In Nigeria, there is a secondary kind of higher education that leads up to the award of a "Higher National Diploma" (HND). It is a two-year program that requires the previous completion of two years of study and the award of a "National Diploma" (ND). Though generally considered inferior to a bachelor's degree, some employers consider the HND as "equivalent" to a bachelor's. US universities don't consider the HND as a bachelor's degree. According to AACRAO, the four years of combined ND and HND are considered as three years of college when applying to a US college or university, AT BEST. How many years of college, if any, will these ND and HND count for when applying for AOTC?
Q. Do my years of foreign higher education in a program not recognized a degree program by US universities disqualify me from AOTC?
A. Probably not.
There is some disagreement on the topic. Here's a derailed discussion on this subject: