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:

• 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.

• 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:

• NAFSA-National Association of Foreign Educators
• ATA-American Translators Association
• EAIE- European association of International Educators

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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