FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the FCI Credential Evaluation
Service?
Foreign Consultants, Inc. (FCI) is a US based Global company,
incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois and licensed by the
City of Chicago since 1994, which provides Evaluation of Foreign Credentials
from all countries of the world assuring consistent treatment of those
educated outside the United States.
We perform Evaluation, Translation, and Interpretation of Foreign
Credentials and related documents for individuals from abroad who wish to
use their knowledge and experience either in the United States or Worldwide.
FCI provides an Evaluation of Foreign education in terms commensurable with
the US educational system. The Evaluation of Foreign Credentials executed by
FCI follows the placement recommendations approved by the
National Council on Evaluation of Foreign Credentials (CEC).
The Council is the only interassociational body in the US specifically
created to review, modify, and approve placement recommendations written for
publications used by US admission community.
FCI staff admits that the Educational Credentials Evaluation profession is a
self-disciplined profession, which, at best, abides by and complies with the
said guidelines and codes of ethics.
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What is credential evaluation?
Credential evaluation is the process that converts records of education
completed in one country into its Foreign Equivalent. If you have completed
education somewhere other than the US and wish to have your credentials
understood and accepted on the territory of the US or by the US or other
International Employers Worldwide, you must have your Credentials evaluated.
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Why do I need to have my credentials
evaluated?
You need to have your Credentials evaluated when you move from one
country to another and wish to have your Academic background recognized in
order to continue your education, apply for employment in the US or with the
International companies Worldwide, process your Immigration application in
the US or other countries or obtain a Professional license.
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What does an evaluation report contain?
There are two major types of the Evaluation reports:
Comparability Report
- Contains a description of the Credential presented including its
Title, Year awarded, Name of the institution attended, Major field of
study, and Foreign Degree awarded
- Provides with the approximate US Equivalent for each Credential.
Course-by-Course Report
- Contains a description of the Credential presented including its
Title, Year awarded, Name of the institution attended, Major field of
study, and Foreign Degree awarded.
- Lists all the Courses taken
- Hours or Credit hours attended with the equivalency to US Semester
credit or Unit credit hours.
- Grades earned with the equivalency to US Grading system
- GPA calculated
- Major/Minor field of studies established with the equivalency to US
educational standards
- Provides with the approximate US Equivalent(s) for each Credential
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What type of evaluation should I get?
If you are a High School Graduate from your home country and applying for
any Professional program in the US leading to a Professional Certificate you
will need to have your High/Secondary School Diploma evaluated.
Therefore order:
Course- by- Course Evaluation
Report (High School)
If you are a High School Graduate from your home country applying for any
Academic program in the US, leading to an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in
the US, you will need to have your High/Secondary School Diploma evaluated.
Therefore order:
Course- by- Course Evaluation
Report (High School)
If you have an Incomplete Education leading to a Bachelor’s Degree in
your home country and would like to finish or continue your education in the
US, you will need to have your Academic transcript/Official Listings
evaluated.
Therefore order:
Course- by- Course Evaluation
Report (Incomplete Education)
If you have earned a Diploma in your home country, which is an Equivalent
Bachelor’s Degree in the US and wish to pursue a Master's Degree
Therefore order:
Course- by- Course
Evaluation Report (Bachelor’s Degree)
If you have earned a Diploma in your home country, which is an Equivalent
to a Master's Degree in the US and either:
- Intending to pursue a Graduate Degree in another field
- Intending to pursue a Post Graduate Degree, leading to PHD
Therefore order:
Course- by- Course Evaluation
Report (Master’s Degree)
If you are seeking employment in the US or with the International
Companies Worldwide, you can choose between two options.
- First, you can present a prospective employer your Evaluated Diploma
or Certificate only, which is generally sufficient if you pursuing the
under average positions with the Associate or Bachelor’s Degrees
requirements
Therefore order:
Comparability report
- Second, you can present a prospective employer your Evaluated Diploma(s)
and Academic Transcript(s) which is generally necessary if you pursuing the
average or over average positions with the Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s,
PHD Degrees requirements to show your prospective employer the Listing(s) of
courses and (or) Certification exams taken, Grades obtained, Semester credit
or Units hours earned GPA, Master's or PHD thesis theme
Therefore order:
Course- by- Course Evaluation Report (Associate,
Bachelor’s, Master’s Degree, PHD)
If you are advised by an Attorney to strengthen your Immigration
application with your Education and Employment credentials
Therefore order:
Course- by- Course Evaluation Report with a
Professional Assessment Letter (Associate, Bachelor’s Master’s Degree, PHD)
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What if my documents are not in English?
If the documents are not in English, Legalized Translations executed by a
Certified translator, experienced in the Foreign Language in question,
should accompany them. Certified translator’s signature should be notarized,
according to the Laws and Regulations of the country of the origination of
Translation and Notarization.
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How long does it take to obtain an
evaluation?
Generally Evaluation Report can be prepared in ten working days (two
weeks) or less depending on the type of service you requested. However if
there is an additional Research or Correspondence required, it may take
longer. We recommend starting the Evaluation processing early enough to meet
any possible deadlines.
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What happens when FCI receives my
application?
The day we receive your application, an acknowledgment card is mailed.
The card contains your FCI Reference Number. This reference number should be
used any time you contact us regarding your application. Within three days
of an evaluator will review your Application and Supporting documents. If
anything is missing or the questions arise, you will be contacted via
telephone, fax or e-mail at the expense of FCI to clarify any additional
information required.
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What are regulations on Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition in the
USA?
The United States is a federal republic with a decentralized system of
education. Degree, Diploma, and Credit recognition are not performed or
regulated by the federal government. Within the US, no government agency
monitors the Evaluation of Educational Credentials completed outside the
country.
National Council for the Recognition of Foreign Academic Credentials
is the U.S. national body responsible for developing and publishing
comparability statements designed to assist U.S. educators and credential
evaluators in determining how international qualifications correspond to US
Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees at various educational levels.
U.S. Institutions and Programs provides directories of American Schools,
Colleges, Universities, and other accredited educational providers who are
the competent authorities for recognition and placement decisions having to
do with admission to study in the United States.
Regulation of Professions provides information and links regarding
qualifying and becoming licensed to practice regulated occupations, which is
a state-level responsibility.
The competent authority is the hiring employer for purposes other than
enrolling as a student or working in a regulated profession.
Overview and Competent Authorities
defines the legal competent authorities in the United States for various
kinds of recognition.
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Are FCI evaluations recognized?
FCI evaluations are recognized and accepted all over the US and Worldwide
by Universities, Government Federal and State agencies, Professional
Licensure entities, Corporate and Private Employers anywhere in the World.
Every year more and more organizations mentioned above come to rely on FCI
expert opinion because of our rapidly growing client base and the quality of
Evaluation reports executed.
FCI is a member of:
Membership in the National and International Associations above
assumes adherence by FCI to the Standards outlined by these main Global
entities. The educational credentials evaluation profession is a
self-disciplined profession, which, at best, abides by and complies with
the said guidelines and codes of ethics.
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Which Credential evaluation services are
approved in the USA?
Recognition is not usually done by state or local governments either,
except in the case of Professional licensure. Instead, the Federal
government and other levels of Government rely on, and recognize, the
evaluations of Foreign Academic, Professional, and Vocational credentials
performed by the delegated competent authorities at the institutional level
and in the private sector.
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What is
FCI registry?
This is a Registration Listing for the express verification of the
Evaluation Reports issued by Foreign Consultants, Inc.
Designed as a complementary for Educational institutions, Government
entities, Employers, Immigration, US Army, Other interested parties.
Submission is free. On the Client’s request only.
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