An eligibility specialist reviews applications and helps determine whether or not applicants are eligible for programs and services. The educational background you will need to become an eligibility specialist will likely depend on the employer with which you will apply and the industry in which you will work. Generally, however, you will need at least a high school diploma or an equivalent credential to qualify for this type of position. Some employers prefer to hire applicants with associate's or bachelor's degrees, however, especially if the job description requires you to provide advice or some sort of counseling to the applicants. Additionally, you will likely need a number of skills and qualities to become an eligibility specialist, including communication and computer skills, the ability to pay attention to detail, and a willingness to maintain confidentiality.
You will usually need a high school education or a General Educational Development® (GED®) credential to become an eligibility specialist. For many of these jobs, you will be required to review applications and find errors, and also look for details that have been excluded. You may also have to answer questions an applicant might have and compare basic eligibility data to information provided by your company. Since eligibility is sometimes based on a formula used by a computer program, you may also have to input information into a computer system and wait for it to render an eligibility decision. Since these tasks don't often require extensive knowledge or technical skill, a high school level education is often considered sufficient.
Some eligibility specialist jobs will require you to have a college degree instead, however. This requirement may stem from simple employer preference or from the tasks you will have to perform for this job. If, for example, you will have to make complicated calculations, provide some sort of counseling or advice, have specific knowledge of a subject, or make eligibility decisions on your own, you may need an associate's or bachelor's degree. In such a case, an employer may give preference to applicants who have degrees in finance- or accounting-related majors or in a major that involves health, law, or social work.
Many employers will also expect you to have experience in the industry in which you will work. For example, if you want to become an eligibility specialist for a social services organization, experience in social services may prove helpful. Additionally, you will likely need good communication skills and the ability to work independently to land this job.
