Credential Evaluation for India: Degrees, Diplomas and Transcripts

If you studied in India and need your education recognized in the United States, a credential evaluation for India is the document that explains it. The report states the U.S. equivalent of your Class 12 certificate, diploma, bachelor's, master's or doctorate, and it is what USCIS, U.S. employers, universities and licensing boards read when they decide what your Indian degree is worth. This guide is for graduates of Indian schools, colleges and universities, and for the immigration attorneys who prepare their petitions. A standard MotaWord evaluation costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours; same-day delivery costs $115 when you order before 3 PM ET on a weekday.

Why You Need a Credential Evaluation for Your Indian Degree

U.S. institutions cannot compare an Indian degree to their own system on their own, so they ask for an evaluation report. The most common reasons are:

• USCIS petitions: an H-1B petition must show a U.S. bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific field, and an EB-2 green card petition often needs a U.S. master's equivalent or a bachelor's plus five years of progressive experience.
• Employment: U.S. employers and HR teams use the report to confirm that an Indian degree meets the education requirement of a job posting.
• University admissions and credit transfer: graduate schools want to know whether your bachelor's degree qualifies you for a master's program, and colleges use a course-by-course report to decide transfer credit.
• Professional licensing: state boards for engineering, accounting, nursing, teaching and other licensed professions ask for an evaluation, often with a GPA.
• Military enlistment: recruiters may ask for an evaluation of an Indian secondary school certificate to confirm it equals a U.S. high school diploma.

See how an education evaluation supports an H-1B petition. The same report format also works for most employment and admissions files, so one evaluation often serves more than one purpose.

The Indian Education System at a Glance

India follows a 10+2 school structure. Students sit a board examination at the end of Class 10 (the Secondary School Certificate) and again at the end of Class 12 (the Higher Secondary or Senior Secondary Certificate). The main boards are the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE, which issues the ICSE and ISC) and the state boards.

After Class 12, students enter higher education at central universities, state universities, deemed universities, private universities and Institutions of National Importance such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Many students study at affiliated colleges, and the degree is awarded by the university the college belongs to.

Recognition and Accreditation: UGC, AICTE and NAAC

The University Grants Commission (UGC) recognizes universities and sets standards for university education. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) approves technical programs such as engineering, management and pharmacy. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), set up by the UGC, accredits institutions and assigns quality grades. Professional fields have their own regulators, including the National Medical Commission for medicine and the Bar Council of India for law.

When an evaluator reviews an Indian degree, one of the first checks is whether the university is UGC recognized and, for a technical program, whether it is AICTE approved. The UGC publishes the institutions it considers fake. A list of known fake universities can be found here.

Grading in India: Percentages, Divisions and CGPA

Most Indian mark sheets use percentages. Many universities group results into classes or divisions, for example First Class with Distinction, First Class, Second Class and Pass, although the cutoffs differ from one university to the next. Newer programs often use a 10-point CGPA scale. An evaluator converts these marks into a U.S. 4.0 GPA based on the grading scale printed on your transcript, so a 65% from one university is not always converted the same way as a 65% from another.

How Indian Degrees Are Evaluated in the U.S.

Two factors matter most: the entry requirement of the program and its length. The time a student took to finish is a separate question. U.S. equivalency depends on what the program requires, and the evaluation report decides the final result.

Class 10 and Class 12 Certificates

A Class 12 (Higher Secondary) certificate is usually evaluated as equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma. A Class 10 certificate alone usually is not, because it represents ten years of schooling. This matters for undergraduate admissions and for military enlistment.

Three-Year and Four-Year Bachelor's Degrees

Four-year Indian bachelor's degrees, such as the B.E., B.Tech, B.Pharm and B.Arch, are usually evaluated as equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. Three-year degrees such as the B.A., B.Sc. and B.Com. are often evaluated as three years of undergraduate study, which is less than a full U.S. bachelor's degree. That is why so many people ask whether Indian degrees are recognised in the USA: the answer depends on the length of the specific program. See how an Indian degree evaluation shows what your degree equals in the U.S.

For an H-1B petition, a three-year degree can sometimes be combined with relevant work experience, and for some cases a three-year bachelor's followed by a two-year master's is evaluated together as a U.S. bachelor's equivalent. Different evaluators can reach different results on these combinations. Nepal uses a similar 10+2 school structure with board examinations. See how Nepali degrees compare to U.S. standards.

Lateral Entry and Polytechnic Diplomas

Indian polytechnic diplomas usually take three years after Class 10. A three-year diploma is generally not evaluated as equivalent to a degree in India or in the U.S.; evaluators often treat it as secondary education plus some technical study, depending on the program. Many diploma holders join the second year of a B.E. or B.Tech through lateral entry, which is normally noted on the transcript. In that case the student finishes the four-year degree in three years, and the evaluation looks at the full four-year program and the diploma together.

Master's Degrees, M.Phil. and Doctorates

Indian master's degrees usually last two years. A master's degree that requires a four-year bachelor's for entry is usually evaluated as a U.S. master's degree. A master's that follows a three-year bachelor's adds up to five years of study and is often evaluated as a U.S. bachelor's degree, sometimes with graduate credit. Ph.D. degrees from recognized universities are usually evaluated as a U.S. doctorate. Pakistan uses a similar 10+2 school structure with board examinations. See how Pakistani degrees compare to U.S. standards.

Professional Degrees: Medicine, Law and Engineering

The MBBS takes about five and a half years including a one-year internship and is usually evaluated as a first professional degree in medicine; physicians still follow the separate ECFMG and licensing route. Law is offered as a three-year LL.B. after a bachelor's degree or as a five-year integrated program such as the B.A. LL.B., and the evaluation reflects which route you took. For engineering degrees, evaluators also check that the program was AICTE approved for the years you studied.

