Chinese Credentials: What Documents Does Foundation for International Services Need to Evaluate Your Degree?

If you earned your degree in China and now need a U.S. equivalency, understanding exactly which Chinese credentials the Foundation for International Services (FIS) requires can save you weeks of frustration. Many professionals and students submit the wrong documents, only to discover their evaluation is delayed or limited to a partial equivalency. The key to a smooth process starts with knowing what FIS looks for before you submit your application.

Why Do You Need a Chinese Credential Evaluation?

U.S. employers, universities, and government agencies typically cannot assess a degree from China on their own. They rely on a credential evaluation from a recognized service to determine how your education compares to a U.S. degree. You may need one when applying for jobs, pursuing graduate school, filing an immigration petition like an H-1B visa, or seeking professional licensure.

FIS has served international professionals since 1978 and holds charter membership in the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), a distinction the organization has maintained since March 1987. Institutions across the country recognize and accept FIS reports, giving you confidence that your evaluation will meet the requirements of your employer, school, or agency.

What Document Does FIS Need Most?

Your final degree certificate is the single most important document for evaluating your Chinese credentials. In Chinese, this certificate contains the characters 学位, which confirm that your institution awarded the degree. FIS needs this verification to determine a full U.S. degree equivalency.

Here are the three degree certificates FIS evaluates:

• Bachelor's Degree Certificate — 学士学位证书

• Master's Degree Certificate — 硕士学位证书

• Doctoral Degree Certificate — 博士学位证书

Your degree certificate serves as official proof that you completed all academic requirements and received the degree. Without this document, FIS cannot establish a full equivalency — and that partial result may not satisfy the employer, program, or agency reviewing your application.

Why Won't a Graduation Certificate Work?

Many applicants assume their graduation certificate (毕业证书) will serve the same purpose as a degree certificate. China's higher education system issues these as separate documents, and the distinction between them carries real consequences for your evaluation.

Graduation certificates issued before the mid-1990s in China often included the characters 学位, which verified degree completion. Certificates issued after that period typically omit these characters. A graduation certificate from the later period confirms that you finished a program of study, but FIS cannot use it to verify that your institution actually awarded the degree.

When FIS receives only a graduation certificate without degree verification, the evaluation is limited to acknowledging credit-level completion, either university-level or graduate-level credit, rather than a full degree equivalency. This distinction matters significantly for anyone whose job offer, admission, or immigration filing specifically requires a degree equivalency.

What If You Lost Your Degree Certificate?

Some applicants have lost their original degree certificate or never received a separate one. A practical alternative exists in many cases: you can request a letter from your university, issued in both Chinese and English, that includes the characters 学位 and explicitly confirms that the degree was awarded. FIS can sometimes evaluate these university-issued letters toward a full degree equivalency.

Contact your university's registrar or academic affairs office and request a letter that states your degree title, the date the degree was conferred, and includes the 学位 designation. Having this letter prepared before you start your FIS application can prevent delays.

Do Transcripts Support a Full Degree Equivalency?

Transcripts alone cannot support a full degree equivalency for Chinese credentials. While transcripts provide valuable information, including your dates of attendance, courses completed, and grades earned, they do not contain language verifying that the degree was conferred. FIS uses transcripts to calculate U.S. cumulative grade point averages and confirm enrollment periods, making them an important part of your application package. They supplement your degree certificate rather than replace it, so plan to include both.

What Language Should Your Documents Be In?

FIS requires the original Chinese-language version of all documents along with English translations. You have two options: FIS offers in-house translation services for an additional fee (their customer service team will provide a quote), or you can submit certified translations from an outside source. Using FIS translation services can simplify the process since they handle evaluation and translation together.

Original Chinese documents are essential. English translations alone are not sufficient for FIS to complete the evaluation.

How Do You Get Started?

Once you've gathered your Chinese credentials, the process takes just a few steps. Create an account on the FIS website, complete the application with your personal and academic information, and upload your documents. If your institution requires you to send originals by mail, FIS accepts those too and returns them after the evaluation is complete.

Prepare Your Documents and Avoid Delays

Gathering the right Chinese credentials before you start your application can prevent costly setbacks. Locate your final degree certificate (学位证书), obtain English translations, and have your transcripts ready. Taking these steps upfront ensures FIS can deliver an accurate U.S. equivalency that meets the requirements of your employer, university, or government agency.

FIS has helped thousands of professionals and students from China navigate the credential evaluation process for over four decades. Their team of trained professionals individually researches each application; every evaluation is carefully crafted rather than generated from a database.

Ready to get started? Contact the FIS team online or at (425) 472-1627, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST.

Getting professional translation of your Chinese documents for a career in the U.S. is simple and smart!

FIS serves people in the U.S., Canada, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Poland, Austria, Bangladesh, Beijing, Bellevue, Bolivia, Bosnia, Boston, Brazil, Brussels, California, Camas, Cambodia, Canada, Caribbean, Century City, Chicago, China, Australia, Central America, Central Asia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dallas-Fort Worth, Dominican Republic, Dubai, , Edmonds, Egypt, Houston, Kazakhstan, Kent, Kenya, Laos, Latin America, Los Angeles, London, Louisiana, Lynnwood, Madrid, Melanesia, Mexico, Seattle, Seoul, Silicon Valley, South America, Spain, Spokane, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tacoma, Taipei, Tel Aviv, Texas, Thailand, Tokyo, Tulsa, Turkey, UAE, Uruguay, U.S. Military, United States, Vancouver, Venezuela, & Washington DC

Posted on August 6, 2026 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business