Below find answers to some of our most common inquiries.
For clarification or answers to questions not found here, please contact our office.
As members of the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE), FCSA evaluations are recognized by institutions throughout the country, immigration attorneys, and many professional boards and corporations.
No academic credential evaluation will be universally acknowledged, regardless of the evaluator. Educational institutions, licensing boards, government agencies, private corporations, etc., are fully entitled to establish their own respective policies in this regard, and many will select a handful of agencies whose reports they will readily accept. FCSA recommends that clients double-check with the receiving institution in advance to ensure our evaluations will be accepted. Find our policy on guaranteeing credential evaluation here.
Clients may download an application form from our website, or we will be happy to send a copy by e-mail. The completed application, along with the academic documents you want to have evaluated and the required fees should be submitted to FCSA. If any part of this process is not completed we cannot start your evaluation.
Important: All applications received after 2:00 PM CST will be considered to have been received the following business day.
In the case of professional licensing or certification, a very specific evaluation format is often required to satisfy detailed licensure or certification requirements. FCSA always recommends that clients double-check with the receiving state board in advance to ensure our evaluations will be accepted and to ensure that all of the board’s requirements are met.
At this time, FCSA evaluates academic credentials only.
An evaluation is normally ready to be mailed approximately two weeks after the date when all necessary documents have been received. Please note that our standard time-frame is an estimate and is not guaranteed. Expedited requests, however, are guaranteed to be completed and ready for mailing/pickup within the designated time-frame.
FCSA offers the following timeframe options:
Standard (Approximately 10 working days)—-No additional fee
Rush Service (3 working days)—-Base fee + $75 (USD)
Next Day Service (General Evaluation)—-Base fee + $195 (US)
Next Day Service (Detailed and/or ABET Evaluation)—-Base fee + $195(US)
Some universities and agencies require original documents. In other cases, FCSA can accept photocopies, faxes, or scanned versions of your official documents. No photographs of documents will be accepted. Documents submitted must be clearly legible, showing the entirety of each page (including the reverse side if not blank). At the end of the FCSA application, you will be asked to read and sign a statement verifying that the documents you have submitted are true copies of the documents.
FCSA reserves the right to verify documents for authenticity. If falsified documents are submitted to FCSA, there will be no refund of payments or return of documents, and the forgery will be reported to the designated recipients of the report as well as academic institutions, evaluation services, and government agencies.
If requested, FCSA can usually return original or certified documents after the evaluation is completed. Original documentation is generally mailed separately from your FCSA evaluation report. We do not return photocopies or documents notarized in the US.
Please note that we require a $60 payment for any original documentation being returned to an international address.
Generally, we need your records beginning from your secondary or upper secondary studies, particularly when applying as an undergraduate to a US institution. When seeking licensure, graduate admissions, or H-1 status, postsecondary records are sufficient.
A detailed evaluation of high school coursework is not included in the standard evaluation, but is available upon request for an additional fee of $140.
Yes. If you have completed a course of study, please include a certified copy (both sides) of the diploma or degree.
In most cases, a transcript (or set of mark sheets), listing course titles and grades, is sufficient.
Exceptions:
If you are applying for board licensure you may need to submit a syllabus (detailed course descriptions) from the year of your graduation.
A transcript is a document issued by secondary schools, colleges, and universities listing the name of the school, student’s name, years of attendance, courses studied, and credits and grades received. The transcript may also list degrees completed. Often a transcript has a legend on the back that explains the grading scale and abbreviations.
FCSA converts all international grading systems to the 4.0 scale commonly used in the US.
In the US, approximately 40 hours of required study generally translates to one semester hour. A year of full time study in the US generally results in 30-36 semester hours of credit. Therefore, one year of full time study at an international school would be assessed as 30-36 hours of transfer credit.
No, we do not perform language translations. We require certified word-for-word English Translations for all non-English academic credentials submitted. Certified translations must be performed by a qualified disinterested third party, typically a professional translation company, university or government agency. When translations are required, FCSA recommends the services of InLingua.
Exception:
If your documents are in Spanish you may provide your own translation or submit one performed by a friend or family member.
When you complete the courses, send us an updated transcript. If you wish to add this information within two years of your initial evaluation, a $65 revision fee will be charged for the update. If two years have passed since your initial evaluation, you will be charged the full evaluation fee. Request a revision.
Visit our Evaluation Types and Pricing page for descriptions of each type of evaluation.
We’re happy to answer any question about your evaluation. For general questions, please feel free to get in touch with our support team by email.
Email: info@foreigncredentials.org
Our support team is available Monday through Friday, 8am – 5pm CST
Questions about the specific content of your evaluation, however, must be submitted via email or in writing by mail to
FCSA
1910 Justin Lane
Austin, Texas 78757-2411
If you wish to add information within the first two years of your initial evaluation, a $65 revision fee will be charged for the update. Request a revision.
Yes. In section 1 of the application, you are asked to fill in the address where you would like your evaluation to be mailed. Additional official copies of your evaluation can also be requested. Download the form here.
You can request additional copies within exactly four (4) years from the initial date of evaluation. Please visit the For Current Clients section of our website for more information.
If you submit an application and do not complete it, FCSA will keep your documents on file for 2 years from the date of application. After 2 years, you will need to submit a new application.