How to Get a WES Evaluation for Your Vietnamese Degree (Bang Ky Su / Cu Nhan)
Getting a WES Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for a Vietnamese degree requires understanding two things that the WES website does not explain clearly for Vietnamese applicants: the moc giap lai (official stamp across the sealed envelope flap) that Vietnamese university offices are often unfamiliar with, and the critical difference between how WES assesses the Bang Ky su versus the Bang Cu nhan — a distinction that can cost you 30 to 40 CRS points if you misunderstand it.
This guide covers the complete WES evaluation process for Vietnamese degrees, the university-specific procedural steps, the translation requirements, and how to avoid the most common failure points that cause Vietnamese applicants to pay the $230–245 CAD evaluation fee twice.
What WES Is and Why You Need It for Express Entry
World Education Services (WES) is one of the designated credential evaluation organizations (ECA bodies) recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Express Entry applications. If you graduated from a Vietnamese university and are applying through the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program, you must obtain a WES ECA before your Express Entry profile can be completed.
The ECA report tells IRCC the Canadian equivalent of your Vietnamese degree — whether it is assessed as a Bachelor's, a two-year diploma, a three-year diploma, or another qualification level. Your CRS score's educational component is calculated based on this assessment.
Cost: WES standard processing fee is $230 CAD for ECA service (as of 2026). Expedited processing is available at additional cost. This fee is paid once per application — if your documents are rejected due to preparation errors, you pay again.
Processing time: After WES receives your complete document package (typically 7 business days for standard service). The bottleneck is obtaining the sealed transcripts from your Vietnamese university, which takes 2–6 weeks depending on the institution.
The Bang Ky Su vs Bang Cu Nhan: The CRS Point Gap You Need to Know
This is the most consequential piece of information for engineering graduates from Vietnamese universities, and the most commonly misunderstood.
Bang Ky su (Engineer's Degree): A five-year engineering degree awarded by Vietnamese technical universities (Bach Khoa Ha Noi, Dai hoc Bach Khoa TP.HCM, Dai hoc Cong Nghe, and equivalent institutions). Vietnamese applicants frequently assume this will be assessed as a Master's equivalent by WES — because it requires five years of study, one more than a standard Bachelor's.
WES assesses the Bang Ky su as a Bachelor's degree equivalent — not a Master's. This is consistent with how similar five-year engineering programs in Eastern European and Southeast Asian educational systems are assessed under Canadian credential evaluation standards. The additional year is treated as part of the undergraduate cycle in Vietnam's educational structure, not as postgraduate study.
The CRS points difference between a Master's and a Bachelor's for a single applicant (no spouse) is approximately 30–40 points, depending on age. A Vietnamese software engineer who enters their CRS calculation expecting a Master's assessment and receives a Bachelor's assessment loses 30–40 points. If your CRS score is 480 and you were expecting 510, that is the difference between qualifying for a STEM draw and sitting in the pool for another 12–18 months.
Bang Cu nhan (Bachelor's Degree): A four-year academic Bachelor's degree from Vietnamese universities. WES assesses this as a Bachelor's equivalent — consistent with what applicants expect.
Bang Cao dang (Associate Diploma): A three-year junior college diploma. WES assesses this as a "two-year diploma" or "three-year diploma" equivalent depending on the specific institution and program. On its own, this may or may not satisfy the FSW educational minimum — but in combination with a Bang Cu nhan, the two credentials together qualify for the "two or more post-secondary credentials" CRS bonus, which adds approximately 25 points beyond a single Bachelor's assessment.
Step-by-Step: WES Evaluation Process for Vietnamese Applicants
Step 1: Create Your WES Account and Start the Application
Go to wes.org → "Start an Application" → Select "ECA for Immigration" → Choose "Express Entry" as the purpose.
WES will walk you through the application form. You will be asked to provide:
- Personal information matching your passport
- Country of education (Vietnam)
- Name of institution(s)
- Credential type(s)
- Your mailing address for the ECA report
Complete the application and pay the fee. WES assigns you a reference number. This reference number goes into your Express Entry profile once your ECA is issued.
Step 2: Get the Document Checklist for Your Institution
After completing the application, WES provides a "Country-Specific Document Requirements" page for Vietnam. This will list the exact documents required and the instructions for how they must be packaged. Read this page carefully — it specifies:
- Whether transcripts must come directly from the institution (yes, for most Vietnamese universities)
- Whether the degree certificate must be included (yes)
- Whether a certified translation is required (depends on whether the degree was issued in Vietnamese only or bilingually)
Step 3: Go to Your University's Phong Dao Tao (Academic Affairs Office)
For most Vietnamese universities, transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to WES — you cannot hand-carry them. This requires a visit (or written request) to the Phong Dao tao of your graduating institution.
What to request (in Vietnamese):
Tell the Phong Dao tao: "Tôi cần bảng điểm chính thức được gửi trực tiếp đến tổ chức WES tại Canada để đánh giá bằng cấp quốc tế. Bảng điểm cần được đựng trong phong bì kín và có đóng dấu giáp lai của trường trên nắp phong bì."
