Mexican Degree Evaluation: Your Título, Transcripts and Cédula Profesional in English

If you studied in Mexico and now need your education recognized in the United States, you will run into two questions fast: what your degree equals in U.S. terms, and what your cédula profesional in English actually means. This guide answers both for any Mexican credential, from the Certificado de Bachillerato to the Licenciatura, Maestría, and Doctorado. It is written for graduates applying for jobs, visas, or U.S. university programs, and for the immigration attorneys who prepare their files. A standard Mexican degree evaluation from MotaWord costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours.

Why You Need a Mexican Degree Evaluation in the U.S.

U.S. institutions do not read Mexican diplomas on their own. They rely on a credential evaluation report that states the U.S. equivalent of each credential. The most common reasons people order one are:

• USCIS petitions: H-1B, EB-2, and other employment-based green card petitions often require proof of a U.S. bachelor's or advanced degree equivalent.
• U.S. university admissions and credit transfer: graduate schools and colleges want to know your degree level and GPA.
• Professional licensing: state boards for nursing, engineering, accounting, and teaching usually require a course-by-course report.
• Employment: employers and HR teams use evaluations to confirm degree requirements.
• Military enlistment: recruiters need proof that your Mexican secondary education equals a U.S. high school diploma.

For work visas, the evaluation has to support the specialty occupation and the degree requirement in the petition. See how our education evaluation for H-1B visas supports a petition. Students follow a different path, since schools care about grades and credits as much as the degree title. Learn how academic evaluations work for U.S. university and college admissions.

How Mexico's Education System Is Structured

Basic and Upper Secondary Education

Mexican schooling starts with six years of primaria and three years of secundaria, which together form basic education. Upper secondary education, called educación media superior, usually lasts three years and is offered as bachillerato general, bachillerato tecnológico, or technical programs. Many people know it as preparatoria or prepa. Students who finish receive a Certificado de Bachillerato (or Certificado de Terminación de Estudios), which completes twelve years of schooling.

Higher Education Institutions and Accreditation

Higher education is offered by public universities such as the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), state universities, technological institutes, polytechnic and technological universities, teacher training schools (escuelas normales), and private universities. The Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) oversees the system.

Private institutions need official recognition of their programs, known as RVOE (Reconocimiento de Validez Oficial de Estudios), granted by the SEP or a state education authority. Autonomous public universities recognize their own programs. Evaluators check that the school and program had this recognition when you studied, because a program without official validity is hard to evaluate as a recognized degree. Separate quality accreditation by bodies recognized by COPAES is a plus, but it is not the same as RVOE.

Mexico's Grading Scale

Most Mexican schools and universities grade from 0 to 10. A 6 is the usual minimum passing mark in secondary school, and many universities set the passing mark at 6 or 7. Grades of 9 and 10 are excellent. Evaluators usually convert a 10 or 9 to an A, an 8 to a B, and a 7 to a C, but the exact conversion depends on the institution's own scale and passing mark, which is why transcripts matter.

What Is the Cédula Profesional in English?

The cédula profesional is a license to practice a profession in Mexico. It is issued by the SEP's Dirección General de Profesiones after the Título is registered, and it carries a unique number that employers and clients can check in the national registry of professionals. In English it is usually translated as "Professional License" or "Professional Certificate". Older cédulas were printed cards, which people sometimes call the cédula física; newer ones are issued electronically.

For a U.S. evaluation, the cédula is supporting evidence, not the degree itself. It shows that the SEP registered your Título, which helps confirm the degree is genuine. The evaluator still bases the U.S. equivalency on the Título and the Certificado de Estudios (your transcript). If you only send the cédula, expect a request for the other documents. The same goes for the cédula de doctor or cédula de maestría, which license the holder at those levels but do not replace the diploma and transcript.

How Mexican Credentials Compare to U.S. Degrees

The determinations below are typical outcomes. Each evaluation depends on the institution, the program's official length, and your transcript, and the final report decides.

The Mexican High School Diploma

Is a Mexican high school diploma valid in the United States? A completed bachillerato or preparatoria is generally evaluated as comparable to a U.S. high school diploma. That is the document U.S. colleges, employers, and military recruiters want to see. The Certificado de Secundaria (grade 9) is not a high school diploma equivalent. Technical bachillerato programs that also award a technician title are usually still evaluated at the high school level.

Técnico Superior Universitario and the Associate Degree Equivalent in Mexico

Mexico has no degree called an associate degree, so people search for the closest match. That is usually the Técnico Superior Universitario (TSU) or Profesional Asociado, a two-year program offered mostly by technological universities. Evaluators often compare a completed TSU to a U.S. associate degree, depending on the program's content and hours. Many TSU graduates continue for another year and a half or so to complete a Licenciatura.

Licenciatura: The Bachelor's Degree Equivalent in Mexico

The Licenciatura is the first university degree and the most common bachelor's degree equivalent in Mexico. Most programs last four to five years and end with a Título Profesional. A Licenciatura of four or more years from a recognized program is usually evaluated as comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree. A Licenciatura from a shorter program, or one with unusual credit loads, may be evaluated differently, so the evaluator checks the official duration and the credits on your transcript rather than the title alone.

Argentina uses some of the same degree titles, such as the Licenciatura. See how Argentine degrees compare to U.S. standards. Your own result depends on your program and transcript. Order a diploma evaluation that shows what your Mexican degree equals in the U.S.

Especialidad, Maestría and Doctorado

After the Licenciatura, Mexican graduate study (posgrado) has three levels. An Especialidad is a shorter, usually one-year professional program; outside medicine it is often evaluated as graduate study rather than a full master's degree. A Maestría generally takes two years and is commonly evaluated as comparable to a U.S. master's degree. A Doctorado is a research degree that usually takes three to four years after the Maestría and is often compared to a U.S. doctorate (Ph.D.).

