Sierra Leone Degree Evaluation: WASSCE, Diplomas and Transcripts

If you studied in Sierra Leone and now need your education recognized in the United States, the first question is simple: what does your WASSCE, diploma or degree equal in U.S. terms? This guide answers it for any Sierra Leonean credential, from WASSCE results and technical diplomas to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from universities such as Fourah Bay College and Njala University. 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 Sierra Leone degree evaluation from MotaWord costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours.

Why You Need a Sierra Leone Degree Evaluation in the U.S.

U.S. institutions do not read Sierra Leonean certificates on their own, even though they are written in English. They rely on a credential evaluation report that states the U.S. equivalent of each credential in a format they recognize. 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: colleges and graduate schools want to know your degree level, credits and GPA.
• Professional licensing: state boards for nursing, teaching, engineering and accounting usually require a detailed report.
• Employment: employers and HR teams use evaluations to confirm that you meet a degree requirement.
• Military enlistment: recruiters need proof that your WASSCE or senior secondary education equals a U.S. high school diploma.

For work visas, the report has to support the degree requirement stated in the petition. For admissions and licensing, grades and credits matter as much as the degree title, which is why the type of report you choose depends on who will read it.

How Sierra Leone's Education System Is Structured

Primary and Secondary Education

Sierra Leone follows a 6-3-3-4 structure: six years of primary school, three years of junior secondary school (JSS), three years of senior secondary school (SSS), and four years for a standard first degree. Pupils sit the National Primary School Examination (NPSE) at the end of primary school and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at the end of JSS. Passing the BECE gives access to senior secondary school.

Senior secondary students follow academic or technical and vocational streams, with English and Mathematics required across the board. At the end of SSS they sit the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), set by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the same body that runs the exam in Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and The Gambia. Read our guide to WAEC and WASSCE evaluation for U.S. education.

WASSCE Grades

WASSCE results are reported subject by subject on a nine-point scale from A1 (excellent) to F9 (fail). Grades A1 to C6 are credit passes, D7 and E8 are passes, and F9 is a fail. Universities in Sierra Leone usually ask for a set number of credit passes, including English Language, for admission. U.S. evaluators read the same grades when they confirm that you completed secondary school and, for course-by-course reports, when they convert each subject to a U.S. letter grade.

Higher Education Institutions and Oversight

Higher education is offered by universities, polytechnics, technical institutes and teacher training colleges. The University of Sierra Leone includes Fourah Bay College, founded in 1827 and one of the oldest in West Africa, as well as the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences and the Institute of Public Administration and Management. Njala University, the University of Makeni and several newer public and private universities also award degrees. The Tertiary Education Commission oversees the sector, and evaluators check that your institution and program were recognized when you studied.

University Grading and Degree Classes

Sierra Leonean universities follow the British pattern of degree classes: First Class Honours, Second Class Upper Division, Second Class Lower Division, Third Class and Pass. Course grades are usually letter grades or percentages, and each institution sets its own bands. The class printed on your degree certificate is useful, but the evaluator relies on your transcript to convert individual grades and calculate a U.S. GPA.

How Sierra Leonean 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.

WASSCE and the Senior Secondary School Certificate

Is the WASSCE equal to a U.S. high school diploma? Completion of senior secondary school with WASSCE results is usually evaluated as comparable to a U.S. high school diploma. That is the document U.S. colleges, employers and military recruiters ask for. The BECE marks the end of junior secondary school and is not a high school diploma equivalent. Many applicants also have WASSCE results from Ghana. See how Ghanaian WASSCE results and university degrees are evaluated.

Technical and Vocational Certificates, OND and HND

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) runs in stages, and Stage 1, 2 and 3 certificates focus on practical trades. Evaluators usually treat them as non-academic training, so they rarely lead to U.S. transfer credit or a degree equivalency on their own.

The Ordinary National Diploma (OND) usually takes two years after secondary school, and the Higher National Diploma (HND) builds on it with further specialized study. Evaluators often compare these diplomas to one to three years of U.S. undergraduate study, depending on the program's length, the entry requirement and the coursework on the transcript. Teacher's Certificates and Higher Teacher's Certificates from teacher training colleges are assessed the same way, based on duration and content.

