WES Application: How to Apply for WES Credential Evaluation, Step by Step (2026)

To apply for a WES evaluation, create an account at wes.org, choose the country and purpose, add each qualification, pick course-by-course or document-by-document and ICAP or Basic, add the institutions that should get your report, and pay: US$239 for a course-by-course ICAP evaluation (WES fees). Then ask your university to send your official transcripts to WES, with your WES reference number. WES checks your documents in about 2 weeks, then evaluates them in 1 to 4 more (WES processing times).

This guide walks through the whole WES application form with screenshots from a real application for the United States; Canadian applications follow the same pattern. It also covers the part Nepali students find hardest: getting transcripts from your university to WES.

#WES required documents: what you need before you start

• Your degree certificate (final or provisional) as a clear scan, to upload yourself.
• Official transcripts that your university sends to WES, either electronically or in a sealed envelope: ask your university's exam or records section how long this takes, because it is usually the slowest part.
• Translations, if any document is not in English: a word-for-word translation by a professional translator, uploaded in your WES account. WES does not accept translations you made yourself (WES: translation requirements).
• Your passport, so your name and date of birth match exactly.
• A card that can pay in US dollars: $239 for course-by-course ICAP or $171 for document-by-document ICAP, plus delivery (WES fees).
• Your university's instructions: which evaluation type it wants and where WES should send the report.

Not sure which type you need, or what it costs in rupees? Read WES evaluation cost, fees and ICAP vs Basic first.

Note: These screenshots were taken earlier, so the prices shown in them are older. The current fees are on the WES fee page. Personal details in the screenshots are blurred.

#How to fill in the WES application form, step by step

#Step 1: Choose where you will use the evaluation

Go to wes.org and start an application. First choose the country where you will use your report: U.S., Canada or New Zealand. Requirements differ by country, so pick the one your university is in.

#Step 2: Enter your email address

Use a personal email you check often. WES sends everything here, including a six-digit verification code and updates on your evaluation.

#Step 3: Verify your email

Enter the code from your inbox (check spam too) and click Submit code.

#Step 4: Create your account

Enter your first and last name and date of birth exactly as on your passport. Most new applicants answer No to "Do you have a WES Reference Number?". Then set a password and security question and click Create Account.

#Step 5: Personal information

Fill in how you heard about WES, your name, date of birth, gender and phone number (with country code), then click Next.

#Step 6: Choose the purpose of the evaluation

Choose Education if you are applying to a university. Other options are professional licensing, employment and immigration.

#Step 7: Choose your level of education

Select the level you are applying for: for example graduate admissions for a master's degree, or undergraduate admissions for a bachelor's.

#Step 8: Add your credentials

Click Add Credential for each qualification you want evaluated: country, type of education, institution name, diploma name, your name as it appears on the credential, field of study, year awarded and years attended. Use names exactly as they appear on your documents.

Can't find your university in the list? WES has no published list of the institutions it evaluates. Its advice is to start the application anyway, because the application often flags schools WES doesn't evaluate before you pay (WES Help).

#Step 9: Add your address and recipients

Enter your current home address (WES posts your own copy there) and choose a delivery method: standard delivery is cheapest and slowest; international courier is faster and costs more. Then add the institutions that should receive your report. Each extra recipient costs extra.

#Step 10: Choose the evaluation type and service

Choose course-by-course or document-by-document, and WES ICAP or WES Basic, according to what your university asks for. WES labels ICAP as recommended, and many universities require it.

#Step 11: Upload your degree and arrange your transcripts

You can upload a clear copy of your degree certificate (final or provisional) yourself in My Account.

Your transcripts are different: they must come from your university. If they are sent on paper, WES needs them in a sealed envelope signed or stamped across the flap. Read the How to Send Your Documents box carefully: it shows your WES reference number and the current address. Always copy the address from your own WES account, because it can change.

Write your WES reference number and the WES address on the sealed envelope (this example is from an Indian university; Nepali universities follow the same idea):

Then put the sealed envelope inside a courier envelope (for example DHL or FedEx), with the university's address as sender and your WES reference number and the WES address as recipient. Do not open the sealed envelope.

#Step 12: Review your application

Check every detail against your documents. Mistakes here delay your report.

#Step 13: Pay

Review the fee summary and pay by credit or debit card (or another option shown). Keep the receipt and your WES reference number.

#Your WES reference number: what it is and where to write it

You get your WES reference number once you complete the online application. It is how WES matches every document to your file, so it must go on every envelope and every message you send to WES. WES says it is not responsible for documents that arrive without one (WES Help: reference number).