Translation: "I need my official transcript sent directly to WES in Canada for international credential evaluation. The transcript must be in a sealed envelope with the school's official stamp across the envelope flap."
The moc giap lai requirement: The official university stamp (moc tron or moc vuong — circular or square institutional stamp) must be applied across the seam of the sealed envelope flap so that it spans both the flap and the envelope body. This is the moc giap lai. If the envelope arrives at WES without this stamp correctly applied — or if the envelope has been opened and resealed — WES will reject the submission. The Phong Dao tao staff at most Vietnamese universities have encountered this requirement from other international students, but at smaller regional universities, you may need to show them a physical example or describe it precisely.
The WES "Academic Records Request Form": Download this from the WES website under "Country Documentation Requirements → Vietnam." Bring this form to the Phong Dao tao along with your ID. Some universities will require this form to initiate the transcript request; others will use their own internal request process.
Processing time at university: Varies significantly. Bach Khoa Ha Noi and HCMC University of Technology have established processes and typically process requests in 2–3 weeks. Smaller regional universities may take 4–6 weeks. FPT University's Registrar processes international transcript requests within 10 business days on average.
The mailing address for WES: Your university will mail the sealed transcripts directly to:
WES (Toronto)
2 Carlton Street, Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario M5B 1J3
Canada
Provide this address to the Phong Dao tao with clear instructions that the envelope must be mailed internationally, not via domestic post. Some universities use their existing international courier accounts; for others, you may need to provide a prepaid international envelope or pre-arrange a DHL or FedEx pickup.
Step 4: Handle the Degree Certificate and Translation
If your degree was issued bilingually (Vietnamese and English): Send a notarized copy of the bilingual degree certificate directly to WES by mail. A notarized copy (not the original — never mail the original) is typically acceptable. Check the WES requirements for Vietnam to confirm whether a notarized copy or a certified true copy from the Phong Dao tao is needed.
If your degree was issued in Vietnamese only: You need a certified translation into English. In Vietnam, certified translations for international immigration purposes are typically produced by translation companies certified by the Department of Justice (Bo Tu phap). Do not use general commercial translation agencies — the translation must be certified by an authorized entity. Major certified translation services include: Trung tam Dich thuat Ha Noi (Hanoi), Trung tam Dich thuat TP.HCM, and Department of Justice-certified agencies in both cities. The translation is attached to the original-language degree certificate.
Important: WES requires that the translation provider is not the applicant themselves or a family member. Third-party certified translation is mandatory.
Step 5: Submit Your Own Direct-Mail Items
In addition to the university-mailed sealed transcripts, you typically mail to WES directly (as the applicant):
- Completed WES application form (you submitted this online — WES receives it electronically)
- Certified translation of degree certificate (if Vietnamese-only)
- Any additional documentation for multiple credentials (Cao dang + Cu nhan, if claiming the two-credential bonus)
All applicant-mailed documents go to the same WES Toronto address. Do not mail documents requiring direct university send through yourself — IRCC flags ECA reports where the chain of custody is unclear.
Step 6: Track Processing and Receive Your ECA
WES provides a tracking portal where you can see when your documents have been received and when processing has begun. Standard processing is 7 business days after all documents are received. The most common cause of delay: the university sends one document but not the other (transcripts but not degree certificate, or vice versa). Check your WES tracking portal actively.
When complete, WES sends your ECA report to your registered email and provides a reference number. Enter this reference number into your Express Entry profile on the IRCC portal. IRCC pulls the report electronically using this number — you do not need to submit a paper copy.
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University-Specific Notes
Bach Khoa Ha Noi (Hanoi University of Science and Technology)
The Phong Dao tao is located in Building C1, Room 101, 1 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi. Processing the WES transcript request requires: CCCD copy, student ID (if available), graduation certificate copy, and the WES Academic Records Request Form. Processing time: approximately 2–3 weeks. The university uses a standard institutional envelope with moc giap lai. Ask the staff to apply the stamp to the left side of the envelope flap so it spans the seam — they are familiar with this requirement but sometimes apply it to the body of the envelope only, which WES may reject.
Dai hoc Bach Khoa TP.HCM (Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology)
The Office of Academic Affairs (Phong Cong tac Sinh vien and related transcript office) handles international credential requests. Processing: 15 business days. Bilingual degree certificates (Vietnamese/English) are available for graduates from 2010 onwards; earlier graduates may receive Vietnamese-only certificates and need certified translation.
FPT University
Strong international affairs office, familiar with WES requests. Processing: approximately 10 business days. Bilingual transcripts available. Degree certificate issued in Vietnamese with English summary — certified translation of the full certificate may still be required by WES.
Dai hoc Quoc gia Ha Noi / TP.HCM (Vietnam National Universities)
Multiple constituent colleges (College of Engineering, College of Natural Sciences, College of Technology). Ensure your transcript request is sent to the correct constituent college's Phong Dao tao, not the central university administration. The central VNU office handles general inquiries but does not issue academic transcripts.
