U.S. immigration law and regulations require that every DV entrant must have at least a high school education or its equivalent or have two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience. A “high school education or equivalent” is defined as successful completion of a 12 -year course of elementary and secondary education in the United States OR the successful completion in a nother country of a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to a high school education in the United States. Only formal courses of study meet this requirement; correspondence programs or equivalency certificates (such as the General Equivalency Diploma G.E.D.) are not acceptable.

Documentary proof of education or work experience must be presented to the consular officer at the time of the visa interview.