hary_potter

Hi,

I would like to apply for a H-1B position later this year and would need to evaluate my credentials with WES or similar company.
By July I should receive my UK Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE, L5), which is awarded after completing the first 2 out of 3 years of a Bachelor's degree with honors. (~80 US semester credits as I've calculated).
As far as I know there is no direct equivalent for this credential and WES would need to do some credit computation to come up with an equivalent credential.
I would ideally hope for WES to recognize my diploma as being equivalent to 3 years out of 4 of an US bachelor's degree rather than an Associate's degree. If they say it's equivalent to an Associate's, I would need to substitute 6 years of work experience for the 2 academic years I'm missing.

In conclusion: Can WES evaluate a credential to being equivalent to 3 years of an US bachelor's degree? Or would they truncate anything that's not a Bachelors degree to an Associate's degree?

I sent WES an email and I'm still waiting for a reply.

If anyone has tried to evaluate such a diploma please before with WES would you please post your result?

Many Thanks
Hary

neill

I believe it has to be an honours (hons) degree. The UK is one of a few countries that gets an equivalency of 4 years for the 3 year (hons) degree as the UK retains an A-level (or equivalent) as entry to the first year of the programme.

scrubbedexpat099

So you are applying for a job at an International school, presumably British, would they not be familiar with this qualification?

hary_potter

I think you misunderstood. I'm not applying for a job at an international school. It's not about the employer not being familiar, it's about evaluating my Diploma with WES for USCIS in order to qualify for H-1B.

scrubbedexpat099

Sounds more like something the Lawyer acting for the Employer would put together if needed to support a H1b application.

Rete

In the US 60 credits are needed for an Associate's Degree. 120 credits required for a Bachelor's. Your 60 credits, if in the appropriate subjects, would be equivalent to an Associates. If you continue in the UK to go for your Bachelor's, it would be most favorable for your chances of finding employment. Remember the H-1B visa requires an employer to finance your visa and that is thousands of dollars and must be in a field where an H-1B visa is applicable. An associate's degree, without work experience, is probably useless.

hary_potter

Thank you for explaining! I hoped my 80credits would somehow get rounded up to 3 years of a US bachelor's but that probably won't happen. I do have 5 years of work experience, so I hoped to substitute 3 for the academic year I'd be missing. I'll probably take my chances and request an evaluation from WES in the summer, although I don't put much hope into it now.

TexanScot

In that case I'm guessing you're looking to obtain an H-1B next year rather than this year?

hary_potter

Yes, that's right. Sorry if I wasn't too clear in the main post. I won't get my diploma until summer anyway.

TexanScot

You need to meet the requirements at the time the attorney files the petition.

If you have completed the degree but haven't yet been awarded it, they can submit the transcripts instead.

Assuming that this year's petition filing deadline is the same as last year's - June 30th - will you be an a position to be able to supply your full transcript and your evaluation so your attorney can file before that date?