The Two-Credential CRS Bonus
If you hold both a Bang Cu nhan (or Bang Ky su) and a Bang Cao dang from a separate program, you may qualify for the "two or more post-secondary credentials" CRS scoring category. Under this category, your educational CRS points are assessed based on the highest-level credential — the Bachelor's — but with a bonus for holding multiple credentials.
For a single applicant (no spouse) with a Master's-level education, the two-credential bonus adds approximately 25 points over a single Bachelor's. For Vietnamese applicants with a Cu nhan + Cao dang (but no Master's), the two-credential Bachelor's assessment adds points over a single Bachelor's assessment.
To claim this bonus: both credentials must be WES-evaluated. Submit both simultaneously in the same WES application. The incremental cost of evaluating a second credential from a different institution is lower than starting a new application.
Many Vietnamese applicants who graduated from a three-year Cao dang program and then completed a four-year Cu nhan do not realize they can claim this bonus. If this describes you, verify with the IRCC CRS calculator using both "two or more credentials" and "one credential" inputs to see the exact point difference before deciding whether to include the Cao dang evaluation.
Common Failure Points and How to Avoid Them
Failure 1: Envelope arriving at WES without the moc giap lai. Prevention: Explicitly show the Phong Dao tao staff the WES requirement in writing. Request that they demonstrate the stamp placement before sealing the envelope. Follow up after one week to confirm the mailing.
Failure 2: Transcripts hand-carried by the applicant. WES requires institution-to-WES direct mailing for Vietnamese institutions. An applicant who hand-carries a sealed envelope is not providing a verifiable chain of custody. WES may request re-submission from the institution.
Failure 3: Vietnamese-only degree certificate without certified translation. WES cannot process a degree certificate in Vietnamese without English translation. The certified translation must come from an authorized translation provider, not a bilingual colleague or online translation service.
Failure 4: Submitting So 1 Police Certificate instead of So 2. While this is a separate IRCC requirement (not a WES requirement), the confusion between So 1 and So 2 is common enough to flag: WES does not request the police certificate, but IRCC does. The correct Vietnamese police certificate for Canadian immigration is Phieu Ly lich Tu phap So 2 — not So 1.
Failure 5: Expecting the Bang Ky su to assess as a Master's. Recalculate your CRS score using Bachelor's level educational points before building your Express Entry strategy around a score that assumes Master's assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the WES ECA report valid?
WES ECA reports do not expire. However, IRCC typically requires that your credentials were assessed within the five years prior to your Express Entry application submission. In practice, this rarely creates issues unless your educational circumstances have changed significantly since the original assessment.
My university is a smaller regional institution not on the WES recognized list. What happens?
WES assesses institutions individually, not from a pre-approved list. If your institution is legitimate and accredited by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training (Bo GD&DT), WES will evaluate it. Provide documentation of the institution's accreditation status if WES requests it — typically available from the Bo GD&DT website.
Can I use a different ECA body instead of WES?
Yes. IRCC recognizes several ECA bodies: WES, ICAS, IQAS, PEBC, ICES, and others. However, WES is the most widely recognized, has the best track record for Vietnamese credentials, and provides the fastest turnaround for Express Entry purposes. Unless you have a specific reason to use a different ECA body (some healthcare professions require specific bodies), WES is the recommended choice.
I graduated more than 10 years ago. Is my WES evaluation still useful for Express Entry?
The WES evaluation is based on your credentials, which do not change. The Express Entry age scoring declines after 29, and FSW work experience is assessed within the past 10 years — but the credential evaluation itself reflects your degree, not when you graduated. A credential evaluated 15 years ago (for a degree earned 25 years ago) is still valid for Express Entry educational points purposes.
My degree says "Ky su Cong nghe Thong tin" (IT Engineer). Will WES assess this as equivalent to a Computer Science Bachelor's?
WES assesses Vietnamese degrees against the National Occupational Classification (NOC) indirectly — it evaluates the credential level (Bachelor's, Master's, etc.) rather than the field equivalency. Your IT Engineering degree will likely assess as a "Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering" or equivalent — the exact field notation varies. What matters for CRS is the level (Bachelor's), not the specific field designation. For NOC code purposes (which are based on job duties, not degrees), the guide covers how to map your Vietnamese job title and duties to the correct STEM-eligible NOC regardless of your degree field.
The WES evaluation process for Vietnamese degrees is procedurally demanding but predictable once you know the moc giap lai requirement, the Bang Ky su assessment outcome, and the university-specific procedural steps. The $230–245 CAD fee is an investment worth protecting with careful preparation.
The Vietnam to Canada Express Entry Guide — The Direct Route System — provides the complete WES evaluation playbook for Vietnamese degrees, including the specific Vietnamese phrases for university offices, the university-specific steps for Bach Khoa Ha Noi, HCMC University of Technology, FPT University, and Vietnam National University, and the two-credential bonus eligibility check. Combined with the employment reference letter templates, the CRS optimization engine, and the complete filing walkthrough, it covers every Vietnam-specific obstacle between your current profile and your Confirmation of Permanent Residence.
Start at /from-vietnam/ca-express-entry — the free Quick-Start Checklist includes a credential check and tells you whether to initiate WES evaluation now or after your IELTS result is in hand.
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