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Publish Non-Degree Credentials

Credential Engine, in partnership with the Lumina Foundation and the Future Ready States Initiative, is making information on non-degree credentials (NDCs) transparent and accessible in New Jersey, North Carolina, and Texas. By using structured open data in the Credential Registry, diverse stakeholders can obtain comparable information on NDCs from a single source.

Learn more about Credential Engine’s work with non-degree credentials.

What is a Non-Degree Credential?

NDCs share many of these characteristics:

  • Lead to a credential that is not an academic degree (such as an associates or bachelors). 
  • May be classified as certificates of completion, certificates of participation, technical certificates, certificates of proficiency, apprenticeship certificates, certifications, and more.
  • They are often (but not always) short-term, career-focused, and skills-based.
  • May be issued by two- and four-year colleges, private technical schools, apprenticeship consortia, employers, trade unions, or industry associations.

Who Should Publish Non-Degree Credentials?

Any organization that owns or offers NDCs should add its information to the Credential Registry. 

This includes employers, private companies, HR departments, community colleges, continuing education units, apprenticeship sponsors, private technical schools, trade unions, local chambers of commerce, industry associations, and more. 

Use the resources below to get started.

If your organization collects or houses NDC information from multiple providers or sources in a given region, occupation, or industry, it may not be feasible to add this information on your own.

Please contact Credential Engine for technical assistance.

How to Publish NDCs

Before creating an account, check the Credential Finder to determine if an account exists for your organization. If so, email accounts@credentialengine.org to be added as a user on the account.

To create an account for your organization, follow these easy steps.

Once you submit your account, Credential Engine will review and approve it. Please allow 24 hours for processing. You will receive a confirmation email when the account is approved.

Review Organization Data

After Credential Engine has approved your account, follow these instructions to review information about your organization in the Credential Publisher app. You can add additional information about your organization. 

Approve Organization Data

Once you have reviewed your data, you will need to approve your organization in the Credential Publisher. 

  • Select “Summary and Downloads” from the navigation bar at the top of the page. From there, select “Approve My Organization” in the My Organization tab.

This will notify Credential Engine to publish your organization’s data to the Credential Registry. Please allow 24 hours for processing. You will receive a confirmation email when the organization is published.

Data is published to the Credential Registry using spreadsheets in CSV format. Use this template to get started.

Use the Credential Publisher to upload and approve your spreadsheet by following these instructions. 

Approve Credentials 

Once you have uploaded your data, you will need to approve your credentials in the Credential Publisher. 

  • Select “Summary and Downloads” from the navigation bar at the top of the page. From there, select the credentials you would like to approve in the Credentials tab.

This will notify Credential Engine to publish your organization’s data to the Credential Registry. Please allow 24 hours for processing. You will receive a confirmation email when the credentials are published.