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Will my UK qualifications be recognised?

Your UK qualifications may need checking twice: once to show what your degree is worth in US terms (a credential evaluation), and once to be allowed to work in a regulated job (a state licence). They are separate steps, run by different bodies.

Last checked 8 Oct 2026·Information, not advice

In 30 seconds

  • A credential evaluation from a NACES member, such as WES, tells employers and US immigration what your degree equals. A basic one costs from $118
  • Nurses, doctors, teachers, lawyers, accountants and engineers usually need a licence from the state where they will work, and each state sets its own rules
  • Health workers also need a VisaScreen certificate for most work visas. UK-educated applicants can often skip the English test

Two different checks

CheckWhat it’s forWho does it
Credential evaluationShows employers, universities and immigration what your UK qualification equals in the USA private evaluation service, usually a member of NACES
State licence or certificationLets you legally work in a regulated jobA board in each state: nursing, medicine, teaching, law, accountancy, engineering and many trades

Passing one doesn’t mean you’ve passed the other. Licensing is set by each state, not nationally, so a licence in New York does not let you work in California. Check the rules in the state you are moving to early.

Credential evaluations

NACES (the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) lists 18 member services, including WES (World Education Services), Educational Credential Evaluators and Josef Silny and Associates. Employers and immigration lawyers usually ask for a report from one of them.

  • WES’s basic document-by-document evaluation costs $118 (about £89), or $171 with stored transcripts. Delivery and extras cost more, and fees change
  • A document-by-document report is usually enough for jobs and immigration. Universities may want a course-by-course report
  • Ask your UK university to send transcripts direct, and allow several weeks
Three-year degrees. Most English and Welsh bachelor’s degrees take three years, but the H-1B needs the equivalent of a four-year US degree. Immigration lawyers say USCIS often treats a three-year degree as three years of study, so you may need three years of relevant work experience to make up the missing year. Get an evaluation that covers this before your employer files.

Nurses and other health professionals

Nine health occupations need a VisaScreen certificate from TruMerit (formerly CGFNS) for most work visas, including registered nurses, practical nurses, physical and occupational therapists, physician assistants, speech therapists, audiologists and lab scientists. It checks your education, licences and English. If your professional education was in the UK and taught in English, you may not need an English test.

  • Registered nurses must also pass the NCLEX-RN exam and get a licence from the state board of nursing
  • The NCLEX fee for US licensure is $200 (about £152). It rises to $350 from 1 February 2027
  • You can sit the NCLEX in the UK, among other countries
  • Many state boards want your qualifications evaluated first, often with a TruMerit (CGFNS) certificate, before you sit the NCLEX. Check your state board’s rules

Doctors

The usual route is ECFMG certification, which includes passing the USMLE exams, followed by a US residency (specialty training), then a state medical licence. Step 3 of the USMLE is needed for an H-1B. A growing number of states now offer alternative routes for experienced doctors trained abroad, without repeating a US residency. By September 2025, 18 states had such laws, including Texas. Each state sets its own conditions, such as years of practice and a job offer, so check with that state’s medical board.

Teachers

Public school teachers need certification from the state where they will teach. The J-1 teacher programme, run through approved sponsors, needs at least two years’ experience and a degree equal to a US bachelor’s in education or your subject. It lasts three years, with possible extensions of one or two years.

PlaceTeacher licensing body
New YorkNYSED Office of Teaching Initiatives
MassachusettsDepartment of Elementary and Secondary Education
Washington DCOffice of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
IllinoisIllinois State Board of Education
TexasTexas Education Agency
FloridaFlorida Department of Education
CaliforniaCommission on Teacher Credentialing

Lawyers, accountants and engineers

  • Lawyers: each state admits its own lawyers. New York lets some lawyers trained abroad sit its bar exam, but you must first ask for an advance evaluation of your legal education, and some people need a US LL.M. first. The deadlines are early: for a February exam, documents are due by 1 May of the year before
  • Accountants: the US CPA is licensed by state boards. Members of some overseas bodies, such as Chartered Accountants Ireland, can take a shorter exam (the IQEX). ICAEW members have no such agreement, and the ICAS agreement lapsed on 31 August 2024, so they usually take the full CPA exam
  • Engineers: only a licensed PE (Professional Engineer) can sign and seal engineering drawings, but many engineering jobs don’t need one. It usually needs a degree from an accredited programme, about four years’ experience and two exams, set by each state’s board
  • Trades: electricians, plumbers and builders often need a state or local licence. Check with the licensing board where you will live before you count on working straight away

Whatever your profession, start early. Gather degree certificates, transcripts, professional registration letters and detailed references from employers before you leave. Fees and rules change; check with the state board

What to do next

  1. Order a credential evaluation from a NACES member
  2. Find your profession’s licensing board in your target state
  3. Request transcripts and references now

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