Haiti High School Diploma, Degrees and Transcripts: Academic Evaluation Guide

If you finished school in Haiti and need to prove it in the United States, the first document anyone asks for is your Haiti high school diploma, followed by any university degree you earned. This guide explains how every Haitian credential is evaluated for U.S. use: the certificat and diplôme of the Baccalauréat, technical and vocational diplomas, the Licence, Maîtrise, and Doctorat, and professional degrees in medicine and other fields. It is written for Haitians who are studying, working, or settling in the U.S., and for the attorneys and advisors who help them. A standard evaluation from MotaWord costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours.

Why You Need a Haitian Credential Evaluation

U.S. institutions cannot read a Haitian diploma on its own terms. They rely on an evaluation report that states the U.S. equivalent. People most often need one for:

• U.S. college admissions and credit transfer: colleges want proof of high school completion and, for university study, your credits and GPA.
• Military enlistment: recruiters usually ask for an evaluation that shows your Haitian diploma equals a U.S. high school diploma.
• Employment: employers confirm that you meet a job's education requirement.
• USCIS petitions: H-1B and employment-based green card cases that require a U.S. degree equivalent.
• Professional licensing: state boards for nursing, teaching, engineering, and other fields usually require a course-by-course report.

Colleges and universities look at grades and credits as much as the diploma. Learn how academic evaluations work for U.S. university and college admissions. Job seekers need a report their employer can check quickly. See how academic evaluations support U.S. job applications.

How Haiti's Education System Is Structured

Haiti's education system is rooted in the French model and is overseen by the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP). Instruction is in Haitian Creole and French, and official records are usually issued in French. Many schools are private or run by churches and nonprofit organizations, so the name and status of your school appear on your evaluation.

French degrees follow a similar structure and vocabulary. See how French degrees compare to U.S. standards.

Basic Education: Fundamental School

Basic education (école fondamentale) lasts nine years and is divided into three cycles. The traditional primary years end with the Certificat d'Études Primaires, and the ninth year ends with a national exam. Together these years correspond to elementary and middle school in the U.S.

Secondary School: Traditional and Nouveau Secondaire

In the traditional system, the last years of secondary school ended with two national exams: the Baccalauréat I after the Rhéto year and the Baccalauréat II after the Philo year. Passing Bac II completed secondary school. In recent years Haiti has been moving to the Nouveau Secondaire, a four-year upper secondary cycle (NS1 to NS4) that ends with a single national exam. Depending on your year of graduation, your final credential may be called the Baccalauréat, Bac Unique, or Diplôme de Fin d'Études Secondaires.

Technical and Vocational Education

Technical and vocational schools train students in trades such as construction, mechanics, electricity, and accounting. Programs typically last two to three years, and many are supervised by the National Institute of Vocational Training (INFP). Evaluators usually compare these diplomas to U.S. vocational or high school level study, depending on the entry requirements and length.

Higher Education

Haiti's universities include the State University of Haiti (Université d'État d'Haïti, UEH), Université Quisqueya, and Université Notre Dame d'Haïti, along with many smaller private institutions. Higher education follows three cycles: the Licence or a professional title after about four years, the Maîtrise (master's) after about two more years, and the Doctorat. Medicine and dentistry are longer professional programs, usually around six to seven years including internship and social service.

Haiti's Grading Scale

Haitian schools commonly grade out of 10 or out of 100, and 5 out of 10 (or 50 percent) is often the passing mark. Some schools and universities use other scales, so the evaluator relies on the scale printed on your transcript.

The Haiti High School Diploma and the Baccalauréat

What the MENFP Issues

The MENFP administers the official exams and issues the results. Graduates usually receive a relevé de notes (score report) and an official certificat showing they passed the Baccalauréat, and later the diplôme itself. People searching for MENFP Haiti diplôme requirements usually want to know which of these documents counts. For a U.S. evaluation, the official diplôme or the MENFP certificat of the Baccalauréat can serve as proof of completion, together with your school transcripts.

These MENFP documents show that you passed the national exam, but they rarely list your school or your subjects. That is why evaluators ask for your school transcripts (bulletins or relevé de notes from each year) as well. Order a transcript evaluation that converts your Haitian grades into U.S. terms.

How the Baccalauréat Compares to a U.S. High School Diploma

A completed Baccalauréat II (Philo), Bac Unique, or Diplôme de Fin d'Études Secondaires is generally evaluated as comparable to a U.S. high school diploma. A Baccalauréat I (Rhéto) alone usually represents secondary study that is not yet complete. The final determination depends on your documents, and the evaluation report decides.

How Haitian University Degrees Compare to U.S. Degrees

The outcomes below are typical. Each one depends on the institution, the program's official length, and your transcript.

