Your new hire says they have a degree. Check it in ten minutes

Picture this: 9:05, one CV, the timer running

Say the CV reads "BSc Economics, 2:1" from a university you don't recognise. At 9:05 you start the timer and copy the claim. The hiring manager has already asked twice whether the offer can go today.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

9:06: the university isn't on the list GOV.UK points to, so you stop the clock. A quick search shows it merged into another university, and Hedd says who holds its records. Clock back on at 9:07.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

9:09: signed consent on file. 9:10: Hedd request sent. 9:14: log filed. 9:16: conditional offer out, ten minutes on the clock. Two days later: "Confirmed, but a detail differs." What you do with that reply is the curtain call, below.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

The run sheet: how to verify candidate education in five cues

To verify a candidate's degree, work through five cues. Each has a "done when", and two carry a hold, where the clock stops.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

1. 0:00 · Copy the claim, word for word

   Done when: you could read the claim to the university without guessing.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

   Write down the full name, and any name they studied under; the awarding body as written; the award and subject ("BSc Economics", not "an economics degree"); the classification; the year.

2. 1:00 · Find the awarding body on the official list

   Done when: you've found the body on its country's official list.

   Look up the awarding body, which isn't always the college that taught the course.

   • UK: GOV.UK's guide points to each nation's list.
   • US: search the US Department of Education's DAPIP database.
   • Elsewhere: the official list in the university's own country, as ENIC-NARIC advises.

   Read the name letter by letter. The employer toolkit on Hedd's home page warns that a real university's name, rearranged, can belong to a fake.

   Hold: not on the list? It may have merged, closed or been renamed. Hedd's search includes UK degree-awarding bodies that merged or changed their name and, where available, who now holds the records of those that closed.

   Never recognised? Search the official warning lists.

3. 3:00 · Get the yes in writing

   Done when: signed consent is on file.

   Education verification needs the candidate's signature: Hedd works from a form the candidate signs and dates, and some universities insist on their own. Our consent wording for employers is a starting point.

   That signature is the university's permission to release the record. Your own lawful basis is separate: the ICO says consent "will not usually be appropriate" where there is a clear imbalance of power, as with employers, and points to bases such as legitimate interests. Name yours in your privacy notice.

   With My eQuals, sharing the record is the yes.

   Hold: no signed form yet? Send it and pause the clock. If the candidate won't sign, you can't verify the degree: follow your policy and tell them plainly what it means for the offer.

4. 4:00 · Ask the source, by a road you found yourself

   Done when: you hold a reference number or a sent email.

   • UK: Hedd, the UK's official degree verification service. If Hedd's university search shows it doesn't use Hedd, write to its registry (email below).
   • US: the National Student Clearinghouse if the college takes part; if not, the registrar.
   • Australia and New Zealand: the candidate's My eQuals link. A printout doesn't count.
   • Anywhere else: the registry, at an address from the university's website. Abroad? See how a foreign degree gets checked.

   The one rule: never use a link, number or email from the certificate or anything sent with it. The US Federal Trade Commission warns that some diploma mills run a "verification service" that sends a fake transcript to an employer who calls. The only exception is a My eQuals share, once you see it open on My eQuals' own site.

5. 8:00 · Log it and set the chase

   Done when: a colleague could pick up the file and know where things stand.

   Paste the one-line log into the file and diary a chase date. Then send the offer, conditional on verification.

Curtain call: when the reply lands

US screening companies: the Fair Credit Reporting Act needs a stand-alone written notice, which "can't be in an employment application" (so the advert line below isn't it), and the candidate's written permission first. Before a no based on the report, give them a copy and "A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act".

The awkward message, made fair

A mismatch feels like an accusation. It needn't be. If the candidate disputes the record, the ICO says you "must carefully consider any challenges to the accuracy of personal data". Asking before you decide gives them that chance:

"Thanks for bearing with our checks. The university's record shows [what came back]; your application says [what you wrote]. There's often a simple reason, such as a former name or a typing slip on our side. Could you tell me which is right? Nothing is decided until we hear from you."

A changed surname takes a sentence to explain. A 2:2 that became a 2:1 is a harder conversation.

The stage manager's kit: copy, paste, adapt

For the advert or application form

"If we offer you this role, we will confirm the qualifications you list with the institutions that awarded them, through their official verification services and with your written consent. We keep the result for [period], then delete it."

Choose a period you can justify: the ICO's storage limitation principle says "you must not keep personal data for longer than you need it".

To a registry

Subject: Degree verification: [full name]
"Dear Registry team, [full name], born [date of birth], says you awarded them [award, subject, classification] in [year], as [name at the time]. Their signed consent is attached. Do your records match? If not, what differs? [Name, role, organisation]"

The one-line log

[Candidate] · claim: [award, subject, class, year, awarding body] · on [official list] · consent signed [date] · sent via [route], ref [number] · chase [date] · result: [confirmed, differs or no record] · checked by [name]

Before your next hire: set the stage once

Most of the work in degree verification for employers happens before anyone applies:

• Tell candidates when they apply. In the UK, the right to be informed means saying why you collect their data, for how long and who sees it.
• Make the consent form standard, as Hedd's employer toolkit advises.
• Check only the person you're hiring, and every hire alike. Data minimisation means collecting only what you need. In the US, the EEOC and FTC say it's illegal to choose whose background to check by race, sex, age (40 or older) or another protected characteristic.

Already on the payroll? How to verify an employee's degree

Same run sheet, consent included, plus one cue before 0:00: a written policy on who gets checked and how far back. Tell staff which policy triggers the check, and check a whole role group, never one person.

A mismatch gets the awkward message first, then your normal procedure, never a decision on the spot. Settle hard cases early, such as a long-serving manager whose MBA turns out unfinished.

Your next step: before your next offer goes out, open your Hedd or Clearinghouse account and add the advert line to your application form. Then the ten minutes are all that's left.

Sources

• Hedd: FAQs: consent, merged bodies, cancelled requests, discrepancies
• Hedd: home page and its downloadable employer toolkit (look-alike names, consent as standard, reporting confirmed fakes)
• Hedd: university search and Contact us: reporting degree fraud
• National Student Clearinghouse: Verify now
• My eQuals: Verifier FAQs
• GOV.UK: Check if your university or college can award a degree
• US Department of Education: DAPIP and ENIC-NARIC: Recognised higher education institutions
• US Federal Trade Commission: Avoid Fake-Degree Burns
• ICO: Right to be informed, Data minimisation, Accuracy, Storage limitation and When is consent appropriate?
• EEOC and FTC: Background Checks, What Employers Need to Know

#DegreeVerification #HiringRight #HRTips #BackgroundChecks