Sterling Background Checks (Employer Verification)
A Sterling education check compares the education details you give an employer with records from your school or its authorized verification service. Enter your legal name, attendance dates, and credential accurately, then respond to requests quickly. If a result seems wrong, compare it with official records and dispute factual errors with the screening company and school.
What if a screening report says your degree or dates could not be verified, even though you completed the program? A delay or mismatch does not by itself mean your education is invalid. The key is to know what the check covers, submit consistent details, and act promptly if the records do not match.
Employer education verification: scope, process, and applicant responsibilities
An education check is one part of an employer’s background screening. The employer sets its screening requirements, and the screening company gathers or confirms information under that process. Your role is to provide accurate details, authorize the check when asked, and help resolve gaps with records from the school.
The employer may ask the screening provider to confirm an institution, attendance dates, degree, or field of study. Not every employer checks every item, and the exact process can vary by role and employer. Follow the instructions in your current application or screening portal rather than relying on a general checklist.
A screening company does not award degrees, set admission standards, or accredit schools. It reports information gathered for the employer’s review. A “not verified” result may mean the school did not respond, a record could not be matched, or information differed. Ask what the result means before drawing conclusions.
What information should you enter?
Use the name you had while enrolled, including a former name if the school’s records use it. Enter each institution separately when requested. Give the dates and credential as shown in official records, and include a major only if the form asks for it.
- Legal name: Include any prior name that may appear on school records.
- Institution: Use the school’s official name, including the campus if relevant.
- Attendance: Give the dates you attended, not just the years you earned credits.
- Credential: State only a degree or certificate that the institution conferred.
- Authorization: Complete the consent steps requested by the employer.
If you attended but did not graduate, say so accurately. Coursework at a school is not the same as a degree from that school. Likewise, do not list a degree as earned before its official conferral date.
Academic records, degree conferral, and accreditation checks
The institution that awarded a credential, usually through its registrar or an authorized verification service, is the authoritative source for education records. A résumé, diploma image, or self-reported account can help explain a question, but may not meet the employer’s evidence requirements. Check the record that the school can confirm.
Schools differ in how they handle verification requests. Some respond directly; others direct requests to a transcript or degree-verification service. If the screening company cannot confirm your record, contact the registrar and ask what official verification it can provide. Follow the employer’s instructions on how to submit it.
How to check a school’s accreditation
For U.S. institutions, the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs can help you check institutional accreditation. CHEA is another reference. These tools do not replace checking the school and accreditor relevant to your attendance dates.
Accreditation status can change over time. A current database result may not fully describe the institution’s status when you attended. If timing matters, ask the school or relevant accreditor for historical information. Do not treat a search result, a screening delay, or an unfamiliar school name alone as proof that a credential is invalid.
| Record or source | What it can help confirm | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Registrar or authorized verifier | Attendance, degree, conferral date, and other school records | Ask what official verification is available |
| Official transcript | Courses and, where applicable, degree details | Request it through the school’s process |
| U.S. Department of Education database | Listed accreditation information for U.S. institutions | Check the institution and relevant time period |
| CHEA reference | Additional accreditation information | Use as a reference, not a substitute for school records |
| Résumé or diploma image | Your own account or a document to help explain a question | Do not assume it replaces an official verification |
Preparing for verification: documentation, accuracy, and dispute resolution
Preparation means matching the details in your application to the records held by each institution. Before you submit, check for name changes, transfers, gaps in attendance, degree dates, and programs you did not complete. Keep copies of your submission and any school response so you can address a mismatch with facts.
A practical sequence
- Reconcile your records. Compare your application and résumé with transcripts, degree records, and any prior names tied to school files.
- Enter each school separately. Report the details the form requests. Do not turn transferred credits into a degree from the school where you earned them.
- Authorize the check. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), an employer generally must get your written permission before obtaining an employment consumer report. Follow the employer’s current consent process.
- Monitor requests. Respond promptly if the employer or screening provider asks for clarification or documents.
- Contact the school if needed. Ask the registrar or its authorized service to verify the record or explain a delay. Tell the employer if the school needs more time.
- Review and dispute errors. Compare any report you receive with official records. Contact the screening company named in the report or disclosure and the school if the school’s record may be the source of the issue.
