Credential Upload Instructions

How to Successfully Upload your Credential in 2 Easy Steps

Once your course has been completed and your credential has been earned, you will undoubtedly want to upload the proper materials to ensure that you are able to receive the $1,000 Credential Achievement Award from VA Ready.

Important: This process must be completed within 150 calendar days of your course ending. If you have any questions on this, please email those concerns to credentials@vaready.org.

For this process, you will need two key items:

  1. Your credential from the accrediting body
  2. An “Acknowledgement of Credential” PDF sent from VCCS

For instructions on how to acquire these 2 items, please continue reading below.

Step 1: Upload Your Credential

Once you complete the credential exam, you should receive a copy of your credential from the accrediting body. Once you receive this form, please simply take a photo of it and upload it into the “Credential Upload” section (see below) of the Upload tab in your VA Ready portal (https://scholars.vaready.org).

You will receive your $1,000 Achievement Award faster if you upload the correct documents the first time. To see examples of what your credential looks like to ensure you are uploading the correct document, please visit our “What does my credential look like?” resource here.

Step 2: Upload the “Acknowledgement of Credential” PDF

The second item that you will need to upload in order for VA Ready to properly process your $1,000 award is an “Acknowledgement of Credential” PDF sent directly from VCCS. Please Note: This PDF will be sent to you over email and may take upwards of 2 weeks to arrive. This email comes from the Virginia Community College system office and is an automated email. This email is only generated once a copy of your credential has been uploaded by your college to their system. Please make sure your college has received a copy of your credential.

This PDF will be emailed to you from the Virginia Community College System office (Subject line: VCCS Acknowledgement of Credential) on the first OR second Monday following the week you completed your coursework and passed your exam the week prior. The PDF Certificate attached to the email to upload is the verified credential from VCCS, and the only one we can accept.

A screenshot of  what you are looking for can be found below. Please note: This picture is for sample purposes only. The one sent to you will say your name, the program you were enrolled in, the community college you attended, and the date you completed your coursework. To view a video outlining where to find this document and how to upload it, click here.

Once you receive this PDF, you should upload it to the “Community College Verification Email” section (see below) of the Upload tab in your VA Ready portal (https://scholars.vaready.org).