days. The report detailed every course he completed, established US credit hour equivalents, and confirmed the degree was equivalent to a US Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. The RFE was successfully addressed and the petition was approved.
Clear answers about course-by-course evaluations, USCIS standards, grade conversions, and delivery times.
A course-by-course evaluation is a detailed analysis of your foreign academic record that breaks down every course you completed — assigning US credit hour equivalents, converting grades to the US grading scale, calculating your GPA on the 4.0 scale, and producing a subject-by-subject breakdown of your entire academic program. It is the most detailed form of credential evaluation and is required by many US universities, professional licensing boards, and in certain USCIS immigration cases.
An academic evaluation provides an overall degree equivalency statement — for example, your degree is equivalent to a US Bachelor of Science. A course-by-course evaluation provides everything in an academic evaluation plus a subject-by-subject breakdown of every course, US credit hour equivalents, grade conversions, and a calculated GPA. Universities and licensing boards that need to assess your specific coursework and academic performance require a course-by-course evaluation. For most USCIS immigration petitions, a general academic evaluation is sufficient.
Yes. Our course-by-course evaluation reports meet USCIS documentation requirements and include all required certification elements. We are a member of TAICEP — The Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals. Our reports have been accepted in H-1B, EB-2, EB-3, and other employment-based petition filings across many visa categories.
You will need your degree certificate or diploma, complete official academic transcripts covering every year of your program, and secondary school certificates if those are being included in the evaluation. All documents must be in English or accompanied by a certified translation. If anything is missing, our team will contact you immediately after reviewing your submission so there are no delays.
Yes. All documents must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. We offer certified translation services starting from $30 per page alongside your course-by-course evaluation. Arranging both services together simplifies the process and can reduce your overall turnaround time.
Economy plan delivers in 5 to 7 business days. Standard plan delivers in 3 to 4 business days. Express plan delivers in 1 to 3 business days. Course-by-course evaluations take slightly longer than general academic evaluations because of the detailed analysis involved. Exact timelines are confirmed during your same-day case review.
Yes. Your grades from every course are converted to the US letter grade system and your overall GPA is calculated on the US 4.0 scale using standard methodology weighted by credit hours. The conversion is based on established equivalency standards for the grading system used by your institution. If your institution uses a percentage system, a grade point system, or a distinction classification system, our evaluators are experienced with all of these and will produce an accurate US GPA equivalent.
Yes. Our course-by-course evaluations are accepted by professional licensing boards across many fields including engineering, nursing, pharmacy, architecture, and social work. Licensing requirements vary by profession and state — contact us before submitting and tell us which licensing board you are applying to, so we can confirm the specific format they require and ensure our report meets their standards.
If your academic background includes coursework or degrees from more than one institution, we can evaluate all of them in a single comprehensive report. Submit the transcripts and certificates from every institution you attended. Our evaluators will consolidate your complete academic record into one report. Additional fees may apply for evaluations covering multiple institutions — we will confirm your quote before work begins.
Yes. We work directly with immigration attorneys and law firms who require course-by-course evaluations for their clients' petitions. We deliver in attorney-ready format and coordinate directly with your office. For RFE situations requiring both a course-by-course evaluation and an Expert Opinion Letter, we handle both services and ensure the documentation is consistent. Contact us to discuss volume arrangements for law firm accounts.
Submit your documents and tell us your timeline. We review your case the same day, confirm all required documents, and deliver a complete USCIS-ready or university-ready course-by-course report on your schedule.
