Education Verification

Overview

Education Verification verifies attendance dates, majors, and degrees earned for any high school, college, university, or vocational school in the U.S. Each Education Verification covers a single school. Employers can order up to 5 Education Verifications within the same background report.

How It Works

Each Education Verification confirms the details of one degree or certificate at one institution by contacting the school specified by phone up to three times over three business days. Most degrees or certificates are verified by the institution’s Admissions and Records Office or Registrar. Some educational institutions use third-party verification services. Delays can occur if schools are closed during holidays and between terms.

Education Verifications don’t reveal a candidate’s entire academic history, or provide transcripts or recommendations.

Ordering

Education Verifications can be ordered as part of GoodHire’s Premium Background Check Package, or as an add-on to the Basic and Standard Packages. Note that the premium package only includes one Education Verification. Any additional verifications will need to be included as add-ons.

Reviewing Results

The results tab for Education Verification displays the status of the check, which information was verified, and what information was used to verify the candidate’s education. Employers are able to easily compare the candidate’s provided details with the verification results.

Alerts:

In the case of an alert, an additional panel will show up in the education verification tab, showing employers what information GoodHire attempted, but was unable to verify.

Education Verification alerts are typically triggered for the following reasons:

1. The candidate claims a degree but the school will only confirm enrollment.
2. The school has no written documentation to confirm education information.

Discrepancies in Education Verifications are common, whether intentional or unintentional from the candidate’s end, and several studies have shown that education is the most lied about part of a resume. GoodHire recommends that employers verify each educational institution on their candidates’ resumes.

Candidate Skipped Education Verification:

In some cases, the candidate may not be able to provide details for Education Verification because they did not attend any verifiable institution, or have already reported all institutions in a separate Education Verification within your ordered background report. In this case, GoodHire allows candidates to skip the Education Verification by providing comments explaining why they are skipping the check. The Education Verification will be cancelled and Employers will receive a refund. The cancellation, as well as the candidate’s comments, will be visible to the employer in the results.

Turnaround Time & Additional Fees

Turnaround time for Education Verification is typically 3 to 5 business days.

There is a National Student Clearinghouse Fee of $6.00, in addition to extra fees that some schools charge for education verification. More information on specific school fees can be found in our Education Verification Pass-Through Fees document.

Notes

Typically, GoodHire will look for the school’s number, or use the number provided if we cannot find one on our own. GoodHire will then call the school 3 times over 3 business days.

See our Verification Protocols page for more information.