Graduate Studies is the administrative branch of Brigham Young University for all graduate programs. All applicants who have completed previous studies outside the United States will need to have an evaluation completed by IERF to be considered for BYU Graduate Admission.

• • All international bachelor's degrees must be evaluated.
  • All other graduate degrees must also be evaluated if your graduate program of interest requires those degrees for doctoral study or in pursuing a second graduate degree at BYU.

Note that a request for an evaluation should not be initiated until you have completed your undergraduate degree and have your academic records available, as BYU Graduate Studies requires a US degree equivalency and final GPA While IERF is happy to answer general questions about documents required for the report, no pre-screening of documents is available in determining degree equivalency. Completed reports are sent directly to BYU electronically. Please allow 1-2 business days for BYU to receive and process your completed evaluation.  

Evaluations for BYU Graduate Studies

Services and Fees

Report

A file number will be assigned and notification will be sent upon receipt of the application. Every effort will be made to mail the evaluation within 15 business days. Yet, if additional documentation and/or fees is/are required, the turnaround time will be effective from the date of receipt of all requested materials. Detail Report        (also known as course-by-course report)

* A new report fee will apply for additional official copies after the report is completed.

Additional Services

Rush Services

If requesting a Rush service, please note that ALL fees must be paid by cashier's check, money order or credit card only. No personal checks will be accepted for rush applications.

Please also note that Rush applications received after 12:00pm PST/PDT will be considered to have been received the next business day. This also applies to payments, correspondence and documentation received after 12:00pm PST/PDT.

If additional documentation and/or fees is/are required, the turnaround time will be effective from the date of receipt of the application, required documents and fee.

IMPORTANT: Be advised that if you apply online, you will receive a file number. When sending your documents in, please write your file number on the outside of the envelope. This will notify us that your case is a rush service, so that we can give your application immediate attention. If you are arranging to have your school or translator send documents directly to our office, please also request that they reference your file number on the outside of the envelope. Unfortunately, if your package does not include your full IERF file number on the exterior, IERF cannot guarantee that your rush service will be correctly applied on the business day it is received.

24-Hour Rush (Next Business Day)

5-Day Rush

10-Day Rush

Mailing Options

Reports are sent electronically to BYU Graduate Studies. Please allow 1-2 business days for BYU to receive and process your evaluation. The Official Report Delivery Fees are as follows:

• Each Electronic Delivery for $10 per transmission
• Regular Mail for $10 per address
• Domestic Secure Mailing for $25 per physical address in the continental U.S.
• Domestic Next Day Delivery for $40 per physical address in the continental U.S.
• International Secure Mailing for $75 per physical address (if additional fees apply, you will be contacted)

If submitting original documents, we recommend that you select either Secure Mailing or Domestic Next Day Delivery for return of your academic records, as these include a tracking number. Please note that the original documents that you submit will not be returned to you via regular mail unless you instruct us in writing to do so. IERF accepts no liability related to the loss or damage of documents during mailing.

Payments

Payment in the form of a check (unless requesting a RUSH service), cashier's check, money order or credit card must accompany all applications, and must be payable to IERF. Overseas payments must be in U.S. dollars and drawn on a United States bank. If payment is being made by a bank draft, an additional $15 processing fee is required.

Required Documentation

IERF General Document Requirements

Be certain that you have all the necessary documents before sending your application, as missing documents will delay the processing of your evaluation. Also, be sure to read the IERF Country-Specific Requirements section (below), as it provides a more detailed description of the required academic records by country of study. Please note that IERF requires official academic records. Unofficial student copies will not be accepted, even if they are issued by the school. Please submit the following:

ORIGINAL Transcripts / Mark Sheets / Examination Certificates / Academic Records indicating courses/subjects, hours of study/units/credits, and grades/marks/examination results, issued in the original language. These must be issued on institutional letterhead and include official signatures and seals. If the hours/units/credits are not included on the academic records, please submit program descriptions/syllabi issued by the institution, where applicable.

