By AACRAO International
Every international student who enrolls at a U.S. institution arrives with a credential. A transcript, a diploma, a record of study from one of more than 200 places of origin represented in American higher education. What happens next—whether that credential is read accurately, evaluated fairly, and acted upon with confidence—depends entirely on the professional sitting across from it.
Behind the scenes is something harder to quantify: the trust that international students and their families place in the institutions reviewing their records—and in the practitioners making those calls. That trust is not a given. It is built through training, rigor, and sustained professional development. And right now, it is being tested.
New international student enrollment fell 17% in fall 2025—driven by visa uncertainty, policy shifts, and a global perception that the U.S. may be closing its doors. As David Mihalyi wrote about the soft power derived from welcoming international students, the long-term geopolitical, cultural, and economic benefits that accrue long after a student returns home. It is a national interest. And it begins at the point of admission.
“The role of the international admissions evaluator at colleges and universities in the United States is unique in that in-house training is often not available to the individuals who staff these positions, and no academic programs exist to equip personnel with the skills required, which are quite outside the scope of institutional procedures and policies that are required in domestic admissions. Indeed, it is not unusual for someone with no experience or training in international admissions to be shifted over to an international position when the need arises. The AACRAO Institutes have been the only practical option for many registrars and admissions officers, either to train themselves or to send their employees for longer-form training in the field of international educational credential evaluation.” —David Mihalyi
The AACRAO International Institute Credential Evaluation Pre-Conference Workshop exists precisely for that purpose: to equip practitioners with the expertise, tools, and confidence that rigorous credential evaluation demands. When enrollment is under pressure, the temptation is to move faster and scrutinize less. The professionals who resist that temptation—who bring genuine expertise to every credential review—are the ones protecting both the student and the institution.
“Failure of an institution to have staff trained in dealing with these issues can lead to serious consequences, including financial and legal sanctions and the possible loss of accreditation and funding.” —David Mihalyi
The complexity of that work has only grown. Today’s evaluators must navigate document fraud, rapidly shifting educational structures, unrecognized institutions, and grading systems with no direct U.S. equivalent. They must do so accurately, equitably, and often quickly. This is not work that can be learned on the fly.
“In preparing for two professional presentations this Spring, I used three different AI models to scan the internet to determine the top challenges facing international admissions officers today, and credential evaluation came in the top three results of all three. I see this as evidence that there is a continued need for international credential evaluation training in the profession. While other organizations offer some versions of training programs, most are either volunteer-based or at an infantile stage, and none come close to the type of professional training AACRAO has delivered through International Institutes, which reflect the quality and professionalism of AACRAO’s other programming. There simply is no other training available that comes close to delivering what Int’l Institutes do.” —Aleks Morawski
The AACRAO Gold Standard
For decades, AACRAO has been the authoritative voice in international credential evaluation as the organization that has trained the practitioners, produced the field guides, and set the standards that institutions rely on. That depth of expertise is the product of sustained investment in research, scholarship, and professional development across the entire field of international education.
“I’d like to echo what Aleks is saying about the international institutes being of value to campus staff in the Registrar’s and Admissions Offices. I also would like to point out that the work of international credential evaluation is so specialized that the institutes may represent a major venue for building lasting professional relationships. I have heard that new evaluators make connections at the Institute that help them in their career development as they face challenges that might otherwise leave them confused or isolated. For any institution where credential evaluation is just one person’s job (or part of their job), that person needs connections in the field, and the Institute provides a base of knowledge but also a foundation of professional development and networking that is crucial as support services are disparate at best.” —Garrett Seelinger
That commitment to the field is what makes the AACRAO International Institute Credential Evaluation Pre-Conference Workshop at the upcoming Annual Meeting in New Orleans one of the most valuable professional development opportunities AACRAO offers. It’s one of the few that delivers immersive, expert-led, hands-on training in a live setting.
