NCEES Credentials Evaluations is a service for state licensing boards and applicants. It is designed primarily for candidates who have earned their degrees outside the United States and are pursuing licensure through one of the member licensing boards of NCEES.
To earn a license to practice engineering or surveying, candidates must meet requirements in three areas: education, experience, and examinations. State licensing boards sometimes require that a candidate’s educational background be evaluated to ensure that it is comparable to an accredited degree in the United States.
The evaluation process helps ensure that a candidate is qualified academically for licensure. Usually, this takes place when a candidate applies to sit for a licensing exam offered by NCEES.
which includes the evaluation result (whether the NCEES Engineering Education Standard has been met), and any area(s) of deficiency relative to the standard
including institution(s) attended, major(s), and degree(s) earned
which breaks down coursework corresponding to the NCEES standard
If you aren’t sure whether you need a credentials evaluation through NCEES, contact your state licensing board before you begin the process. Most applicants are referred to NCEES Credentials Evaluations by a state licensing board.
You do not need an evaluation if your degree was accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET at the time of your graduation. ABET also accredits some programs in other countries.
If you aren’t sure whether your degree program is EAC/ABET-accredited, you can search for it at ABET’s website: accredited program search.
If you are a surveyor, contact your state licensing board to determine whether an evaluation is necessary before requesting an evaluation with NCEES.
Applicants having engineering degrees from programs that are not accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET must demonstrate the following:
Engineering technology courses cannot be considered to meet engineering topic requirements.
The NCEES Engineering Education Standard was developed by the NCEES Committee on Education for use by the NCEES Credentials Evaluations service and member boards. An educational evaluation provided by NCEES should be accepted as the only official assessment of whether or not the Engineering Education Standard has been met.
NCEES Credentials Evaluations will adhere to the following in conducting evaluations.
1. Bachelor’s degree in engineering from a non-U.S.-based program
2. Non-EAC/ABET-accredited degree programs in engineering, engineering technology, related science, or mathematics only when coupled with a master’s degree or doctorate in engineering
For applicants whose educational record indicates satisfaction of the NCEES standard, NCEES will report that the applicant possesses the education required in order to be considered by a member board for entry into the professional practice of engineering.
For applicants whose education record indicates deficiencies relative to the NCEES standard, NCEES will note those deficiencies for any action deemed appropriate by a member board. NCEES will also provide any relevant information concerning the educational requirements and/or any prerequisites for entry into engineering programs in the applicant’s country for consideration and overall qualification by a member board.
Download the NCEES Engineering Education Standard (PDF).
Applicants who hold surveying degrees from programs that are not accredited by ABET and applicants who hold B.S./B.A. degrees in states that also require a “core program” in surveying must demonstrate the following:
The NCEES Surveying Education Standard was developed by the NCEES Committee on Education for use by the NCEES Credentials Evaluations service and member boards. An educational evaluation provided by NCEES should be accepted as the only official assessment of whether the Surveying Education Standard has been met.
NCEES Credentials Evaluations will adhere to the following in conducting evaluations.
1. Foreign surveying degree programs
2. U.S.-based, non-ABET-accredited degree programs in surveying
3. U.S.-based B.S./B.A. programs for applicants that have met the “surveying core” program requirements
For applicants whose educational record indicates satisfaction of the NCEES standard, NCEES will report that the applicant possesses the education required in order to be considered by a member board for entry into the professional practice of surveying.
For applicants whose educational record indicates deficiencies relative to the NCEES standard, those deficiencies will be noted for any action deemed appropriate by a member board. NCEES will also provide any relevant information concerning the educational requirements and/or any prerequisites for entry into surveying programs in the applicant’s country for consideration and overall qualification by a member board.
Download the NCEES Surveying Education Standard (PDF).
Evaluation
Re-evaluation
Transmission to an additional licensing board
Fees are paid at the end of the application process. Note that all refunds will be subject to a $50 administrative fee. Also note that NCEES does not grant refunds for applications submitted more than one year prior to the refund request.
Every U.S. state and foreign entity that offers NCEES exams has unique requirements that examinees must meet before they are allowed to sit for their exams. To begin the registration process, go to the appropriate exam page and select the state board or foreign entity you plan to register with and read about their application process.
You do not need an evaluation if your degree was accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET at the time of your graduation. If you aren’t sure whether your degree program is EAC/ABET-accredited, you can search for it on the ABET website. If your program is not listed, you will likely need to have your educational credentials evaluated by NCEES.
Create or log into your MyNCEES account and then add your education information. In order to have your education information verified, you will need to send an NCEES-generated form to your educational program. Once the requested information is received by NCEES, you can begin your evaluation.
An NCEES Credentials Evaluation compares a licensure candidate’s college-level education to the NCEES Engineering Education Standard to evaluate if it is comparable to a typical U.S.-based engineering degree. If your college-level coursework meets the standard, your evaluation report will indicate this. If it does not, your report will indicate any areas of deficiency.
The NCEES Engineering Education Standard reflects generally agreed-upon educational qualifications for entering the profession.
Most applicants are referred to the NCEES Credentials Evaluations Service by a state licensing board. It is designed primarily for candidates who have earned a degree outside of the United States and are pursuing licensure through one of the state boards.
NCEES Records Program applicants who do not have an EAC/ABET-accredited degree must have their education evaluated by the NCEES Credentials Evaluations Service, which is the only service accepted by all state licensing boards. The completed evaluation will become a part of your NCEES Record.
You do not need an evaluation if your degree was EAC/ABET-accredited at the time of your graduation.
All applicants must provide the following from all universities attended and for all college-level coursework and degrees earned.
No. Applicants must submit all required documentation, and it must be verified before they will be eligible to purchase an evaluation.
Once all of your documents have been received and verified, you will have the option to purchase a Credentials Evaluation from your MyNCEES dashboard.
A credentials evaluation is typically completed within 15 business days from the date of purchase.
Yes. You can monitor the status of your application through your MyNCEES account. To monitor the receipt of your documentation, select “update education” from your profile, which is located in the drop-down menu next to your username at the top of the screen. The status of each document will be noted below the appropriate school entry. When all documents have been received and verified, you will have the option to purchase an evaluation from your MyNCEES dashboard.
Yes. All official documents in the native language must be accompanied by literal English translations, which must be completed by a certified translation service.