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How do I cite ‘judge of the work of others’ if I graded theses during my master’s program?

Grading theses only supports the 'judge of the work of others' criterion in an EB-1 when the role involved formal, documented evaluation rather than simple academic guidance. See how to describe and substantiate this activity.

Written by

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Updated on July 20, 2026
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To cite your role as a ‘judge of the work of others’ in an EB-1 petition, what matters is the nature of the evaluation you performed, not the label attached to the activity. Grading master’s theses can qualify under this criterion when it functioned as a critical and formal assessment of another person’s work, comparable to peer review.

This criterion aims to show that the field recognizes you as someone qualified to judge the work of other professionals or researchers. A grading role that amounted to pedagogical support, without a formal invitation and without a structured evaluation process, will likely not sustain this classification.

  • Show that you received an official invitation or designation based on your expertise.
  • Highlight the critical and comparative nature of the assessment, close to a peer-review process.
  • Gather documentation: invitation letters, evaluation criteria used, written assessments, and formal communications.

Describe the activity honestly and support every claim with documentation. Since each case is evaluated individually, it is worth checking the current requirements with USCIS and aligning your strategy with a specialist.

Learn more about EB-1

Category
EB-1 Green Card (1st priority)
Requirement
Extraordinary ability
Self-petition
Allowed (no sponsor needed)
Processing
6-18 months
All about EB-1

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Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.

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How do I cite ‘judge of the work of others’ if I graded theses during my master’s program?

Grading theses only supports the 'judge of the work of others' criterion in an EB-1 when the role involved formal, documented evaluation rather than simple academic guidance. See how to describe and substantiate this activity.

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