A big step in preparing for U.S. study is finding a credible international education evaluator. Such agencies determine the U.S. equivalency of credentials earned outside the United States.
It is important to note that while there are professional organizations—such as the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)—that monitor credential evaluators, these services are not regulated by any governmental entity. Research the subject, and talk to other international students before making a decision.
Credential evaluation can cost anywhere from $50 to $250 per document, depending on the amount of research required and turnaround time. Credential evaluation fees are typically paid by the student. Here are some of the most widely used international credential evaluation agencies:
- Employees’ average length of previous evaluation experience is 14 years
- Prints evaluations on special paper to ensure authenticity and security
ACREVS Inc. - Academic & Credential Records Evaluation & Verification Service
- Certified by the International Organization for Standardization
- Evaluations can be used for multiple purposes
Center for Applied Research Evaluation and Education Inc.
- Established in 1980
- Charter member of NACES
Educational Credential Evaluators Inc. (ECE)
- Nonprofit, public service organization
- Houses more than 350,000 sample educational credentials
Education Evaluators International
- Established in 1989
- Web site features easy-to-follow instructions
- Specializes in general, document-by-document evaluations
- Normal processing time is two to three business days from receipt of request
Educational Records Evaluation Services (ERES)
- Affiliated with NACES, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- Issue copies of evaluations (for a small fee) for up to seven years
- Located in Chicago, Illinois
- Member of NACES
The Foreign Academic Credentials Service Inc.
- Founded in 1982
- Processes evaluations in three to six weeks from time of request
Foreign Credentials Service of America
- Uses the Electronic Database for Global Education (EDGE) in evaluating student credentials
- Provides evaluations that are based on the most recent research in the field of education
Foundation for International Services Inc.
- 30 years of experience in credential evaluation
- Offer document-by-document, course-by-course, and expert opinion evaluations
Global Credential Evaluators Inc. (GCE)
- Senior evaluators have more than 75 years of combined experience
- NACES member
International Consultants of Delaware Inc.
- Division of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS)
- Affiliated with AACRAO, NACES, and NAFSA
International Education Research Foundation Inc.
- Established in 1969 as a nonprofit, public benefit agency
- Each evaluation reflects the opinions of at least two qualified credentials evaluators
Josef Silny & Associates Inc., International Education Consultants
- Completes non-rush evaluations within ten business days
- Member of NACES
- Evaluations are consistently accepted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. colleges/universities
- Consults with U.S. higher education professionals in completing evaluations
SpanTran Educational Services Inc.
- Evaluating foreign credentials since 1980
- NACES member since 1996
Word Communication International
- Tailors evaluations to meet each institution’s or agency’s needs
- Relies on in-depth knowledge of many professional and academic fields
World Education Services (WES)
- Processes more than 50,000 evaluations each year
- Employs a comprehensive credential evaluation database known as AICES