Credential Evaluation for Kenyan Degrees

A "credential evaluation" (also called a foreign credential assessment) translates a Kenyan degree or diploma into its US/Canadian equivalent, for the benefit of employers, universities, and professional licensing boards who don't have a way to independently judge a KCSE certificate or a University of Nairobi degree against their own system.

When you need one

• Applying to a US or Canadian graduate program with a Kenyan undergraduate degree
• Applying for jobs where the employer requires "US/Canadian degree equivalency" as a condition of the role
• Applying for professional licensure (nursing, engineering, teaching, accounting, and similar regulated professions almost always require this — and often require a *specific* evaluation service the licensing board designates, not just any evaluator)
• Some US immigration processes (e.g., certain employment-based petitions) where a credential evaluation supports showing the position requires a bachelor's-equivalent or higher

How the process works

1. Choose an evaluation service. In the US, well-known members of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) are widely accepted — but check what your specific employer, school, or licensing board requires first, since some require a particular service or a specific evaluation type (a general "document-by-document" report vs. a more detailed "course-by-course" report).
2. Request your official transcripts and certificates directly from your Kenyan institution — most evaluators require documents sent directly from the issuing institution, not scanned copies from the applicant, though policies vary by evaluator.
3. Submit the documents (often along with certified translations, though Kenyan academic documents are usually already in English) and pay the evaluation fee.
4. Wait for the report — turnaround varies by evaluator and report type, commonly a few weeks for a standard report, faster for an expedited option at extra cost.

Cost and timeline expectations

Fees vary by evaluator and report depth, and typically run from roughly $100 to $300+ USD depending on report type and rush service. Treat any specific number as approximate and confirm on the evaluator's current fee schedule before applying — these change periodically.

Common pitfalls

• Using the wrong evaluator for a licensing application — many professional boards (especially nursing and engineering) name a specific required evaluator; a report from the wrong service may be rejected outright, wasting the fee and the time.
• Ordering the wrong report type — a basic equivalency report is not the same as a detailed course-by-course report a graduate program may require to assess specific prerequisite coursework.
• Underestimating document-request time from the Kenyan institution — requesting official transcripts from a Kenyan university by mail/courier can itself take weeks; start this step early rather than assuming it's instant once you decide to apply.

Ask exactly what report type and evaluator your specific destination (school, employer, or licensing board) requires before ordering anything — this is the single step that avoids the most wasted time and money in this process.