Bachelor's Degrees: Three-Year General and Four-Year Honours

Sierra Leonean universities award both general bachelor's degrees and honours degrees. A four-year bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognized university is usually evaluated as comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree. A three-year general bachelor's degree, including some Bachelor of Education programs, is often evaluated as three years of U.S. undergraduate study rather than a full bachelor's degree.

That difference matters for H-1B and EB-2 petitions, which often need a full U.S. bachelor's equivalent. In some cases a three-year degree followed by a postgraduate diploma or master's degree, or a three-year degree combined with work experience through a separate report, can support the petition. Neighboring Liberia uses a different, U.S.-style degree structure. See how Liberian credentials are evaluated for U.S. education and employment.

Postgraduate Diplomas, Master's Degrees and Doctorates

A postgraduate diploma, such as the one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Education, is often evaluated as one year of U.S. graduate study. Master's degrees usually take one year after an honours degree or two years after a general degree, and a master's from a recognized university is commonly evaluated as comparable to a U.S. master's degree. A Ph.D. requires research and a dissertation after the master's and is often compared to a U.S. doctorate.

Medicine, Law and Engineering

Professional programs such as the MBChB in medicine, the LLB in law and the Bachelor of Engineering are first degrees in Sierra Leone. Medicine at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences takes several years longer than a standard degree. 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 transcript, sometimes called an academic record or statement of results, lists every course, the grade and often the credit units for each year. The evaluator uses it to confirm the program's length and level and, for detailed reports, to convert each grade and calculate a U.S. GPA. Transcripts from Sierra Leonean universities are issued by the registrar, and some U.S. schools and boards ask to receive them directly from the institution.

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, and universities, licensing boards and credit transfer offices usually ask for it. See how a course-by-course evaluation converts your Sierra Leonean grades into a U.S. GPA.

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 Sierra Leone Degree Evaluation

• WASSCE results statement or certificate for high school level evaluations
• Degree certificate (front and back) for each university degree
• Academic transcript for each degree, showing courses, grades and years of study
• OND, HND or Teacher's Certificate and its transcript, if relevant
• Proof of a name change, if the name on your records differs from your passport

Clear scans or phone photos are enough to start. Send both sides of each document, because stamps, seals and registrar signatures are often on the back. Some institutions in the U.S. also ask to confirm WASSCE results with WAEC or to receive transcripts in a sealed envelope from the university, so check the requirements of the office that will read your report.

Do Sierra Leonean Records Need Translation?

English is the official language of Sierra Leone, and WAEC results, university certificates and transcripts are issued in English. In most cases they need no translation for a U.S. evaluation. If any supporting document is in another language, the quote system detects it and offers certified translation at $24.50 per page in the same order.

How MotaWord Evaluates Your Sierra Leonean Credentials

1. Upload: start a quote and upload your degree certificate, transcript, WASSCE results and any other records.
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.

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, universities and licensing boards can use the same report, and MotaWord is SOC 2 Type II certified, so your records are handled on a secure platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the WASSCE from Sierra Leone equal to a U.S. high school diploma?

Completion of senior secondary school with WASSCE results is usually evaluated as comparable to a U.S. high school diploma. The evaluation report is what colleges, employers and recruiters accept as proof.

Is a three-year bachelor's degree from Sierra Leone equal to a U.S. bachelor's degree?

Not always. A three-year general degree is often evaluated as three years of U.S. undergraduate study, while a four-year honours degree is usually evaluated as a full U.S. bachelor's degree. The evaluator decides based on official duration and your transcript.

How is an HND from Sierra Leone evaluated in the U.S.?

An HND is often compared to a period of U.S. undergraduate study rather than a bachelor's degree. The result depends on the program's length, entry requirement and coursework.

Are degrees from Fourah Bay College and Njala University recognized in the U.S.?

Degrees from recognized Sierra Leonean universities, including Fourah Bay College and Njala University, 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.

Do I need to translate my Sierra Leonean documents?

Usually not. WAEC results, degree certificates and transcripts from Sierra Leone are issued in English. Any document in another language needs a certified English translation.

Which evaluation do I need for nursing or teaching licensing?

Licensing boards usually ask for a course-by-course evaluation with credits, grades and a GPA. Check your state board's instructions before you order.

Get Your Sierra Leonean Degree Recognized

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

Mark Rogers - Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord

Written and reviewed by Mark Rogers, Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord, drawing on the team's experience with Sierra Leonean 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 →