Academic Evaluation for The Gambia: Degrees, Diplomas and Transcripts

Academic evaluation for The Gambia turns your Gambian school and university records into terms a U.S. university, employer, licensing board or immigration officer understands. This guide is for anyone who studied in The Gambia, whether you sat the WASSCE in Banjul, trained at Gambia College or graduated from the University of The Gambia, and for the attorneys and advisers who help them. It explains how the Gambia education system works, how each credential is usually evaluated, which documents you need, and how to order online. A standard MotaWord evaluation costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours.

The Gambia Education System

The Gambia's school system has three stages before university:

- Lower basic school: six years, grades 1 to 6.

- Upper basic school: three years, grades 7 to 9, ending with the Gambia Basic Education Certificate Examination (GABECE).

- Senior secondary school: three years, grades 10 to 12, ending with the WASSCE.

The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education oversees schools, and a separate ministry handles higher education. The National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority (NAQAA) accredits tertiary institutions and programs. Most Gambian schools teach in English. Many children also attend madrassa schools that teach in Arabic, and their certificates are usually issued in Arabic.

WAEC and the WASSCE in The Gambia

In Gambia, WAEC (the West African Examinations Council) sets both the GABECE and the WASSCE through its national office. Senior secondary students take English Language, Mathematics, a science subject and other core subjects, plus electives in an arts, science, commerce or technical track. At the end of grade 12 they sit the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Read our guide to WAEC and WASSCE evaluation for U.S. education.

Grades run from A1 (excellent) to F9 (fail), with A1 to C6 counted as credit passes. People who left school, or who want better grades, can sit the private WASSCE in Gambia as private candidates. Many applicants hold both a school sitting and a private sitting certificate, and you should upload both for your evaluation.

Is the WASSCE a High School Diploma?

The WASSCE is an exam, not a school diploma, but it plays the same role. U.S. evaluators usually describe a Gambian WASSCE certificate with passes in English, Mathematics and other subjects as comparable to completion of high school in the U.S. The evaluation report decides the exact wording, based on the subjects you passed and the documents you send. A senior secondary school transcript or leaving certificate helps, because the WAEC certificate does not name your school.

Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone use the same exam. See how Liberian credentials are evaluated for U.S. education and employment. Each country adds its own school records to the WAEC certificate, so evaluators review both.

Universities and Colleges in The Gambia

The universities in Gambia are few, so many Gambians complete part of their studies abroad. The main institutions are:

- University of The Gambia (UTG): the national university, founded in 1999, with schools of arts and sciences, business and public administration, education, law, agriculture, engineering and medicine and allied health sciences.

- Gambia College: in Brikama, with schools of education, nursing and midwifery, agriculture and public health. It awards certificates and diplomas, including the teacher certificates that most Gambian teachers hold.

- Technical and management institutes: such as the Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI) and the Management Development Institute (MDI), which offer certificates and diplomas in technical, business and public administration fields.

- Newer and private institutions: a growing number of public and private universities and colleges, which should be accredited by NAQAA.

Many Gambian nursing schools and the Gambia College School of Nursing and Midwifery award certificates and advanced diplomas, and these are evaluated on their length and entry requirements.

How Gambian Credentials Are Evaluated in the U.S.

Typical results look like this, though the evaluation report always decides:

- Bachelor's degree: a four-year bachelor's degree from the University of The Gambia or another accredited institution is usually compared to a U.S. bachelor's degree. That matters for graduate school and for H-1B or EB-2 petitions.

- Master's degree: graduate programs are newer in The Gambia, and a completed master's degree is usually compared to a U.S. master's degree.

- Gambia College diplomas: diplomas of three or four years in education, agriculture, public health or nursing are often compared to several years of U.S. undergraduate study, not a full bachelor's degree. They can still earn advanced standing or transfer credit.

- Teacher and technical certificates: shorter certificates are usually evaluated as vocational or partial undergraduate study.

