Education Verification
Make more informed decisions with an Education Verification background check. Verify that your candidate’s degree, education credentials, or professional license is valid.
What Is An Education Background Check?
An education background check is a process used by employers to confirm the education, training, or certification claims of candidates and to identify any potential discrepancies. Often performed by consumer reporting agencies (CRAs), education background checks can be used to check applicants’ attendance at high schools, universities, and vocational schools, and verify degrees earned.
Typically, education background checks do not verify a license to work in a specific vocation, which is a different type of screening called Professional License Verification.
An education background check, also referred to as an education verification or an education check, is important because some candidates may not be forthright in sharing accurate information about their education backgrounds. In some cases, they may list schools they didn’t attend, or degrees they didn’t receive.
Why Do Employers Need To Verify Education?
Employers need to verify education because, for many positions, formal education is a foundational indication of an applicant’s ability to do the job. You’ll want to verify that candidates have the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform job functions. Educational background is one key indicator that they do.
With the proliferation of what are often called “diploma mills”—online organizations that provide documentation of degrees for a price but don’t actually deliver or provide education—it’s increasingly easy for applicants to obtain fake degrees and other misleading credentials.
Employers conduct education background checks to build a trustworthy team, protect their companies’ reputations, and verify that employees are qualified for the positions they’re hiring for. If not, your organization could be subject to liability.
COMPLIANCE
What You Need to Know When Running Education Verifications
Employers using a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA), like GoodHire, to run background checks to assess candidates during the hiring process have important responsibilities to ensure a fair and respectful process for the candidate, and to comply with various laws and regulations that govern employment screening.
Disclosure & Authorization
The FCRA requires employers to inform the candidate that they intend to run a background check, and obtain the candidate’s permission to do so.
Adverse Action
If the results of a background check prompts a decision to deny employment, the FCRA requires employers to follow hirwe.com.
Checking someone’s education background typically involves verifying their educational qualifications, degrees, and credentials. This process is often performed by employers, educational institutions, or other relevant organizations for various purposes, such as employment, admissions, or credential validation. Here are some steps you can take to check someone’s education background:
- Request Permission: It’s important to obtain the individual’s consent before conducting an education background check. Ensure you have their written permission to access their educational records.
- Contact the Educational Institution: Contact the educational institution where the individual claims to have received their degree or diploma. You can usually find the institution’s contact information on their official website or through directories. Reach out to the registrar’s office, admissions office, or student records office.
- Provide Relevant Information: To initiate the verification process, you’ll need to provide the educational institution with specific information about the person, such as their full name, date of birth, the degree or program they claim to have completed, and the dates of attendance.
- Use Third-Party Verification Services: Many employers and background check services use third-party verification companies. These companies specialize in confirming educational credentials. They have established relationships with many educational institutions and can often expedite the verification process.
- Check Public Databases: In some cases, educational institutions make certain information publicly available. You can check online databases or directories of accredited institutions to confirm the person’s educational background.
- Verify Degree and Transcript: To be thorough, you can request an official transcript from the educational institution, which typically includes details about courses, grades, and the degree earned. Some institutions may charge a fee for providing official transcripts.
- Check Professional Licensing Boards: If the individual claims to hold a professional license or certification related to their education, you can contact the appropriate licensing or certifying body to verify their credentials.
- Contact References: If the person provided references, you can contact them to confirm the individual’s educational background. However, this method is less reliable as references may have biases.
- Online Research: In some cases, you may be able to find information about a person’s education background through online sources like LinkedIn, personal websites, or professional networking sites. Keep in mind that this information may not always be accurate.
- Verify International Education: If the education background involves institutions outside your country, you may need to work with international credential evaluation services or contact the respective foreign educational institutions for verification.
It’s essential to handle education background checks with care and respect for privacy laws and regulations, and to obtain the individual’s consent as needed. Additionally, be mindful of the potential for fraud and ensure that the information you receive is from reputable sources.