In study abroad applications,
details often determine success or failure.
Especially for U.S. applications,
CheersYou（清柚教育） Bro has one detail you can’t afford to overlook.
That is
WES certification.
Pay attention! Take notes!
The WES certification process is very important!
You might be wondering:
What is WES certification?
Why do I need it?
What is the specific certification process?
Today, CheersYou（清柚教育） Bro will answer all these questions for you.
What is WES and WES Certification
World Education Services (WES) is a third-party credential evaluation agency widely recognized by U.S. colleges and universities. When international students apply to U.S. schools (such as Johns Hopkins University, New York University, and Fordham University), they are often required to undergo WES credential evaluation.
Why is WES Certification Necessary?
One reason is to standardize GPA calculation methods for international students. Different undergraduate GPA systems are used around the world: for example, Chinese mainland universities may use a 5-point or 4-point scale; Australian universities often use a 7-point scale; UK universities use a classification system. To evaluate applicants’ academic ability and performance more fairly, U.S. institutions rely on WES to recalculate every international student’s GPA using a uniform algorithm, allowing them to select the best candidates.
The second reason is to further verify the authenticity of international students’ academic backgrounds. Schools can accept a candidate with limited academic ability, but they have zero tolerance for academic dishonesty. By rigorously checking credentials from the start, they aim to prevent any such issues.
WES Certification Process
1. Go to the WES website
https://www.wes.org.
2. Register and fill in your information
Simply follow the website’s instructions. Only three points need special attention:
① WES offers several types of evaluation services. The commonly used one is "WES ICAP Evaluation Course by Course." If you’re not sure which one to choose, check with the admissions office first.
The difference between ICAP and Basic is that ICAP stores your evaluation in the WES system, so if you need additional reports later, WES can directly send them from the archive. With Basic, after the evaluation is done, your information is no longer kept in the system.
② For students applying through SOPHAS (the centralized application service for public health and medical programs), providing your SOPHAS ID can get you a $25 discount.
③ You can choose how WES sends reports to each school and to yourself.
Options include Standard ($7), UPS Express ($15), Next Day ($25), Overnight ($35), and Unofficial Fax ($5). SOPHAS has an agreement with WES, so WES sends electronic copies directly to SOPHAS.
Each additional recipient (school receiving a WES report) costs $30 plus the corresponding shipping fee.
3. Pay and remember your reference number
After filling in your details, complete the payment. That finishes the WES application part.
Be sure to remember the reference number generated after payment. You’ll use it for all communication with WES, and also when filling out your CDGDC (China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center) address and when mailing copies of your degree and graduation certificates to WES.
4. Understand the required documents for WES
On the WES website, you’ll find a complete application form or FAQ that clearly lists what you need to do: request CDGDC to send your verified degree certificates and academic transcripts (both Chinese and English) directly to WES, and mail photocopies of your original Chinese degree and graduation certificates to WES directly (no English translation needed).
Website link:
https://www.wes.org/zh-hans/required-documents
5. Go to the CDGDC website
http://www.cdgdc.edu.cn/cn/
6. Register and fill in your information
Just follow the prompts. Three points to note:
① When registering, you need a photo of your ID card. The example shows a photocopy with both sides on one sheet, but actually, you only need to upload the side with your photo and ID number.
② Each attachment must not exceed 2MB; otherwise it won’t upload. If your original file is too large, use any online tool to compress it. Uploaded files can only be in image format. If your document is a PDF, convert it to JPG, and then compress if needed to stay under 2MB.
③ When filling in the address before the final payment, you need your WES reference number. If it’s for WES evaluation, select WES as the mailing address. Be very careful not to put yourself as the recipient—otherwise you’ll have to pay again to resend it to WES, haha.
7. Pay and use the message function
You can pay with a domestic or international bank card.
After payment, your registered email will receive a notification with an estimated completion time for the CDGDC verification (I was told it would be completed within 18 working days).
At this point, all online registration and application work is done.
The next step is to keep in touch with the staff through the CDGDC website’s messaging function. If you have questions, leave a message; the teachers usually reply quickly. But you only get one message per day, so make the most of it.
8. Mail documents directly to WES
For students who have already obtained their degree, you need to mail photocopies of your degree certificate and graduation certificate directly to WES. Write your WES reference number on the envelope. Only the Chinese originals (photocopies) are needed; no English translations.
Third-year undergraduate students do not need to do this step.
9. WES sends reports to your chosen schools
After WES receives the verified reports from CDGDC and the photocopies you mailed, it will begin the evaluation.
Once the evaluation is complete, WES will send the reports to the schools you applied to and also send one free copy to you.
Once the schools receive the WES evaluation report, the WES certification process is officially finished.
Reminders
1
The WES certification requirements differ for current students and graduates.
Current students do not need degree verification, so they don’t need to mail anything to WES.
Graduates need degree verification, so they must mail photocopies of their original Chinese degree and graduation certificates to WES.
Remember to write your WES reference number and name on the envelope. Alternatively, you can fax the documents; be sure to include your WES reference number and name on the fax.
2
You no longer need to mail any paper documents to CDGDC. Since October 2016, CDGDC has stopped its rush service; all verification applications are processed in the order of payment. There is no need to send paper materials to CDGDC.
3
Current undergraduate students do not need to mail any paper documents to WES.
Graduates (those who already hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree) need to mail "photocopies of the Chinese degree and graduation certificates" to the WES office in the U.S.
About Costs
1
CDGDC part (not required for current undergraduates)
English verification report for undergraduate transcript: ¥360
Undergraduate degree verification: ¥260
Mailing from China to WES New York, USA: ¥188
CDGDC uses China Post by default for shipping.
Total for this part: ¥808
2
WES part
CAP Service: $45
Course-by-Course Evaluation: $160
Each report sent to a school costs $30 plus shipping; the copy sent to you is free.
Mailing your own materials to WES New York via UPS: $24
(These costs are for evaluating both transcripts and degree certificates for two schools. If only one school or only transcript evaluation for a junior student, it will be cheaper.)
