Credential Evaluation

Credential evaluation is a process that provides Berklee with an official report that lists the courses taken, marks received, and honors earned by the applicant in their U.S. equivalents. For example, the report will tell us if an applicant has the equivalent of a U.S. high school diploma, bachelor's degree, or other academic honor(s), and will list the marks received in the standard 4.0 U.S. grading system.

Berklee requires that applicants who have attended schools outside of the U.S. and Canada use a credential evaluation agency to submit a report of their academic equivalency. Documents must be submitted to Berklee directly from a credential evaluation agency. The supporting materials are used in conjunction with the live audition and interview to determine whether an applicant is ready for admission to Berklee. Any applicant who is enrolled or has graduated from an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma school with an IB Diploma is exempt from submitting documents through a credential evaluator.

Note that academic documents sent directly by the applicant will not be accepted to complete the application, nor can they be returned to the sender.

No. Credential evaluation and translation are not the same. Part of the credential evaluation process involves checking that the applicant attended the institutions and earned the honors that they have listed. We do not accept international transcripts directly from the applicant and will not accept a translation to complete an application.

If your school has U.S. accreditation, then you do not need to submit a credential evaluation for that institution.

We will accept transcripts directly from schools that are accredited by the following:

• New England Association of Schools and Colleges
• Higher Learning Commission 
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities 

Berklee works closely with SpanTran and Educational Credential Evaluators, and we recommend their services. 

The credential evaluation process can take several weeks to complete, and we strongly urge you to begin the process as early as possible. Your application will not be complete until we have received credential evaluation reports for all of your academic credentials.

1. Please go to the SpanTran website, and complete the application for a credential evaluation. 

2. Follow the website prompts to request your evaluation. You will be able to select which Berklee campus(es) you would like to receive your evaluation, indicate whether your documents need to be translated, decide on how your credentials will be verified, and order additional copies of your evaluation. 

3. Upload the appropriate documents to the application. 

4. Pay the fee, and submit. 

Berklee requires a course-by-course evaluation and grade point average (GPA) for all academic institutions you have attended. SpanTran will provide this service automatically; however, keep the following in mind if you are using a different credential evaluation company:

• If you are currently attending secondary school (high school), you will need a course-by-course report for all grades/marks received to date.
• If you have completed only secondary school (high school), you will need a course-by-course report of your secondary school academic record.
• If you have completed secondary school and less than one year of university, college, or conservatory, you will need a course-by-course report of your university, college, or conservatory, and a course-by-course of your final secondary school academic record.
• If you have completed secondary school and more than one year of university, college, or conservatory, you will need a course-by-course report of your university, college, or conservatory, and a general report of your final secondary school academic record.
• If you have completed secondary school and coursework at more than one university, college, or conservatory, you will need a course-by-course report for each university, college, or conservatory attended, and a general report of your final secondary school academic record.

All course-by-course reports must include a grade point average/grade equivalencies (GPA). Please make sure this is included in your report.

Although we highly recommend SpanTran and ECE, we do accept credential evaluation reports from any of the following companies:

• International Education Research Foundation (IERF)

• Other options

The credential evaluation process can take several weeks to complete, and we strongly urge you to begin the process as early as possible. Your application will not be complete until we have received credential evaluation reports for all of your academic credentials.

Note that all course-by-course reports must include a grade point average/grade equivalencies (GPA). Please make sure this is included in your report.

You must submit a credential evaluation report of all your courses/marks received so far. If you are admitted, you will be required to submit proof of graduation from high school/secondary school before attending Berklee.

If, for some reason, there are no grades/marks available from a school you have attended, then we need an official letter from the school or your Ministry of Education indicating that there are no grades available.

• Fall early action applicants must submit materials by November 1.
• Summer applicants must submit materials by December 1.
• Fall regular action applicants must submit materials by January 15.
• Spring applicants must submit materials by July 1.

Yes. You can audition and interview prior to submitting your transcripts, but make sure your transcripts are received by the deadline for the semester you are applying for. Remember, you won't be eligible to receive an admissions decision until we receive all of your transcripts.