ORIGINAL Diplomas / Graduation Certificates / Degree Certificates issued in the original language (indicating that a degree/qualification has been earned or that a program of study has been completed). If the degree was not earned, please indicate so in writing.

Copy of the title page, abstract, table of contents, and first ten pages of the dissertation for the evaluation of doctoral studies.

If applicants are unable to provide their original, official academic records, the following options are also available:

OFFICIAL CERTIFIED COPIES: Applicants can request official certified copies (see the IERF Country-Specific Requirements section below) to be mailed directly to IERF from the authorized issuing institution.

• • An official certified copy is a copy attested as being a true copy of the original. An ink seal is often applied to the photocopy, along with a signature of the certifying representative. A certified copy should be issued by the appropriate body, who can confirm the authenticity of the record, such as an official representative of the school or Ministry of Education (note that this varies by country, see IERF Country-Specific Requirements section below).
  • In these cases, certified copies are accepted by IERF.
  • May also be referred to as an attested copy

DOCUMENT VERIFICATION: Applicants can opt to have IERF reach out to the institution(s) of study to verify the studies directly for an additional fee of $75 per program of study (additional fees may apply if charged by the issuing institution).

• • Please note that IERF cannot control the response time of the issuing institution.
  • Applicants should submit their unofficial records of study, upon which IERF will reach out to the institution of study for verification.
  • Requests for verification will be conducted via email every 2 months for a maximum of 4 attempts – verifications must be received in writing.
  • If the institution of study charges any fees to process requests for verification, this cost will also be passed on to the applicant (in addition to the $75 service charge).
  • If you are interested in this option, please send your IERF File Number and request for verification via email to support@ierf.org (your IERF File Number is issued upon receipt of your application). Download, complete, and attach the verification authorization form and credit card form below. Please also place your IERF File Number and “BYU GRAD DV” in the subject line of the email.

DOWNLOAD DV VERIFICATION AUTHORIZATION FORM

IERF Country-Specific Requirements

Be certain that you have all the necessary documents before sending your application, as missing documents will delay the processing of your evaluation. This section provides a detailed description of the required academic records by country of study. It is recommended that you first read the IERF General Document Requirements section (above). Please click the button below to view any specific document requirements for your country(ies) of study.

VIEW BYU COUNTRY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

EXCEPTIONS: International Curricula and Transnational Programs of Study

Secondary-Level Studies You may have completed a program at an international high school in a curriculum that is different from the national model of the country in which you physically studied. Examples include IGCSEs, International A-Levels, and the International Baccalaureate. In such instances, the language of issue should correspond to the curriculum that was studied rather than that of the physical host country. Original, official academic records should also be submitted. Postsecondary-Level Studies You may have completed a transnational program of study. Examples include joint degree programs, taught by universities located in two different countries, or studying at the international branch campus of a university physically located in a different country. In such instances, the records should be issued by the degree-awarding institution, in the official language of that institution and curriculum. Original, official academic records should also be submitted.

Translations

Translations must be submitted for all records not officially issued in English. These must be in the same format as the original-language documents, line-by-line, word-for-word, and must be typed. IERF reserves the right to request translations prepared by professional translation services. In some instances, professional translations are required. Please be sure to check IERF’s Country-Specific Requirements (see section above) for more information. IERF has negotiated a special discount with University Language Services for our applicants who use their translation services. You can contact them directly through their website to learn more about the discount.

Proof of Name Change

If your name has changed, please submit proof of name change (e.g. copy of a marriage certificate or other legal document, etc.).

Request for Additional Information

Be certain that you have all the necessary documents before sending your application, as missing documents will delay the processing of your evaluation. Please note that at any time during the evaluation process, IERF reserves the right to request additional documents or that documents be sent directly to IERF by the issuing institution(s). All records received from the institution(s) of study will become the property of IERF and will not be returned to the applicant. Please submit the requested documentation and/or fees within 4 months. Otherwise, your case will be closed and an $80 fee will be required to re-open your case.

How to Apply

Contact IERF

For questions, please contact us at info@ierf.org  or 310.258.9451. Note that all applicants will receive automatic email notifications whenever there is a change in the status of the application.