“When I established an international office at a small private university in Chicago’s suburbs, our team faced the daunting challenge of transitioning from external credential evaluations to an internal process. Our university Registrar specifically recommended the AACRAO International Institute based on its outstanding reputation throughout the higher education industry. Beyond the technical expertise gained, the Institute fostered an invaluable professional network. My experience was so positive that I returned as a participant for a second session, further expanding my connections with colleagues across the field. Eventually, I was invited to serve as a faculty member, allowing me to contribute to this community of practice while continuing to strengthen professional relationships that have supported my career growth.” —Robert Morley
Register for the AACRAO International Institute Credential Evaluation Pre-Conference Workshop in New Orleans, April 18-19, 2026
Held immediately before the 111th AACRAO Annual Meeting, the Pre-Conference Workshop is a two-day intensive designed to build foundational expertise and sharpen applied skills in international credential evaluation. This year’s regional focus is Central and Latin America—with particular attention to top sending countries including Brazil and Mexico—making it especially relevant for institutions deepening recruitment efforts in the region.
Participants will work through the full scope of credential evaluation practice: understanding international educational systems and benchmarking models, interpreting foreign grading practices and academic records, identifying official and reliable resources, detecting potential document fraud, and applying institutional policies to real admissions and transfer credit decisions.
“What sets the Institutes apart from other professional development offerings is their immersive and collaborative learning environment. Unlike webinars or asynchronous modules, the Institutes allow participants to engage directly with faculty and peers, analyze real-world documents, and apply credential evaluation frameworks in context. This model fosters not only deep learning but also community building, mentorship, and long-term professional networks—benefits that are invaluable in a niche field like ours. Having hosted an on-site AACRAO training at my own institution and sent members of my admissions team to the Institutes, I have witnessed the direct impact of this training on professional performance and institutional accuracy. My staff consistently reference the tools, examples, and methodologies they learned through AACRAO, and we routinely incorporate these materials into our internal training.” —Staci Bernhard
Sessions are discussion-based and hands-on, using authentic sample documents so that learning is grounded in the actual work.
“Every time I team-teach one of AACRAO’s International Workshops, I walk away having learned something new. One of the greatest strengths of this kind of training—for both participants and faculty—is the opportunity to see how others approach the work at their own institutions or desk. Comparing notes is incredibly valuable: sometimes it’s reassuring to realize, “Yes—we’re doing this right!” Other times it’s a humbling, but useful, “Whoops—we could be doing this better,” followed by discovering two, three, or four new approaches I can adapt back home. That mix of validation, reflection, and discovery is what makes the experience so empowering. Good training fuels continuous learning—and that’s what keeps this work exciting.” —LesLee Clauson Eicher
The workshop is designed for admissions professionals who are new to international credential evaluation and need a strong foundation, as well as experienced practitioners looking for a Latin America–specific refresher or a reset on current best practices. If your institution evaluates foreign academic records for any purpose—undergraduate or graduate admissions, transfer credit, employment, or immigration—there is something here for you.
Detailed agenda and registration are available. Seats are limited.
“While EDGE serves as our knowledge repository and research platform, and LSAC evaluations provide practical credential evaluation experience, the biannual institutes and pre-conference workshops are the vital connective tissue that transforms individual practitioners into a cohesive, skilled professional community. The institutes don’t merely transfer knowledge—they cultivate the professional relationships and networks that enable members to navigate challenges collectively, adapting to regulatory changes, identifying fraudulent documents, and addressing emerging international education issues with confidence. As budget considerations loom, we must recognize that reducing these professional development opportunities would significantly diminish AACRAO’s ability to fulfill its international education mission, potentially leaving members isolated just as global mobility and credential complexity continue to accelerate.” —Julia Funaki
International students are navigating an increasingly difficult landscape to get here. We need to meet them with the expertise their records deserve. Add your name today to the upcoming AACRAO International Institute Credential Evaluation Pre-Conference Workshop.
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