Transcripts, Grade Conversion and GPA

There are two report types, and choosing the right one saves time.

• General (document-by-document) evaluation: states the U.S. equivalent of each credential, for example "equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering". It is usually enough for USCIS and most employers.
• Course-by-course evaluation: lists every subject with U.S. semester credits and grades, and calculates an overall GPA. Universities, licensing boards and some employers ask for it.

Your consolidated mark sheet or semester-wise mark sheets are the transcript. Make sure every semester and every year is included, including supplementary or repeat examinations. To understand how Indian transcripts are prepared and translated when parts are not in English, see this guide to transcript translation services. Once your report arrives, you can read each section with confidence. Read our guide to diploma evaluation and the types of reports.

Documents You Need for an Indian Credential Evaluation

India issues two kinds of degree documents. The provisional certificate is issued after you pass the final examinations, and the convocation certificate (the degree certificate) is conferred later at the university's convocation. Both can be used for an evaluation. Gather these before you order:

• Consolidated or semester-wise mark sheets for every year of study
• Convocation (degree) certificate or provisional certificate
• Class 10 and Class 12 certificates and mark sheets, if you need a secondary school evaluation or admissions report
• Diploma certificate and mark sheets, if you entered your degree through lateral entry
• A passport copy if your name changed or is spelled differently across documents

Most Indian university documents are issued in English, so they do not need translation. Some state board certificates and older records are in Hindi or a regional language; those pages need a certified English translation. See how we translate diplomas for academic evaluations. A clear scan of the front and back of each page avoids most delays.

Required Documents for Indian Degree Assessment

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If a document is in Hindi or another Indian language, certified translation can be added to your evaluation order at the quote stage, where the system detects non-English documents. Certified translations cost $24.50 per page, with delivery in as little as 12 hours and free digital notarization. For what USCIS expects from a translated record, read our guide to certified translations for USCIS.

A Note for Immigration Attorneys

For H-1B and EB-2 files, the evaluation should name the field of study, the U.S. equivalent degree and the reasoning behind it. Check that the beneficiary's name matches the passport on every mark sheet, that the institution is UGC recognized or AICTE approved, and that three-year degrees are addressed directly rather than left for the officer to question. Evaluations follow the USCIS Policy Manual standard: the report must be credible, logical and well documented. No evaluator controls the officer's decision, so a clear report with complete documents is the best protection against a Request for Evidence. To avoid the errors that most often slow a case down, see the top 10 mistakes to avoid in academic evaluations.

How MotaWord Evaluates Your Indian Credentials

1. Upload: upload scans or photos of your mark sheets and certificates and choose general or course-by-course evaluation. You get an instant quote with the price and delivery time.
2. Document check: our evaluation team reviews your documents and contacts you if a page, semester or certificate is missing.
3. Evaluation: your credentials are compared to the U.S. system, with the program length, entry requirement and institution recognition documented in the report.
4. Download: the report is delivered to your MotaWord client dashboard, where you can download it and your invoice.

A standard evaluation costs $65 with delivery in 72 hours, or $115 for same-day delivery when ordered 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. MotaWord is SOC 2 Type II certified, so your academic records are handled on a secure platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Indian degrees recognised in the USA?

Indian degrees are not automatically recognized, but they are widely accepted once a credential evaluation states their U.S. equivalent. A four-year degree from a UGC-recognized university is usually evaluated as a U.S. bachelor's degree. A three-year degree is usually evaluated as three years of undergraduate study.

Is a 3-year Indian bachelor's degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's?

Usually not on its own. Evaluators often count it as three years of U.S. undergraduate study. A three-year bachelor's followed by a two-year master's, or a three-year degree combined with work experience for an H-1B, can sometimes reach a U.S. bachelor's equivalent. The evaluation report decides.

What is the associate degree equivalent in India?

India has no direct associate degree. Depending on the program, a polytechnic diploma or two years of completed university study may be evaluated as comparable to some U.S. undergraduate study, and in some cases to an associate degree. The result depends on the program's length and entry requirement.

Is a 3-year diploma equivalent to a degree in India?

No. A three-year polytechnic diploma after Class 10 is not a bachelor's degree, in India or in a U.S. evaluation. It can, however, give you lateral entry into the second year of a B.E. or B.Tech, and the evaluation then considers both credentials.

Can I use a provisional certificate instead of a convocation certificate?

Yes. Both are accepted for an evaluation, as long as the provisional certificate shows the degree, the field and the date the requirements were completed. Send the convocation certificate if you already have it.

Does it matter if my college is AICTE approved?

For technical programs such as engineering, management and pharmacy, AICTE approval is one of the things evaluators check, together with UGC recognition of the university that awarded the degree. If your college was not approved for the years you studied, the evaluation may note it.

How long does an Indian degree evaluation take?

A standard MotaWord evaluation is delivered in 72 hours for $65. Same-day delivery costs $115 when you order before 3 PM ET on a weekday. Course-by-course evaluations cost $120, or $200 same day.

Get Your Indian Degree Evaluated

Your Indian mark sheets and degree certificate already show what you studied; an evaluation translates that into terms U.S. officers, employers and admissions offices use. MotaWord's academic evaluation services can evaluate your Indian diploma, degree and transcripts for USCIS, employment and admissions. Upload your documents for an instant quote, and talk to our team on live chat 24/7 if you have a question.

Mark Rogers - Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord

Written and reviewed by Mark Rogers, Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord, drawing on the team's experience with Indian degrees, mark sheets and credential evaluations. 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 the U.S. equivalency of your credentials in a clear, documented format. See our academic evaluation for U.S. university admissions →