Liberian Education and U.S. Academic Evaluation: Diplomas, Degrees and Transcripts

Liberian education has a long history, from one of the oldest universities in West Africa to the WASSCE that students sit today. When you bring Liberian records to the U.S., an academic evaluation explains what they are worth to a U.S. university, employer, licensing board or immigration officer. This guide is for anyone who studied in Liberia, and for the attorneys and advisers who help them. It covers every common credential: the WASSCE and the older Liberian senior high school certificate, teaching certificates, associate, bachelor's and master's degrees, and the law and medical degrees. A standard MotaWord evaluation costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours.

The Education System in Liberia

Liberia's education system follows a 6-3-3-4 structure: six years of primary school, three years of junior high school, three years of senior high school and about four years of university study. The Ministry of Education oversees schools and the national curriculum, and the National Commission on Higher Education accredits colleges and universities.

Liberian schools, like the country's universities, faced long closures during the civil wars and again during the Ebola outbreak of 2014. Some records from those years were lost or are hard to obtain, so collect your documents early and ask the school or registrar for replacements when needed.

Primary and Junior High School

Primary school lasts six years and covers English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Junior high school lasts three years and ends with a national examination. That exam admits students to senior high school but is not a school leaving credential for U.S. purposes.

Senior High School and the WASSCE

Senior high school lasts three years. Students follow a science, arts or commerce track, with English, Mathematics and a science subject required for everyone. Senior high school ends with the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), set by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). The WASSCE was phased in during the 2010s and replaced the Liberia Senior High School Certificate Examination (LSHSCE), so older graduates hold the LSHSCE instead. WAEC runs the same exam in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia, and our regional guide covers its grading in detail. See how WAEC and WASSCE results are evaluated for U.S. education.

WASSCE grades run from A1 (excellent) to F9 (fail), with A1 to C6 counted as credits. You can check WAEC results in Liberia through WAEC's online result checker, but U.S. readers and evaluators usually want the certificate itself. Students in Sierra Leone sit the same WASSCE, set by the West African Examinations Council. See how credentials from neighboring Sierra Leone are evaluated.

Is a Liberia High School Diploma Equivalent to a U.S. Diploma?

Liberian high schools issue their own diplomas and transcripts, while WAEC issues the WASSCE certificate. Evaluators usually describe a WASSCE certificate, or an older LSHSCE, with passes in the core subjects as comparable to completion of high school in the U.S. The final wording depends on the subjects passed and the documents you send.

Send the WASSCE certificate together with the high school diploma and transcript. The school documents show where you studied and the grades for every year, and WAEC documents alone do not name your school. A course-by-course evaluation converts your grades to a U.S. GPA, which most U.S. colleges ask for.

The Primary Teacher's Certificate, also called the Grade C Teaching Certificate, is the other common credential at this level. It is earned in a three-year program that students can enter after junior high school, and evaluators often compare it to completion of a vocational or specialized high school program in the U.S.

Liberian Universities and Higher Education Institutions

The two best known Liberian universities are the University of Liberia in Monrovia, which grew out of Liberia College and opened in 1862, and Cuttington University, an Episcopal university founded in the late nineteenth century that has been based in Bong County since the 1940s. Both suffered serious damage and long closures during the civil wars. Liberia also has a growing number of private universities and colleges, community colleges, and teacher training institutes.

Liberian higher education institutions were built on the American model, which shapes how they are evaluated:

- Associate degrees: two-year programs at community colleges and universities, in fields such as business, information technology, nursing and education.

- Bachelor's degrees: usually four years of credit-based study in fields such as business, education, science, agriculture and engineering.

- Master's degrees: usually two years after a bachelor's degree, in fields such as education, public administration and business.

- Teaching certificates: the Grade C certificate for primary teachers and the Grade B certificate, earned in two years of post-secondary study, for junior high teachers. Senior high school teachers hold a bachelor's degree.

- Law and medicine: the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) at the University of Liberia's Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, and the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) at the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine.

- Professional and vocational certificates: shorter programs, from a few months to two years, in agriculture, health, business and trades.

How Liberian Credentials Are Evaluated in the U.S.

Because Liberian degrees use credits, majors and a GPA, U.S. evaluators often find them close to U.S. structures. Typical results look like this, though the evaluation report always decides:

- Associate degree: a two-year associate degree is generally compared to a U.S. associate degree.