Give it to your university too, when you ask for transcripts: Kathmandu University's online WES request, for example, asks for it (see the table below).

#Sending transcripts to WES from Nepal

This is the step most guides skip, and the one that delays most Nepali applications. WES prefers your university to send transcripts directly. If it sends paper, the transcripts must be in an envelope with the institution's name on it, with an official's seal, stamp or signature across the back flap. WES rejects any envelope that has been opened. Only if your university won't send them should you send the sealed envelope yourself, following WES's document requirements for your country (WES Help: sealed envelope).

Keep the courier tracking number, and convert any BS dates on your documents to AD with the Nepali date converter so they match the dates you enter on the form.

#Timeline from Nepal

(WES times from WES processing times.)

#The WES evaluation process: what happens after you apply

1. Documents: WES waits until all required documents have arrived.
2. Verification: it checks they are genuine, which takes about 2 weeks.
3. Evaluation: an evaluator converts your qualifications into US terms. Course-by-course takes about 2 weeks, up to 4 if complex; document-by-document about 1 week, up to 2 (WES processing times).
4. Delivery: your report goes to you and to your recipients by the delivery method you chose.

#How to check your WES application status

Log in to your WES account. Your dashboard has a tracker with three stages: Application, Documents and Evaluation, and each one turns green when it is complete. Under the tracker, a status message tells you what WES is waiting for, such as "We are waiting for your documents", with a Details link for your next steps and View Required Documents for what your university must send. WES also emails you as your evaluation moves forward (WES: check your status).

#Can you cancel or change a WES application?

• Cancelling an application or file costs a $56 processing fee. A completed evaluation can't be cancelled, and its fees can't be refunded (WES Help: cancellation fee).
• Upgrading from Basic to ICAP costs $53 while the evaluation is still in progress, or $92 after it is completed.
• Updating a completed evaluation, for example to add a new degree or to upgrade document-by-document to course-by-course, costs $92 (WES fees).

#Tips to avoid delays

• Start early. Getting transcripts from a Nepali university and couriering them abroad often takes weeks.
• Match names exactly across passport, certificates and the WES form.
• Write your WES reference number on everything you send.
• Get translations done professionally before you upload them.
• Don't send originals. WES does not return documents.

#Frequently asked questions

What are the WES required documents? A copy of your degree certificate, which you upload yourself, and official transcripts sent to WES by your university, electronically or in a sealed envelope, with your WES reference number. Documents not in English also need a professional translation. Your account lists the exact documents for your qualification.

How much does a WES evaluation cost? For US admissions, a course-by-course ICAP evaluation costs $239 and a document-by-document ICAP evaluation $171, plus delivery, which is $14 for standard post. Extra copies and courier delivery cost more. See WES fees in dollars and rupees for the full list.

How long does WES evaluation take? About 2 weeks to verify your documents, then about 2 weeks to evaluate a course-by-course report, or up to 4 if it is complex. The clock starts only when all your documents have arrived, so the time your university and courier take comes on top of this.

Can I send my transcripts to WES myself? WES prefers your university to send them directly. If your university won't, you can send them yourself, but only in the university's sealed envelope, signed or stamped across the flap and never opened. Check WES's document requirements for Nepal in your account first.

What if my documents are not in English? WES needs an exact, word-for-word English translation by a professional translator, and it won't accept translations made by applicants. You upload the translation in your WES account. Ask your university for two sets of documents: one for WES and one for the translator.

What if my university is not listed on WES? WES does not publish a list of the institutions it evaluates. Start your application anyway: the form often flags schools that WES doesn't evaluate before you pay. If evaluators later can't assess your credential, WES updates your account to say so.

How do I check my WES application status? Log in to your WES account and look at the tracker on your dashboard: Application, Documents and Evaluation, with each stage turning green when it is done. The message under it explains what WES is waiting for. WES also sends email updates as your evaluation progresses.

Can I cancel my WES application? Yes, but there is a $56 processing fee for cancelling a file or application. A completed evaluation can't be cancelled and its fees are not refunded, so check that your university accepts WES, and which report type it wants, before you pay.

How do I apply for a WES evaluation for Canada? Choose Canada in step 1, then the purpose. For Express Entry and other immigration, you need the Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), which costs C$264 plus delivery and 13% HST (WES: ECA). The rest of the application works the same way.

Is a WES evaluation valid for 5 years? The 5-year limit is for Canadian immigration: your ECA must be less than 5 years old when you create your Express Entry profile and when you apply (IRCC). Universities decide for themselves how old a report they accept, so check with each one before you apply.

Next: Apply for your NOC before sending fees abroad · WES costs in rupees · Convert BS dates to AD