How to write a foreign degree and its recognition on your CV
Write the degree under its original name with a translation, then one phrase giving the official comparison: the body (UK ENIC, Nuffic, WES, YÖK), the month and year, and the level exactly as the document words it.1
Written 13 October 2026. CitedCV. How we write our guides
First step: find the official centre for the country you are moving to
Recognition is done by the country where you will use the degree, not the country that awarded it. Open the country pages of the ENIC-NARIC Networks and note the national information centre listed for your destination. That listing tells you which organisation is official, which matters because the networks’ own site warns that some third parties falsely present themselves as ENIC or NARIC centres.
What the networks are
The site is a joint initiative of the European Commission, the Council of Europe and UNESCO. Each country that signed the Lisbon Recognition Convention sets up a national information centre. At a minimum the centre gives information and advice on recognition; some countries also let it evaluate individual qualifications and issue advice or binding decisions.
The centres for the countries on this page
- United Kingdom: UK ENIC, run by Ecctis Limited.
- Netherlands: Nuffic, the Dutch ENIC-NARIC.
- Canada: the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC).
- United States: the U.S. ENIC at the Department of Education, which the listing says does not evaluate academic or professional credentials.
- Türkiye: the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), Department of Recognition and Equivalence Services.
How recognition works, and the line it does not cross
Most bodies here compare your degree with a level in their own system and put that in a document. That is academic recognition. It tells an employer or an immigration office what level your degree sits at. It does not give you the right to work in a regulated profession.
Academic recognition is advice in several countries
IDW, the Dutch application point, says a credential evaluation is advice you cannot derive legal rights from, that it is not required to work in the Netherlands, and that the employer decides whom to hire. Work experience is not part of it.
Professional licensing is a separate procedure
IRCC says an Educational Credential Assessment does not guarantee a job or a licence to practise; the licence comes from the province or territory. IDW sends people in regulated professions such as nurse or teacher to the competent authority first, and points to the European Commission's database of regulated professions to check. On a CV, keep the two apart: one phrase for the degree comparison, a separate line for any licence or registration.
When a route makes the comparison compulsory
- Canada, Federal Skilled Worker principal applicants with education outside Canada need an ECA, and it must be under five years old when the profile is created and when the application is submitted.
- UK Skilled Worker applicants claiming points for a PhD from outside the UK give a unique Ecctis reference number.
- Netherlands orientation year: master’s and PhD graduates of a top-200 foreign university send a Nuffic credential evaluation, with exceptions IND names on its form 7523.
- Germany, EU Blue Card: anabin or a ZAB statement, covered on the Blue Card page.
Country, body, document and sample CV line
Sample lines are for invented applicants. Square brackets mark text you copy word for word from your own document, because the wording of the result belongs to the body, not to you.
| Country | Body | Document produced | Sample CV line |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | UK ENIC (Ecctis Limited) | Statement of Comparability, issued as an e-Statement, with a UK ENIC reference number | BSc Civil Engineering (İnşaat Mühendisliği, Lisans), Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Türkiye, 09/2017 to 06/2021. UK ENIC Statement of Comparability, 05/2026: [comparison as worded]. |
| Netherlands | IDW; Nuffic evaluates higher education, SBB vocational education | Credential evaluation, a PDF with an electronic signature | Lisans in Business Administration, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Türkiye, 2016 to 2020. Nuffic credential evaluation via IDW, 03/2026: [Dutch level as worded]. |
| Canada | An IRCC-designated organisation (CES, ICAS, WES, IQAS, ICES); the Medical Council of Canada for doctors, PEBC for pharmacists, CACB for architects | Educational Credential Assessment report stating the Canadian equivalent | Yüksek Lisans (MSc) in Electrical Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Türkiye, 2019 to 2021. WES ECA for IRCC, 02/2026: [Canadian equivalent as worded]. |
| United States | No federal evaluator; private services. NACES and AICE are two associations of them, listed by OPM without endorsement | An evaluation report whose content depends on the service and the type you order | B.A. Economics, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Türkiye, 2015 to 2019. Evaluated by [service], 04/2026: [U.S. equivalence as worded]. |
| Türkiye (foreign degree, working in Türkiye) | YÖK, Tanıma ve Denklik Hizmetleri | Diploma or mezuniyet denklik belgesi; issued electronically since 2024 with a verification code | MSc Data Science, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2022 to 2024. YÖK denklik belgesi, 01/2026: [alan ve derece belgedeki gibi]. |
| Germany | anabin and the ZAB | anabin record or ZAB Statement of Comparability | See the EU Blue Card CV page for the lines and the rules. |
Rules for the recognition phrase
- Keep the original degree name first, so it matches the diploma the reader will see.
- Add a translation in brackets once, not a new degree title.
- Name the body and the month and year of the document.
- Copy the level as worded. If the document says 'comparable to', do not write 'equivalent to'.
- Put the document in the application file, not inside the CV.
- If you have applied and are waiting, write "evaluation requested from [body], [month year]" only if that is true.
