Evaluation of Educational Credentials in USA: Latin America

Written by Jeremy Yan | 09/16/2024


Latin America Map


Coming from Latin America to the USA, you may need evaluation of educational credentials to better your life in this new country, such as looking for jobs, going to school or even applying for immigration statues.

Whether you have “bachiller” and “licenciado” from Spanish speaking countries or “bacharel” from Portuguese speaking countries, it’s essential to know what your credentials look like in the USA.

This article is all you need.

Education Systems in Latin America


The education systems in Latin American mainly include primary education, secondary education (lower and upper), and post-secondary education.

All countries in Latin American require students to attend primary education, and most of them also require lower-secondary education. Upper-secondary education is compulsory in 12 of the 19 countries in the region.

After that, students can enter universities based on their academic performance and personal goals. Typically, it takes a student four to six years to finish an undergraduate degree, one to two years for a master’s degree and another two to five years for a doctorate.

Some of the famous universities include:

Bachiller and Licenciado

To understand the education systems in Latin America, it’s essential to understand "Bachiller" and "Licenciado" and their differences.

"Bachiller" is a Spanish term that can refer to a person who has completed a secondary education or high school level education. In some Latin American countries, students typically complete a program of study that leads to a diploma called a "bachillerato," which is similar to a high school diploma in the United States. The term "bachiller" is often used to refer to someone who has successfully completed this program of study and obtained the diploma.

"Licenciado" is a Spanish term that can refer to someone who has earned a university degree equivalent to a bachelor's degree in the USA. In some countries, such as Mexico, the term is used to refer specifically to a person who has completed a five or six-year university program and obtained a degree such as "licenciatura" or "licenciado en [discipline]," which is a professional or academic degree that requires advanced coursework in a particular field of study.

What is bachiller equivalent to in USA?

The equivalent of "bachiller" in the United States is a high school diploma or a secondary education certificate. In both cases, it represents the completion of secondary education, which typically takes four years to complete in the U.S.

With a “bachiller” diploma, students in Latin America may choose to pursue higher education or a career. It’s also a proof that the student has a foundation of knowledge and skills for future use.

Students in Latin America

What is a licenciado degree equivalent to in USA?

In general terms, "licenciado" degree obtained in a Latin American country would be considered equivalent to a bachelor's degree in the United States.

In the USA, bachelor's degrees usually require four years of study, while "licenciatura" or "licenciado" degrees in Spanish-speaking countries may require five or six years.

It's important to note that some licenciado degrees may have a more specific professional focus and require additional coursework or training beyond what is required for a typical bachelor's degree in the USA. In some cases, individuals may need to complete additional certification or licensing requirements to work in certain professions.

What is a bacharel degree equivalent to in USA?

"Bacharel" is a Portuguese word that translates to "Bachelor" in English. In Brazil, for example, a "bacharelado" is a type of undergraduate degree that typically takes four to five years to complete and is considered equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in the United States.

However, it's important to note that educational systems and degree structures can vary significantly between countries, so it's always recommended to check the specific requirements and equivalencies for each individual case.

Where to evaluate educational credentials in USA?

Now you know what your credentials from Latin America might be equivalent of, what’s next?

In the United States, there are several organizations that provide credential evaluation services for foreign educational credentials. These services can help identify your foreign educational credentials to determine an official U.S. equivalency so that you can use it to apply for educational programs, employment, and immigration.

Here we collected some credential evaluation agencies to save you time:

Conclusion

Overall, it can be challenging that you don’t know what you Latin American credentials’ U.S. equivalencies are before going to find a job, going to school or applying for immigration.

We helped you break the myth down so that you now know:

In terms of where to evaluate educational credentials in USA, simply go to a trusted credential evaluation agency for your needs.

As we’ve been in business for more than a decade, American Education and Translation Services are also here to help.

As we've been in business for more than a decade, we guarantee:

Contact us today for a Free Estimate!

Jeremy Yan, President & Director of Evaluation at AET

Immigrated to the U.S. back in 1998, Mr. Yan had worked for over 10 years in a prominent NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) company as a senior associate director and team leader. He has completed hundreds of thousands of foreign credential evaluation of documents from numerous foreign countries for various universities, licensing boards, U.S. government, and immigration services. He is a leading expert at American Education and Translation Services and was invited several times to be a keynote speaker to hundreds of admission counselors of U.S. universities.

Invitation from AET

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