The credential evaluation timeline & checklist
The 5–6 month timeline mapped to CAAPID deadlines, side-by-side WES vs ECE comparison, the documents-required checklist, the bi-weekly follow-up cadence, and the three red flags that derail entire cycles. Print this, start your university request this week, and send Dr. T your timeline for a sanity check.
Credential Evaluation Timeline & Checklist · PDF
The 5–6 month timeline, WES vs ECE comparison, documents checklist, bi-weekly follow-up cadence, and three red flags — formatted for printing.
- 5-stage countdown mapped to CAAPID-open
- Documents checklist (8 items)
- 12-week follow-up cadence
- 3 red flags every applicant misses
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The page below is already the full printable version — use the button to save it as a PDF.
Mapped to CAAPID open as T-zero
Five stages, mapped to the CAAPID-open date. Start at T-6 months. Finish by T-1. Anything later is a cycle in danger — not a cycle in motion.
Countdown to CAAPID · 5–6 months
5 stages · T-6 → CAAPID opens
Pick the agency your schools accept
Verify before paying. Both WES and ECE are accepted by most U.S. dental schools, but every program has a specific list. Confirm against each school’s CAAPID page before opening an account.
| WES | ECE | |
|---|---|---|
| What it stands for | World Education Services. Most widely-used evaluator for U.S. and Canadian healthcare programs. | Educational Credential Evaluators. Accepted by many U.S. dental schools — verify your specific list. |
| Best for | CAAPID-bound applicants by default. WES Course-by-Course (ICAP) is what most schools expect. | Schools that explicitly list ECE, or applicants whose universities have a smoother ECE workflow already established. |
| Report to order | WES ICAP Course-by-Course — GPA, course-level detail, U.S. grade equivalents. | ECE Course-by-Course (CBC) — same level of detail, different formatting and scoring methodology. |
| Approx. cost | USD 205 + per-school sending fee + courier where applicable. | USD 195 + per-school sending fee + courier where applicable. |
| Typical processing | 7–20 business days once all documents are received — not from when you opened the account. | 7–20 business days once all documents are received — same caveat. |
| School-sending model | Order additional reports per school via the dashboard. | Order additional reports per school via the dashboard. |
What your university actually has to send
Tap each item as you collect it. The agency will reject the file if any single item is missing or incorrectly sealed — there’s no partial credit on this step.
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Official sealed transcripts
Course-by-course transcript covering your full dental degree, in an official university envelope with the registrar’s stamp across the seal.
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Degree certificate copy
Attested or notarised copy of your final dental degree certificate. Some agencies require both a clear scan and a sealed paper copy.
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Provisional / final-year mark sheet
If your degree certificate hasn’t been issued yet, the provisional certificate plus the final-year detailed mark sheet — both sealed by the registrar.
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Internship completion certificate
Many countries award the dental degree only after a one-year clinical internship. The completion certificate must be included for the degree to be evaluated correctly.
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Agency request form
The “Academic Records Request” form downloaded from your WES or ECE account, partially completed by you and forwarded to the registrar to fill in and seal.
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Passport-name verification
Your name on the transcript must match your passport. If there’s any difference, request a name-affidavit from the registrar before the package is mailed.
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Sealed mailing format
All documents above placed in one sealed university envelope, registrar signature across the seal, mailed directly from the registrar to the agency — never via you.
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Tracking number captured
Get the courier tracking number from the registrar the day the package leaves. Without it, you have no leverage if the package is lost.
Bi-weekly. Polite. Relentless.
12 weeks of structured follow-up. Each step has a job — and skipping any step is how your file goes silent for a month.
- Week 0Initial submission email
Send the request to the registrar with the agency forms attached. Confirm receipt by phone the next day — never assume the email was seen.
- Week 2Status check 01
Polite email: “Following up on the request submitted on [date]. Could you confirm whether documents have been prepared for dispatch?” Quote the agency reference number.
- Week 4Status check 02 + escalation prep
If still no dispatch: copy the registrar’s supervisor or the dean’s office on a courteous “Could you advise expected timeline?” email. Document every contact.
- Week 6In-transit confirmation
Confirm dispatch date and tracking number. Email the agency with the tracking number so their incoming-mail team can flag it. This single step has saved many cycles.
- Week 8Agency receipt verification
Log in to your agency dashboard daily until “Documents received” appears. Screenshot the date. The evaluation clock starts here, not at dispatch.
- Week 10Mid-evaluation check
Confirm there are no clarification requests sitting in your agency inbox. Many agencies send queries quietly — if you miss them, processing pauses.
- Week 12Issued + accuracy review
Once issued, verify every field: degree title, graduation date, course list, GPA, name spelling. Correction windows are short — review the same day.
Three red flags that mean act today
Each of these is a cycle-killer if ignored more than 48 hours. Treat them as page-one priorities.
Registrar stops replying for more than 14 days
Escalate. Copy the supervisor or dean. Silence at week three is silence that costs the cycle.
Agency dashboard doesn’t show “Documents received” within 4 weeks of dispatch
Open a support ticket with the agency the same day, attach the courier tracking number, and call the agency directly if your country allows it.
Issued report has wrong degree title, missing courses, or wrong graduation date
File a correction request in writing within the agency’s review window. Do not wait until you submit to CAAPID — by then the correction window may be closed.
Send Dr. T your credential timeline
Bring your dispatch date, agency, and follow-up notes. We’ll spot the gaps and tell you whether your cycle is on track — before it isn’t.
Once your evaluation is in motion — where to go next
Master the CAAPID Application
CV blueprint, school-list strategy, personal statement architecture, bench-test prep, interview coaching — the full CaapidUp program for international graduates.
Profile Review with Dr. T
1:1 review of your personal statement and CV — once credentials are in motion, the application narrative is the next step.
KIRA Interview Prep
NYU and other CAAPID schools use KIRA. The structured 2-session prep with Dr. T once you start receiving interview invites.