In addition to being born in a qualifying country, one of the requirements for the Green Card Lottery is either graduation from high school or 2 years of approved work experience within the last 5 years. According to USAFIS, “You will need to show your graduation diploma or certificate of completion for a twelve-year course of education.”

In addition, the high school education that was received needs to be sufficient to allow a student to apply for admission to a college. The following forms of education are not acceptable:

• Certificates that equal a high school education, such as the GED
• Vocational degrees that don’t qualify someone for further academic study

It’s best to check with your immigration service, such as USAFIS, to find out if you are eligible for the Green Card Lottery.