- Medicine: the UTG medical degree (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) is usually compared to a first professional degree in medicine in the U.S. Practicing medicine still requires ECFMG certification, the USMLE and residency. Learn how certified translations support your USMLE application.

Evaluations follow the USCIS Policy Manual standard: credible, logical and well documented. No evaluator controls the officer's decision, but a clear report gives the officer a solid basis for it.

Transcripts, Grade Conversion and GPA

- General evaluation: states the U.S. equivalent of each credential, which is usually enough for jobs, immigration and military enlistment.

- Course-by-course evaluation: lists every course or WASSCE subject, converts each grade to a U.S. letter grade and calculates a GPA. U.S. universities, nursing boards and credit transfer offices usually ask for it. Find out how an evaluation for U.S. admissions treats your WASSCE and transcripts.

University of The Gambia transcripts show course titles, credit hours and grades with the institution's grading key. Evaluators convert each grade from that key rather than assuming a fixed rule, because scales differ between institutions and years.

Documents You Need

- WASSCE certificate or certificates: every school and private sitting you want counted.

- Senior secondary school records: a transcript, testimonial or leaving certificate with your school's name.

- University or college records: your degree or diploma certificate and full transcript.

- Madrassa or Arabic-medium certificates: with a certified English translation.

- Name change proof: if your name differs between documents.

Records from Gambian schools, Gambia College and UTG are issued in English. Arabic-medium certificates are not, and U.S. readers cannot evaluate them without a certified translation. You do not need a separate order: certified translation can be added to an evaluation order at the quote stage, where the system detects non-English documents. Certified translations cost $24.50 per page for common languages, with delivery in as little as 12 hours and free digital notarization.

How MotaWord Evaluates Your Gambian Credentials

1. Upload: upload scans or phone photos of your certificates and transcripts, and choose a general or course-by-course evaluation. You see the price and delivery time before you pay.

2. Document check: our evaluation team checks that your documents are complete and readable, and contacts you if anything is missing.

3. Evaluation: an evaluator compares each Gambian credential with U.S. education and prepares the report.

4. Download: your MotaWord client dashboard is created automatically, where you follow the order, download the report and invoices, and talk to us via live chat.

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.

If your Arabic records also need to go to other offices, MotaWord also translates Arabic certificates on their own. See our certified Arabic translation services. Every certified translation includes a signed certification of accuracy and completeness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the WASSCE from The Gambia a high school diploma?

It is an exam certificate, but U.S. evaluators usually describe a WASSCE with passes in the core subjects as comparable to completion of high school. Send your school transcript with it.

Can I combine a private WASSCE in Gambia with my school results?

Yes. Upload every certificate. Evaluators usually consider school and private candidate sittings together.

Is a Gambia College diploma equivalent to a bachelor's degree?

Usually not on its own. Diplomas of three or four years are often compared to several years of U.S. undergraduate study, and they can earn transfer credit.

Is a degree from the University of The Gambia recognized in the U.S.?

There is no automatic recognition, but a four-year UTG bachelor's degree is usually evaluated as comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree. The evaluation report is what U.S. readers rely on.

How do I evaluate my degree for use in the USA?

Upload your degree certificate and transcript to MotaWord, choose a general or course-by-course evaluation, and download the report from your dashboard. A standard evaluation costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours.

Do my madrassa certificates need translation?

Yes. Arabic certificates need a certified English translation, which you can add to the same evaluation order.

Get Your Gambian Credentials Evaluated

From your GABECE and WASSCE to a UTG degree, every Gambian record can be explained in U.S. terms. Get your Gambian degree evaluated with MotaWord academic evaluation services.

Mark Rogers - Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord

Written and reviewed by Mark Rogers, Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord, drawing on the team's experience with Gambian WASSCE results and university credentials. 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. Every evaluation report explains how each credential compares to U.S. education, and certified translation can be added at the quote stage when your documents are not in English. See our academic evaluation for U.S. employment →