WES Reference Number: What It Is, Where to Find It, and How to Use It

Applicants often send transcripts and degree certificates to WES and then wonder why their application sits at "Documents Not Received" for weeks. Most of the time, the package arrived — it just cannot be matched to a file. The cause is almost always the same: the WES reference number was missing from the envelope.

Understanding what the reference number is and how to use it correctly prevents this entirely.

What the WES Reference Number Is

When you create a WES application and complete the first steps, WES assigns you a unique reference number. This is your file identifier for everything that follows. Every document submission, every communication with WES, every inquiry about your application status — they all require this number.

The format varies by application. Use the exact reference number shown in your WES account and on WES correspondence.

This number is permanent for your current application. If you start a new application in the future (for a different evaluation purpose), you will receive a different reference number for that application.

Where to Find Your WES Reference Number

In your WES account:
Log in at wes.org, go to your application dashboard, and the reference number is displayed at the top of your application summary. It also appears in every status update email WES sends you.

In your confirmation email:
When WES acknowledges receipt of your application, the confirmation email includes the reference number. If you cannot locate it in your account, search your inbox for emails from WES — the reference number will be in the subject line or body of every automated message.

What if you lose it:
Log back into your WES account. The number is always visible there. WES does not hide or rotate it.

Why It Must Go on Every Physical Document Package

WES's mail intake department processes thousands of document packages at any given time. Envelopes arrive from universities and applicants across dozens of countries, often with institution names or stamps in foreign scripts. Without a reference number, WES has no reliable way to match a package to a specific application.

When a package arrives without a reference number:

• It goes into a manual review queue
• Staff attempt to match it to an existing application based on name, institution, and other details
• This can take weeks, or fail entirely if the name is common or the institution details are ambiguous

This delay is entirely avoidable. Write your WES reference number on the outside of every envelope — and if you are having your institution dispatch documents directly to WES, give the registrar's office your reference number so they can include it on the package.

How to Format It on the Envelope

The standard convention:

Attn: Evaluations Department
Applicant Name: [Your Full Name as on WES application]
WES Reference Number: [Your Number]

Write or print this on the outer envelope. If the sealed institutional transcript envelope is inside, you can also add the reference number to that outer envelope without opening the inner sealed envelope — this is fine because WES opens the outer packaging and uses the reference number to pull up your file before handling the sealed inner documents.

Using the Reference Number to Track Your Application

WES provides status updates through your online account. Status labels vary by application, but you may see stages such as:

1. Application Started — You have begun but not yet paid
2. Payment Received — WES has received your application fee
3. Documents Not Received — WES is waiting for institutional documents
4. Documents Received — Under Review — WES has your documents and is processing
5. On Hold — WES needs additional documents or has a question
6. Evaluation Completed — Your report is ready

You can log in at any time and see which status your application is at. WES also sends email notifications when status changes.

If your application still shows "Documents Not Received" after the carrier confirms delivery, contact WES with your reference number and the tracking number of the shipment. WES can search by arrival date if the package arrived without a reference number.

For Canadian Immigration: The ECA Reference Number

If your WES evaluation is for Canadian immigration (an Educational Credential Assessment for Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program), there is an important additional step.

When your evaluation is complete, WES assigns an ECA number (also called an ECA reference number) in addition to your WES reference number. These are different identifiers:

• WES reference number = your WES application file number
• ECA number = the credential assessment identifier used in your IRCC profile

When you enter your educational credentials in your Express Entry profile, you must enter your ECA number — not your WES application number. Entering the wrong number causes a validation error in your profile, which is a common mistake.

Find your ECA number in your WES account under the completed evaluation results. It will be clearly labeled as your ECA reference number for immigration purposes.

What If Your Reference Number Does Not Work

If you are trying to enter your WES reference or ECA number somewhere and it is being rejected:

• Double-check you are using the ECA number (for IRCC/Express Entry), not the WES application number
• Enter it exactly as shown in your account, including any required letters or formatting
• Confirm the evaluation is complete (an in-progress evaluation will not validate in an IRCC profile)
• If the number validates in your WES account but not in IRCC, allow time for the systems to update and then contact the relevant support channel if the problem continues

Sharing Your Reference Number

Your WES reference number is a file identifier, not your account password. Share it only with parties helping with your evaluation, such as your immigration attorney, a university admissions office, or a licensing board.

The Credential Evaluation (WES/NACES) Guide walks through the full WES application process, including document requirements by country, how to handle evaluation holds, and what to do when your equivalency finding is lower than expected.