Thousands of people from all over the world move to the US each year to study or find work. Some of them may be planning to pursue college studies or establish their careers here. To be able to do so, these applicants must secure their valid visas so that their stay would be legitimate and provide the appropriate proofs of their education and/or work experience.

What if you are a foreigner who wants to continue your studies in the US? Maybe you are looking for a job that earns well and wants to show your qualifications. Will your high school diploma in your own country be acceptable in the US? There are many factors to consider when it comes to this, such as the standard and quality of education in your former country along with the differences in the educational systems on the international level.

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As A Foreign Student, Is Your High School Diploma Acceptable In The US?

What if your high school diploma is not equivalent to a US diploma? You can rectify this particular circumstance by first having your secondary education diploma evaluated. If you are from another country and you want to pursue further education in the US, you have to present a solid proof of an educational equivalency. You can look for a credible agency that offers credential evaluation services. This tool is also helpful for those applying for work in the US. A primary proof that you have to comply with is being able to meet the standards required of high school graduates in the country.

You can have your high school diploma evaluated by hiring the services of a credential evaluation provider. Third party agencies such as these do the job for the government. Evaluating the educational credential of foreigners is not performed by the government in the US. Rather, individuals hire credential evaluation agencies to validate the diplomas and transcripts that they submit. Among the initial tasks that you should do is to contact the high school that you attended to request copies of these documents. They need to provide proof that you indeed went to that school and were able to finish their high school curriculum.

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What To Do In Order To Qualify For Work Or Study In The US

It is possible that your high school diploma will not be accredited because it is not on par with a US diploma. The education system in the US may not have the same standards as that of your home country. As a US immigrant, you have two options to remedy this situation. Your first option is to take the GED test. If you pass the said test, you will receive a high school equivalency certificate. Although a GED diploma is deemed to have lesser value than a high school diploma, it will suffice as a qualification for many jobs in the US. A GED certificate is also acceptable for enrollment in community colleges.

If your credential evaluation provider assesses that there are missing equivalencies in your high school diploma, your second option is to attend continued education classes and night classes. When you have completed your school’s educational requirements, you should again submit your continuing education classes credentials together with your diploma to your credential evaluator. Granting that everything works out, you will subsequently be rendered with a final documentation stating that your education complies with the high school standards in the US.

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These said, don’t think that having your credentials evaluated means that the standard of education in your home country is inferior compared to the US. It simply has to do with the varying values placed by different countries about educational results. As they say, “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”, and so it is when you want to legitimately work, live and study in the US as well.

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