Applying in the US with a Brazilian PhD – Question About Coursework Grades – Question About Coursework Grades

[Oakes83Phd]

Hello,

I'm currently exploring opportunities in the US after completing a PhD in Physics from a Brazilian federal university. While I successfully defended my dissertation, I had one course during the program where I earned the minimum passing grade — a 6 out of 10, which aligns with Brazilian academic standards.

I'm wondering how this kind of detail might be viewed in the context of applications in the US, either by institutions (e.g., for postdocs or academic positions) or by credential evaluators such as WES or ECE. Specifically, I’m concerned that my PhD degree might not be fully recognized or properly evaluated because the minimum passing grade at my Brazilian university is lower than what is typically required in US institutions. Do credential evaluators usually look at individual grades in a PhD transcript, or do they focus more on the overall degree, institutional accreditation, and dissertation?

I’ve read that at the doctoral level, the emphasis tends to be on the program structure and research output, rather than coursework grades. Is this information correct?

Thank you!