Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why do I need to have my credentials evaluated?
If you received all or part of your education in a country outside the US, you must have your credentials evaluated in order to have them understood and recognized by educational institutions, employers, licensing, and certification boards in the U.S. An evaluation by us provides you with the U.S. academic equivalents of your credentials and permits you to pursue further education, seek employment in the U.S. and/or fulfill an important step towards certification (e.g. teacher credentialing, CPA, etc.). In other instances those pursuing additional degrees in the U.S. have been able to get credit for classes taken in a country outside the U.S. via this evaluation process.
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What is the right time to have my credentials evaluated?
Getting your credentials evaluated at the earliest helps you get the most out of the evaluation. If you plan to continue your studies at a U.S. college or university and have not yet decided where to apply, an evaluation can help you make that decision by showing you how your educational credentials are viewed in the U.S.. You can use that information to apply to schools that are appropriate for your educational background. Similarly, if you are seeking employment, the evaluation will help you identify positions for which you have the requisite educational background.
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What do I need to do in order to have my credentials evaluated?
In order for us to prepare an evaluation report for you, we must have the following items:
- A completed and signed “Application Form”
- All original Diplomas/Degree certificates, transcripts/mark sheets and all other pertinent educational documentation. Please see “Documentation Required” for further information
- If your documents are not in English, we might be able to do the translation. In instances where we cannot do the translation we will ask you to provide the official translation.
- Full payment for the services you are requesting.
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How do you verify authenticity of documents submitted?
In several instances we contact the issuing University and/or the country’s Ministry of Education to verify the documents we have received. We also use reference materials, resources, networking, professional memberships, and years of experience. Our staff has specialists from countries around the world. They are experts at spotting forged documents. Our years of experience give us a good understanding of authentic documents. In instances when documents are sent to issuing Universities/Governments for verification, the verification time may delay an evaluation.
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Does the U.S. government evaluate credentials?
There are no U.S. government agencies that evaluate credentials.
Some universities evaluate credentials for internal purposes and the other process by which evaluation is done is by organizations like ours. Many Universities depend on organizations such as ours for an objective evaluation process.
In addition, we also evaluate credentials for employment with the government or in the private sector.
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What does Credential Evaluation mean?
Credential Evaluation is a process, which compares your credentials with their U.S. educational equivalents. The evaluation is advisory and it is designed to help academic institutions, licensing boards and employers in the U.S. understand foreign credentials.
We offer several types of Credential Evaluation Services. Please see “Evaluation Services”, to determine what type of service is right for you.
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Which evaluation should I choose?
It is always a good idea to check with the university, licensing board or employer who will receive your evaluation if they have specific requirements.
Most commonly, a General evaluation is sufficient for employment.
Universities, colleges and professional licensing boards require a General evaluation and a Course-by-Course because it contains the detailed information that they need.
Immigration service is for immigration purposes.
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How can I get an equivalent GPA calculated?
Grade point average (GPA) is a service we offer. The course-by-course evaluation must be completed in order to have GPA, as GPA is calculated from the U.S. equivalency of credits and grades from the course-by-course evaluation.
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What is the cost of an evaluation?
Please see our “Fee” schedule for the cost of the various services that you might require.
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How long does it take to complete an evaluation?
The most common time frame to complete an evaluation is three weeks. Some factors that can impact the time duration are: completeness of information and documents submitted; level of verification/correspondence regarding the documents received; type of evaluation requested; and complexity of the documents. All evaluation requests are processed on first come first served basis. We recommend that you start the process as early as possible and submit all documents as required to ensure the timely completion of your evaluation report.
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What if I need the evaluation in a shorter time?
We offer several options for Rush Services. Please see “Evaluation Services” for additional information. Rush Service requests are accepted on a case-by-case basis, and will start when complete information/documents and evaluation fee is received.
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What documents do I need to submit for an evaluation?
Please see the “Documents Required” for further information.
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Do I need to submit original documents for evaluation purposes?
Original documents are required for verification purposes. If mailing your documents, we suggest that you send your originals via a reputable courier service. Upon completion of your evaluation, we will return your original documents by a secure method, unless courier service is requested.
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What if my documents are not in English?
In several instances, we can perform the translation service; see “Evaluation Services’ and “Fees”. In instances where our in-house resources are busy or do no have expertise in translation from a particular language, we will request you to use an official Translation Service (ATA) to have your documents translated.
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Will you issue a university diploma or a degree at the end of an evaluation?
Our evaluation reports state the equivalent of your non-US education in terms of education offered at regionally accredited institutions in the United States. Only accredited education institutions (Universities) can issue diplomas and Degrees. Our evaluation reports are designed to help you get admitted to a university program, receive transfer credit for study completed, assist your attorney in the visa application process, or help a state licensure/certification board determine if you can be licensed in your profession.
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How do I obtain additional reports of an evaluation?
You can order additional reports either at the time of submitting the initial application or at a later date. We maintain your records on file for at least 7 years. There is no limit on the number of extra evaluation reports requested. Please refer to “Evaluations Services” and “Fees” for additional information.
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For how long is an evaluation report valid?
Generally an evaluation report is considered valid for a long duration. That said, international educational bodies are constantly evaluating and comparing educational systems across the globe. Because research (ours and the international community at large) is ongoing, over time, evaluation policies and conclusions are subject to modification, revision, and clarification. Some clients choose to have their report re-evaluated upon major new structural changes. The “Bologna Declaration” is an example.
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My name has changed; what should I do?
If your name has changed and the name that appears on your educational credentials is different from your current name, you must submit an official document (marriage certificate or other document) that proves your legal change of name.
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What do I do if I have questions about my evaluation report?
If you have questions about your evaluation report, please write to the Director of Evaluations. Please include the reference number and name of the applicant in your correspondence with us. We will contact you regarding your questions. Note: In the Terms and Conditions on the application form that you have read and signed, we do not guarantee that you will agree with the conclusion of the evaluation. We can explain to you the methods and standards used in the evaluation process.
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