WES Evaluation Explained: Detailed Guide for Indian Students

WES stands for World Education Services. It is a kind of evaluation system that reviews your academic documents and converts them into a clear format that universities/employers/immigration bodies in the US or Canada understand. The service checks your academic transcripts and degrees and then matches them with the education standards in the United States and Canada.

For example, if you completed your bachelor’s degree in India and apply to a university in the US or Canada, the admissions team may not understand how your grading system or degree structure compares to theirs.

WES Evaluation is essential when students apply for university admissions, skilled workers apply for immigration programs like Canada’s Express Entry, or professionals apply for jobs that require verified education.

A WES Evaluation report includes key details from your academic records and presents them in a clear and standard format. It shows your course structure, grades, and the final outcome of your studies in a way that universities and employers understand.

Here are the main components you will find in a WES Transcript:

• Course details: WES lists every subject you studied in each semester or year and shows how your program progressed.
• Grades and credit hours: It converts your marks into the grading scale in the United States or Canada and includes the credit value of each course.
• Credential summary: It shows the name of your degree, the level of study, and the length of your academic program.
• WES conversion outcome: It presents the final equivalency result, which tells institutions how your degree compares to their education system.

WES offers different evaluation formats, and each one serves a specific purpose based on your study, work, or immigration goals. You can choose the type that fits the requirements of the university, employer, or authority you plan to apply to.

Here are the main types of WES Evaluation:

• Document-by-Document Evaluation: It reviews your overall academic history and provides a general summary of your degree level and equivalency. Universities do not usually ask for this, but employers and some immigration pathways accept it.
• Course-by-Course Evaluation: It lists every subject, grade, and credit value from your transcript and converts them to the format used in the United States or Canada. Most universities prefer this type because it gives detailed information about your coursework.
• WES ICAP: It stores your verified academic documents in a secure digital format. You can send these records to multiple institutions without repeating the verification process.
• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for Canada (IRCC): This evaluation is required for Canadian immigration programs, including Express Entry. WES is designated by IRCC to issue ECAs for degrees earned outside Canada.

The final WES amount depends on the type of evaluation you choose and any extra services you add. WES pricing is current as of December 2025, and starting January 1, 2026, all prices will increase by 3%.

(Source: https://www.wes.org/evaluations/)

WES asks for clear and verified academic records so it can confirm your degree and convert your grades. The exact documents may change by country, but most applicants submit a common set of files.

Here are the main requirements for a WES Evaluation:

• Equivalency Country: Tells WES which country’s education system (USA or Canada) your degree should be compared with.
• Applying for IRCC: Confirms whether you need the evaluation for Canadian immigration through IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada).
• Country or Territory of Education: Indicates the country where you completed your degree, such as India.
• Status of Your Education: Shows whether your degree is completed or still in progress.
• Type of Education: Specifies the level of your qualification, such as bachelor’s, master’s, or diploma.
• Name of the Institution: Identifies the university or college where you studied.
• Academic transcripts: You submit official transcripts from your college or university. Your institution sends them directly to WES through mail or an approved digital platform.
• Degree certificate: You provide a copy of your final degree certificate that confirms you completed your program.
• Mark sheets: You include semester or year-wise mark sheets if your country requires them as part of the academic record.
• WES reference number: You write your WES reference number on every envelope or document so the team can link the records to your profile.

English Language Test Requirements for WES Evaluation

WES does NOT ask for IELTS, TOEFL, or any English language test scores for credential evaluation. But language test scores are required separately when you use the WES report for specific purposes.

For Canada immigration (Express Entry), you must submit IELTS or another approved language test directly to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Similarly, most universities in the US and Canada ask for English proficiency scores as part of the admission process, even though WES itself does not evaluate language ability.

Note: WES might mention the language of instruction on your academic documents if your university reports it.

Source: https://applications.wes.org/required-documents

You can apply for WES Credential Evaluation through a simple online process that asks you to create an account, upload details, and send your documents. The steps stay clear and direct, and you can track your application at every stage.

Here are the steps to apply for a WES Transcript:

• Step 1 - Create your WES account: You sign up on the WES website and fill in your basic information, country of education, and highest qualification.
• Step 2 - Select your evaluation type: You choose the option your university, employer, or immigration authority accepts and proceed to the next step.
• Step 3 - Enter your academic details: You add your institution name, program, year of study, and other details that help WES match your records.
• Step 4 - Upload or request document submission: You follow the document rules for your country and ask your institution to send sealed transcripts directly to WES or upload them if your institution supports online submission.
• Step 5 - Pay the evaluation fee: You complete the payment to start the review process and receive your WES reference number.
• Step 6 - Track your status: You check your dashboard to see updates on document review, verification, and final report delivery

You need a WES Evaluation when a university, employer, or immigration authority asks for verified academic records. The timing depends on your goal, but most people start the process early so they do not face delays later.

Here are the key moments when you should get your credentials evaluated:

• Before university applications: You start the evaluation when you plan to apply to colleges in the United States or Canada, because many institutions ask for WES reports with your application.
• During the immigration process: You complete the evaluation when you submit documents for immigration programs that accept WES for education verification.
• For professional licensing: You get the evaluation when you apply for licenses in fields that need verified academic records, such as healthcare, engineering, or accounting.

The processing time (1 to 4 weeks) for a WES evaluation depends on the type of assessment selected. 

The timeline given below begins only after WES receives, reviews, and accepts all required documents:

(Source: https://www.wes.org/current-processing/) 

WES Evaluation is not mandatory for every application in the US & Canada, but many universities and employers ask for it. Immigration programs in Canada use WES to verify education for Express Entry and other pathways.

Some universities in Canada and the USA accept other credential agencies, but WES remains the most common choice. You should check the requirements of the institution or authority before you apply.

You may face a few hurdles during the WES Evaluation process if your documents are incomplete or your institution has strict rules for issuing transcripts. These challenges can slow down your application, so it helps to stay prepared.

Here are the WES common challenges applicants face:

• Delays in document verification: Your institution may take time to send transcripts, which slows down the WES review.
• Incorrect or incomplete documents: Your application gets delayed when your transcripts, mark sheets, or degree certificates do not match WES guidelines.
• Unrecognized or unaccredited institutions: WES may reject your application if your college or university does not meet its recognition standards.
• Courier or delivery issues: Documents may get delayed or misplaced during mailing, especially when institutions send physical copies.
• Mismatch in names or details: Differences between the name on your documents and your ID may cause extra verification steps.

issues with document submissions. You can avoid most of these problems when you plan your timeline and follow the document rules set by WES. A simple checklist helps you stay organised and reduces stress during applications.

Yocket Premium guides you through each step so you do not miss any requirement that may slow down your evaluation. The team helps you understand which evaluation type your university or immigration pathway needs and keeps your application on track.