Medicine, Law and Engineering

Professional degrees such as Médico Cirujano (medicine), Licenciado en Derecho (law), and Ingeniero (engineering) are first degrees in Mexico. Medicine typically takes about six years including an internship and social service year. Evaluators usually describe these as professional first degrees and state their U.S. comparison in the report. A license to practice in the U.S. still requires the steps set by each state board, and the evaluation is one part of that file.

Transcripts, Grade Conversion and GPA

Your Mexican transcript is the Certificado de Estudios, sometimes called Certificado Total de Estudios or Kardex. It lists every course, the grade on the 0 to 10 scale, and often the credits (créditos). The evaluator uses it to confirm the program's length and level and, for course-by-course reports, to convert each grade and calculate a U.S. GPA.

General vs Course-by-Course Evaluation

A general (document-by-document) evaluation states the U.S. equivalent of each credential. It is usually enough for USCIS petitions and most employers. A course-by-course evaluation adds every course with U.S. semester credits, letter grades, and a GPA. Universities, licensing boards, and credit transfer offices usually ask for it. Read our guide to diploma evaluation to understand the full process before you order.

Standard academic evaluations look at formal education only. If your petition needs work experience combined with education to reach a bachelor's degree equivalent, that requires a separate work experience report or expert opinion letter.

Documents You Need for a Mexican Degree Evaluation

• Título Profesional (front and back, including registration stamps)
• Certificado de Estudios or Kardex for each degree
• Cédula Profesional, if you have one, as supporting evidence
• Certificado de Bachillerato for high school level evaluations
• Certified English translations of every document that is not in English

Clear scans or phone photos are enough to start. Send both sides of each document, because SEP registration details and seals are often on the back. Small mistakes, such as a missing page or a name that does not match your passport, are a common cause of delays. See the top 10 mistakes to avoid in academic evaluations.

Required Documents for Mexican Degree Assessment

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Certified Translation of Spanish Academic Records

Mexican records are in Spanish, and USCIS requires a complete English translation of each foreign-language document with a translator's certification. Learn what USCIS expects from a certified translation. The translation has to cover seals, stamps, and handwritten notes as well as the printed text.

MotaWord's certified translations cost $24.50 per page, with delivery in as little as 12 hours and free digital notarization. When you order an evaluation, the quote system detects non-English documents and offers to add certified translation to the same order. See how we translate diplomas for academic evaluations.

Transcripts and Kardex printouts are often long, with many course titles and stamps. See how MotaWord's academic translation service handles transcripts and other school records. Birth and marriage records for the same filing can be translated too. See our certified Spanish translation services.

How MotaWord Evaluates Your Mexican Credentials

1. Upload: start a quote and upload your Título, transcript, and any other records. If they are in Spanish, add certified translation at the quote stage.
2. Document check: our team reviews your files and contacts you if a page, side, or seal is missing.
3. Evaluation: our evaluators review your institution's recognition, the program's official length, and your coursework, then prepare a report that follows the USCIS Policy Manual standard of a credible, logical, and well-documented analysis.
4. Download: your report is delivered to your MotaWord client dashboard, where you can also track progress and download invoices.

A standard evaluation costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours. Same-day delivery costs $115 when you order before 3 PM ET on a weekday. A course-by-course evaluation costs $120, or $200 for same-day delivery. Live chat is available 24/7 for support. See everything you can do in your MotaWord client dashboard.

No evaluator controls a USCIS officer's decision, but a clear, well-documented report gives the officer what they need to review your degree. Employers can use the same report. See how academic evaluations support U.S. job applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cédula profesional in English?

It is Mexico's professional license, usually translated as "Professional License" or "Professional Certificate". The SEP issues it after registering your Título. It supports your evaluation but does not replace the diploma and transcript.

What is the bachelor's degree equivalent in Mexico?

The Licenciatura. A Licenciatura of four or more years from a recognized program is usually evaluated as comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree, depending on the program's length and your transcript.

What is the associate degree equivalent in Mexico?

The closest Mexican credential is usually the two-year Técnico Superior Universitario (TSU), also called Profesional Asociado. Evaluators often compare it to a U.S. associate degree.

Is a Mexican high school diploma valid in the United States?

Not automatically, but a completed Certificado de Bachillerato is generally evaluated as comparable to a U.S. high school diploma. An evaluation report is what colleges, employers, and recruiters accept as proof.

Are Mexican degrees valid in the U.S.?

Mexican degrees from officially recognized programs can be used in the U.S. once an evaluation states their U.S. equivalent. The degree itself is not converted; the report explains it to U.S. institutions.

Is a 3 year Licenciatura equal to a U.S. bachelor's degree?

Not always. Shorter programs may be evaluated as fewer years of undergraduate study, and some petitions then combine education with work experience through a separate report. The evaluator decides based on official duration and credits.

Get Your Mexican Degree Recognized

Whether you are filing an H-1B petition, applying to a U.S. graduate program, or proving your bachillerato to a recruiter, the process starts with the right documents and a clear report. Get your Mexican diploma, degree, or transcript evaluated with MotaWord's academic evaluation services. Live chat is available 24/7 if you have questions before you order.

Evren Ay - CEO & Founder at MotaWord

Written and reviewed by Evren Ay, CEO & Founder at MotaWord, drawing on the team's experience with Mexican academic records and credential evaluations for U.S. use. MotaWord is SOC 2 Type II certified and a corporate member of the ATA and ITI, providing academic evaluations and certified translations in 120+ languages. Evaluation reports follow the USCIS Policy Manual standard of a credible, logical, and well-documented analysis. See our transcript evaluation services →