• Licence or professional title (about four years): often evaluated as comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree.
• Shorter post-secondary programs: often compared to U.S. associate-level or undergraduate study, depending on hours and content.
• Maîtrise: commonly evaluated as graduate study, often comparable to a U.S. master's degree.
• Doctorat: reviewed as advanced graduate study based on the program and research completed.
• Docteur en Médecine and dental degrees: usually described as first professional degrees in medicine or dentistry.

An evaluation does not give the right to practice a regulated profession in the U.S. Physicians, nurses, and other licensed professionals also follow the steps set by their state board or credentialing body, and the evaluation is one part of that file.

Transcripts, Grades and Report Types

Diplomas and transcripts together give the full picture: the diploma shows completion, and the transcripts show your school, subjects, and grades. If your diploma confirms you passed the national exam but not that you studied sciences, your transcript fills that gap. Without it, the evaluation may be less specific.

General vs Course-by-Course Evaluation

A general (document-by-document) evaluation states the U.S. equivalent of each credential. It is usually enough for employment, military enlistment, and USCIS petitions. A course-by-course evaluation lists every subject with U.S. credits, letter grades, and a GPA. Universities and licensing boards usually ask for it. Read our guide to course-by-course transcript evaluations.

When your report arrives, each section explains a different part of your education. See our guide to interpreting an academic evaluation report.

Documents You Need and Certified Translation

• Baccalauréat diplôme or MENFP certificat, front and back
• School transcripts (bulletins or relevé de notes) for your secondary years
• University diploma and transcript for each degree, if any
• Course descriptions or syllabi if a licensing board asks for them
• Certified English translations of every document in French or Haitian Creole

Clear scans or phone photos are enough to start. If you cannot get your original records, contact your school or the MENFP for official copies; scanned copies of documents you already have usually work for the evaluation. Missing pages are the most common reason for slow processing, so check every file before you upload.

Haitian records are usually in French, and USCIS requires a complete English translation of each foreign-language document with a translator's certification. MotaWord's certified translations cost $24.50 per page, with delivery in as little as 12 hours and free digital notarization. See our certified French translation services.

When you order an evaluation, the quote system detects non-English documents and offers to add certified translation to the same order. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, and other civil records for the same immigration case can be translated too. See how MotaWord's immigration translation services work.

How MotaWord Evaluates Your Haitian Credentials

1. Upload: start a quote and upload your diploma, certificat, transcripts, and any other records. If they are in French or Creole, add certified translation at the quote stage.
2. Document check: our team reviews your files and contacts you if a page, side, or stamp is missing.
3. Evaluation: our evaluators review your school or institution, the program's length, and your coursework, then prepare a report that follows the USCIS Policy Manual standard of a credible, logical, and well-documented analysis.
4. Download: your report is delivered to your MotaWord client dashboard, where you can follow your order and download invoices.

A standard evaluation costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours. Same-day delivery costs $115 when you order before 3 PM ET on a weekday. A course-by-course evaluation costs $120, or $200 for same-day delivery. Everything happens online, so there is nothing to mail. Live chat is available 24/7 for support. See everything you can do in your MotaWord client dashboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Haiti high school diploma valid in the U.S.?

Not automatically, but a completed Baccalauréat II, Bac Unique, or Diplôme de Fin d'Études Secondaires is generally evaluated as comparable to a U.S. high school diploma. The evaluation report is what colleges, employers, and recruiters accept as proof.

What is the Baccalauréat equivalent in the U.S.?

The completed Haitian Baccalauréat (Bac II or Philo) is usually compared to a U.S. high school diploma. It is not a bachelor's degree, even though the names sound alike.

Is the MENFP certificat of the Baccalauréat enough for an evaluation?

It usually works as proof that you passed the national exam, together with your school transcripts. Send the official diplôme too if you have it.

Do I need to translate my Haitian diploma before the evaluation?

Yes, documents in French or Creole need certified English translations. MotaWord can add certified translation to your evaluation order at the quote stage.

What if I cannot get my original transcripts?

Ask your school or the MENFP for official copies. If that is not possible, contact our team on live chat 24/7, and we will tell you which documents can support your evaluation.

Can I use my Haitian degree for a U.S. professional license?

Often yes, but most boards require a course-by-course evaluation and may add exams or other steps. Check with your state licensing board before you order.

Turn Your Haitian Education Into U.S. Opportunity

Whether you are enlisting, applying to college, starting a new job, or filing a visa petition, the process starts with complete documents and a clear report. Get your Haitian diploma, degree, or transcripts evaluated with MotaWord's academic evaluation services. Our team is on live chat 24/7, whatever your time zone.

Mark Rogers - Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord

Written and reviewed by Mark Rogers, Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord, drawing on the team's experience with Haitian diplomas, transcripts, and credential evaluations for U.S. use. MotaWord is SOC 2 Type II certified and a corporate member of the ATA and ITI, providing academic evaluations and certified translations in 120+ languages. Evaluation reports follow the USCIS Policy Manual standard of a credible, logical, and well-documented analysis. See our diploma evaluation services →