- Bachelor's degree: a four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is generally compared to a U.S. bachelor's degree, which matters for graduate school and for H-1B or EB-2 petitions.

- Master's degree: generally compared to a U.S. master's degree.

- Grade B Teaching Certificate: often compared to some years of U.S. undergraduate study.

- LL.B.: law students usually complete earlier university study before admission. Depending on those requirements, evaluators may compare the LL.B. to a first professional degree in law, and the report explains the basis.

- Doctor of Medicine: usually compared to a first professional degree in medicine. Practicing in the U.S. still requires ECFMG certification and a state license.

Evaluations follow the USCIS Policy Manual standard: credible, logical and well documented. No evaluator controls the officer's decision, but a clear report gives the officer a solid basis for it. Graduate schools and colleges usually need a course-by-course report. See how academic evaluation supports U.S. university and college admissions.

Transcripts, GPA and Grading in Liberia

Most Liberian universities, including the University of Liberia and Cuttington University, report letter grades and a GPA, commonly on a 4.0 scale. The Cuttington University grading system and GPA scale are printed on its transcripts, and so is the scale at the University of Liberia. Evaluators use that key rather than assuming it matches the U.S. scale exactly. If you want to know the highest GPA at the University of Liberia, the key on your transcript shows the top of the scale used when you studied.

- General evaluation: states the U.S. equivalent of each credential. It is usually enough for jobs and immigration.

- Course-by-course evaluation: lists every course with its credits and grade, converts each grade and calculates a U.S. GPA. Universities, credit transfer offices and licensing boards usually ask for it. Get your foreign transcript evaluated and see your grades as a U.S. GPA.

Documents You Need

- WASSCE or LSHSCE certificate: every sitting you want counted.

- High school diploma and transcript: from the school you graduated from.

- University diploma and transcript: for every associate, bachelor's, master's or professional degree.

- Teaching certificates: Grade C or Grade B certificates and their transcripts.

- Name change proof: if your name differs between documents.

Liberian records are issued in English, so a translation is rarely needed. If you also studied in a French speaking country, certified translation can be added to an evaluation order at the quote stage, where the system detects non-English documents. For the full list of what evaluators ask for, see our guide to documents required for academic evaluations. If a record was lost during the war years, ask the institution's registrar for a replacement before you order.

How MotaWord Evaluates Your Liberian Credentials

1. Upload: upload scans or phone photos of your certificates, diplomas and transcripts, and choose a general or course-by-course evaluation. You see the price and delivery time before you pay.

2. Document check: our evaluation team checks that every document is complete and readable, and contacts you if something is missing.

3. Evaluation: an evaluator compares each Liberian credential with U.S. education and prepares the report.

4. Download: your MotaWord client dashboard is created automatically, where you follow the order, download the report and invoices, and talk to us via live chat.

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. Live chat is available 24/7 for support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Liberia high school diploma accepted in the U.S.?

Yes, once it is evaluated. A WASSCE or LSHSCE certificate with passes in the core subjects, sent with your high school diploma and transcript, is usually evaluated as comparable to a U.S. high school diploma.

What grading system do Liberian universities use?

Most use U.S.-style letter grades and a GPA, commonly on a 4.0 scale, including the University of Liberia and Cuttington University. The evaluator uses the key printed on your transcript.

Is a Liberian bachelor's degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree?

A four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited Liberian institution is generally compared to a U.S. bachelor's degree. The evaluation report decides.

How is the Grade C Teaching Certificate evaluated?

It is often compared to completion of a vocational or specialized high school program in the U.S., because students enter it after junior high school.

Can I get an evaluation if some Liberian records were lost?

An evaluation is based on the documents you upload. Ask your school or university registrar for replacement records first, then upload what you have and our team will tell you if anything is missing.

How long does a Liberian credential evaluation take?

A standard MotaWord evaluation is delivered in 72 hours for $65, and same-day delivery costs $115 when you order before 3 PM ET on a weekday.

Get Your Liberian Credentials Evaluated

Your WASSCE, diploma or degree already shows years of work in Liberian education. An evaluation shows it in U.S. terms. Get your Liberian degree evaluated with MotaWord academic evaluation services.

Mark Rogers - Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord

Written and reviewed by Mark Rogers, Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord, drawing on the team's experience with Liberian high school, teaching and university credentials. 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. Every evaluation report explains how each credential compares to U.S. education, and certified translation can be added at the quote stage when your documents are not in English. See our academic evaluation for U.S. employment →