By Autumn Walden, Editor, AACRAO Connect, Content Strategy Manager, AACRAO
Nearly a decade ago, AACRAO created the International Education Standards Council Fellowship to give professionals newer to international education greater access to mentorship, research experience, and the deliberative work behind international credential evaluation.
This opportunity is open now for the 2026-2027 cycle: applications for the next IESC Fellowship are due September 20, 2026.
The IESC is a volunteer assembly of experienced professionals in international admissions and credential evaluation. Its members research changes in global education systems, discuss credential comparability, and develop placement recommendations and broader guidance for AACRAO EDGE, the Electronic Database for Global Education. Fellows participate alongside this group as non-voting participant-observers, gaining a close-up view of how experienced practitioners research, debate, and reach decisions on complex international education questions.
An Opportunity Built Around Learning
When AACRAO announced the fellowship in 2017, it grew out of a recommendation from the AACRAO International Education Task Force for stronger mentorship and professional development opportunities for relative newcomers to the field. The fellowship was envisioned as a way to develop the next generation of international education researchers while making the IESC’s deliberative process more accessible to emerging professionals.
That original purpose remains at the center of the program.
Each year, up to two fellows work on a substantive research topic under the guidance of IESC members. Fellows participate in twice-monthly calls, conduct research that may be considered for inclusion in AACRAO EDGE, and develop their findings in collaboration with experts. They also gain opportunities to present their work at a professional conference and publish for a wider audience. Following completion of the fellowship, selected fellows may also be invited to join the International Publications Advisory Committee, extending opportunities for collaboration and publication.
Learning from the Questions Facing the Field Now
Recent fellows illustrate how the program connects professional development with issues practitioners are actively confronting.
Their backgrounds bring different perspectives to the project. Sheridan’s work encompasses education abroad, course approvals, credit enrollment, and transcript processing, alongside her own experience as a former international student. Zhao works across international recruitment, credential evaluation, enrollment, social media strategy, and student engagement.
Both have described the fellowship as an opportunity not simply to study AI, but to learn how colleagues across the profession are approaching its possibilities and risks. Sheridan pointed to the importance of accuracy and human judgment as institutions consider AI-assisted processes, while Zhao emphasized using AI as a tool that supports—not substitutes for—professional expertise. Their research demonstrates the kind of inquiry the fellowship is designed to foster: practical, collaborative, and grounded in the realities international education professionals face.
Is the IESC Fellowship for You?
- Ideal applicants are professionals who are relatively new to international credential evaluation and looking for opportunities to grow.
- Priority is given, but not limited to, professionals at AACRAO member institutions, and preference is given to applicants with fewer than 10 years of international credential evaluation experience.
- The fellowship lasts no longer than 18 months.
For professionals ready to move beyond learning the mechanics of credential evaluation and begin contributing to the research, discussion, and standards that inform the field, the IESC Fellowship offers a distinctive next step.
Apply by September 20, 2026, to be considered for the next IESC Fellowship.
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