A delay is not a reason to alter a document or guess at dates. If a record is unavailable, ask the registrar what can be provided and tell the employer what you have requested. Keep submission receipts, emails, and copies of documents.
What happens if the report may affect a hiring decision?
If an employer may take adverse action based on a consumer report, the FCRA generally requires it to give you a copy of the report and a summary of your rights before the decision. You must have an opportunity to review and dispute the report. If the employer then takes adverse action, it must provide a required notice.
The federal process does not mean every employer follows the same timeline or that a dispute will change the hiring decision. State and local laws may provide additional protections. Read the notices you receive, use the dispute route identified there, and keep copies of your communications.
Common verification scenarios and employment implications
These examples are illustrative, not reports of specific applicants or outcomes. They show how a mismatch can arise and what records may help resolve it. The employer decides how a result affects its process; a screening provider’s inability to confirm a detail is not, by itself, a finding that a credential is false.
| Scenario | Why the check may not match | Practical next step |
|---|---|---|
| Your current name differs from your school record | The school may search under an earlier legal name | Give the former name through the approved process and ask the registrar to confirm the record |
| You completed coursework but did not earn a degree | A résumé entry may imply a credential was awarded | Describe the coursework or attendance accurately; do not claim a degree |
| Your degree was earned recently | The institution may not yet have updated or returned the record | Confirm the conferral date with the registrar and notify the employer of any timing issue |
| The school cannot be reached or has closed | Records may be held by another office or custodian | Ask the screening company what is missing and seek official records from the appropriate source |
| A transfer is listed as a degree | Credits from one institution may be confused with a credential from another | Separate each institution and identify only the credential each one awarded |
In my work reviewing education-verification questions, I focus first on the exact field that failed: institution, attendance, or credential. That small distinction makes the next step clearer. If dates are wrong, compare them with the school record. If the school is missing, confirm its official name. If the degree is wrong, verify the conferral date.
A discrepancy can delay a hiring decision or affect an offer, especially when a role requires a specific credential. Employers set their own requirements, however, and screening results do not guarantee an offer or its withdrawal. Correct information and prompt, documented follow-up give the employer a clearer record to review.
Conclusion: keep a clear record and act quickly
The most reliable approach is to submit school details as they appear in institutional records, distinguish attendance from a completed degree, and answer follow-up requests promptly. If a report appears inaccurate, use the reporting company’s dispute process and contact the school. Save records at each step.
Frequently asked questions
What does an education check verify?
Depending on the employer’s instructions, it may confirm the school, attendance dates, degree or certificate, and sometimes field of study. The employer determines what to check.
Does Sterling award degrees or accredit schools?
No. A screening provider gathers or reports information for an employer. Degrees are awarded by institutions, and accreditation is handled by accrediting organizations.
What should I do if my degree cannot be verified?
Ask which detail could not be confirmed. Contact the school’s registrar or authorized verification service and request official confirmation. Tell the employer if the school needs time to respond.
Should I list a degree before it is officially conferred?
No. Report a degree only after the institution has conferred it. If you completed coursework but are waiting for conferral, describe that status accurately.
Can I submit a diploma or transcript myself?
You can ask the employer whether it accepts those documents. A diploma image or transcript may help explain a discrepancy, but it may not replace verification from the school or its authorized service.
What if I used a different name in college?
Provide the earlier name through the employer’s approved process and explain that school records may use it. Do not send sensitive documents through an unapproved channel.
How do I check a U.S. institution’s accreditation?
Search the U.S. Department of Education’s accreditation database and use CHEA as an additional reference. Check the institution and relevant time period; current status may not show its status during your attendance.
Can I dispute an incorrect screening report?
Yes. Contact the screening company identified in the report or disclosure and provide the facts and supporting records. Contact the school too if its record may be inaccurate.
Does a “not verified” result prove that my degree is invalid?
No. It can reflect a delay, a name mismatch, or unavailable records. Ask what was not confirmed and seek an authoritative response from the institution.
What happens if an employer may reject me based on the report?
The FCRA generally requires the employer to provide a copy of the report and a summary of rights before adverse action, and a notice if it proceeds. State or local law may add protections.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, James Holloway. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
