Non-profit social enterprise providing international credential evaluation for the U.S. and Canada, plus programmes supporting refugees, immigrants and international students.
World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise founded in 1974 that supports the educational, economic and social inclusion of immigrants, refugees and international students. Operating across the United States and Canada, it works with academic institutions, employers, licensing bodies and government agencies, and engages in research, policy submissions and public advocacy alongside its service delivery.
Its principal offering, Credential Evaluation Services, translates international academic credentials into their U.S. and Canadian equivalents to support entry to higher education, professional licensing and employment. The organisation has completed more than 4 million evaluations over five decades. Two further programmes extend its remit: the WES Gateway Program, which helps refugees and displaced individuals have their credentials recognised, and the Mariam Assefa Fund, a managed fund supporting immigrant inclusion initiatives.
WES's technical work spans international credential evaluation, academic credential equivalency determination, and research on immigration and education policy. It operates in the education, immigration and refugee services, professional licensing and workforce development sectors, and describes itself as driving systemic change through social impact programming, public policy advocacy and philanthropy.