Fees and times as published
| Body | Fee | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK ENIC, Statement of Comparability | £69.60 including the e-Statement; paper copy £12.60 (UK) or £75.60 (international) | 15 working days once all documents and full payment are in | Does not comment on grades, subjects or English level |
| IDW (Nuffic or SBB) | €148.83 including VAT, one diploma per application | IDW says processing is taking longer because of the number of applications | No apostille needed; upload colour scans |
| WES, ECA for IRCC | C$264, before delivery fees, other fees and 13% HST; standard delivery C$14, international courier C$97 | Not stated on the fee page | Valid five years from the date of issue |
| YÖK denklik | 1,250 TL for a diploma or graduation equivalence application in 2026 | No fixed time; depends on country, programme and correspondence | Only short-cycle, bachelor and master degrees; doctorates go to the Interuniversity Council (ÜAK) |
Proof: what we read and when
- ENIC-NARIC Networks home page, About page and country pages for the UK, Netherlands, Canada, USA and Türkiye, read 12 October 2026.
- UK ENIC Statement of Comparability page and cost page; GOV.UK Skilled Worker documents page, read 12 October 2026.
- IDW frequently asked questions, 'To work' and 'Who are we' pages; IND form 7523 (version 7523-2026/3), read 12 October 2026.
- IRCC page on getting education assessed for Express Entry (modified 2026-06-22) and the WES ECA fees page, read 12 October 2026.
- OPM's Presidential Management Fellows page on education outside the US, and the NACES members page, read 12 October 2026.
- YÖK denklik application page with the 2026 fees and YÖK's frequently asked questions, read 12 October 2026.
Fees and procedures change. Check the linked official page before you apply.
Who this page is not for
- Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, teachers, lawyers and other regulated professions: the comparison here is only one step, and the licensing authority sets the rest.
- Germany: anabin, H+ status and the ZAB statement are explained on the EU Blue Card page.
- People with only a school leaving certificate: most bodies above also cover school and vocational levels, but our sample lines are for degrees.
- Ireland, Australia and other countries: we did not verify their procedures for this page; use the ENIC-NARIC country list to find the official centre.
Next steps
Order the comparison before the CV goes out, since several of these take weeks. When it arrives, add one phrase to the degree line and attach the document where the application asks for it.
CitedCV writes the CV from the degree, dates and documents you enter and confirm, in English, Turkish or German. It does not contact any of these bodies, so you type the comparison result yourself, exactly as your document gives it.
Questions people ask
How do I write a foreign degree on my CV?
Give the original degree name, a short translation, the university, city, country and dates, then one phrase with the official comparison: the body, the month and year, and the level as worded.
What is ENIC-NARIC?
It is the network of national information centres on recognition, run as a joint initiative of the European Commission, the Council of Europe and UNESCO. Its country pages list the official centre for each country.
Should I put my WES evaluation on my CV?
Yes, as one phrase on the degree line if the job or route is in Canada: name WES, the date, and the Canadian equivalent exactly as the report states it.
How much does a Nuffic diploma evaluation cost?
It costs €148.83 including VAT per diploma, applied for through IDW, which says one free evaluation is available to people completing inburgering, applying for citizenship or permanent residence.
Is a credential evaluation the same as a licence to work?
No. IRCC says an ECA does not guarantee a licence, and IDW says an evaluation is not proof that you may work in a certain profession; regulated professions need the competent authority.
Do I need a UK ENIC statement to work in the UK?
Not as a general rule on the pages we read. UK ENIC presents the statement as context for jobs, study or professional registration; the Skilled Worker page asks for an Ecctis reference number only for non-UK PhD points.
Who evaluates foreign degrees in the US?
Private credential evaluation services. The U.S. ENIC does not evaluate credentials, and the federal PMF programme lists NACES and AICE members only as a convenience, not an endorsement.
How long is a Canadian ECA valid?
Five years. WES says its ECA is valid five years from the date of issue, and IRCC says it must be under five years old when you create your profile and when you apply.
Sources
- ENIC-NARIC Networks, gateway to recognition of qualificationswww.enic-naric.net/
- ENIC-NARIC Networks, About the ENIC-NARIC Networkswww.enic-naric.net/page-about-ENIC-NARIC-Networks
- ENIC-NARIC Networks, USA country pagewww.enic-naric.net/page-USA
- UK ENIC, Statement of Comparabilitywww.enic.org.uk/individuals/statement-of-comparability
- UK ENIC, Statement of Comparability costwww.enic.org.uk/individuals/statement-of-comparability/cost
- IDW, Frequently asked questionsidw.nl/en/frequently-asked-questions/
- IDW, To work in the Netherlands with a foreign diplomaidw.nl/en/to-work/
- IRCC, Education assessed for Express Entrywww.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/education-assessed.html
- WES Canada, ECA evaluations and feeswww.wes.org/ca/evaluations-and-fees/eca/
- OPM Presidential Management Fellows, Education outside the USwww.pmf.gov/become-a-pmf/eligibility/education-outside-us/
- NACES, Memberswww.naces.org/members
- YÖK, Denklik başvurusudenklik.yok.gov.tr/tr/page/663
- GOV.UK, Skilled Worker visa: documents you must providewww.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/documents-you-must-provide