WHAT IS AN INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC CREDENTIAL ASSESSMENT?

An international academic credential assessment is the process by which academic credentials from one country are compared to those of another country. In Canada, it typically involves two steps: the authentication of a foreign credential and its comparability to similar credentials issued in a particular province or territory. Such assessment is most often performed for the purposes of employment, for obtaining a licence to practise in a regulated occupation, or for admission to a postsecondary educational institution.

WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL QUALIFICATION RECOGNITION?

International qualification recognition is the process by which an organization—typically a postsecondary educational institution, a professional regulatory authority, or an employer—recognizes that an individual's academic credentials as well as other required documents meet their respective requirements for admission, licensure, or employment.

When members of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada (ACESC) issue an academic credential assessment report, it is a non-binding expert opinion. Postsecondary educational institutions, professional regulatory authorities, or employers may conduct their own assessments, or they may choose to use an assessment report to inform their recognition decision.