Appointing a Postdoc
Degree Verification
Appointment as a postdoctoral scholar requires a doctoral-level degree or the foreign equivalent. Candidates with non-US degrees will be required to provide proof of degree equivalency. A candidate may be offered a postdoctoral position if the candidate has completed all of the requirements for a degree before the degree has been formally conferred. The candidate must also provide up-to-date curriculum vitae and list of publications, and must arrange for letters of recommendation to be sent to the prospective faculty supervisor.
Verification of degree is required and may be achieved using one of the following mechanisms:
Official transcripts that state the degree conferral date may be obtained by the hiring department and provided to Human Resources.
OR
A signed letter (on letterhead) from the appropriate official (e.g., Associate Dean, Registrar) at the candidate's PhD degree conferring institution stating that the candidate has completed all requirements for the PhD and the date at which the degree will be conferred. The letter should be sent to the hiring department and provided to Human Resources. Official transcripts stating conferral of the PhD must be provided to the hiring department within four months of the start date with a copy provided to Human Resources.
Should the degree verification not be supplied within the allotted time frame, post-hire, then the postdoctoral appointee would be subject to immediate dismissal.
The postdoctoral appointee must acknowledge the terms of the appointment by signing the letter of appointment and returning it to the address indicated in the letter within 10 days of the date on the letter.
Foreign Equivalent Degrees and Credential Evaluation
Foreign degrees must be evaluated by an agency certified by the National Association of Credential Services (NACES) to establish their equivalency to U.S. degrees.
The credential evaluation must be submitted directly to the Office of Human Resources by the service performing the evaluation and include a copy of the original document, along with an English translation (if necessary).
For your convenience, we have listed several credential evaluation services. Additional recommended services can be found at www.naces.org.