Credential Evaluation for International Students - WES, ECE, ACEI

Students who go to North America to study, especially those who choose American universities, should know about Credential Evaluation.

More and more American universities have begun to require international students’ transcripts to be certified by designated institutions, otherwise, they will not be accepted.

This is an important step in the process of applying for studying abroad, and the curator suggests that it be included in your to-do list. The certified transcript will show the school your past course learning experience and GPA results.

Many people may ask: Don’t domestic universities provide the final official transcript? Can’t this be counted?

It depends on the situation because it is true that not all universities require international students to do transcript certification.

01. What are the circumstances that require transcript certification?

If the school application requires explicit provisions (must/required), of course, you must do so.

If the school recommends or allows (may/can) students to submit relevant institutional achievement certification, we recommend that you do so.

If it is not clearly stated, you can also choose not to do it (of course, you will bear the consequences)~

However, in general, to ensure that the application materials are foolproof, most students will still choose to do transcript certification.

Generally speaking, students who apply for undergraduate transfer, or graduate students in business schools, medical schools, and public health colleges, basically inevitably need to do grade certification. 

You can find the detailed description and specific requirements of the transcript in the admission application requirements on the official website of each school.

02. Why do you need to have a certified transcript?

Let’s put it this way, there are about 195 countries in the world, of which only 67 have made English an official language. In other countries, English is the second or even the third or fourth language!

The diversity of applicants, their respective national education systems, GPA calculations, and degree-granting forms are different. 

Therefore, in the process of evaluating the transcripts of international students, schools need to use the general standards of the United States to judge or correspond to the academic level and existing academic qualifications of foreign applicants.

Secondly, the certification premise of many foreign certification institutions is that students must submit transcripts and academic certificates issued by the official certification of the Ministry of Education of your country, to verify the authenticity of the results and degrees and prevent academic fraud.

It is worth mentioning that many universities have their academic evaluation departments to independently evaluate applicants’ academic documents, which should be one of the reasons why some schools do not explicitly require students to conduct third-party transcript certification.

That is to say, this kind of school does not need certification, but they have their certification department, which is just “internally digested”!

03. What you may want to know about certification!

Except for those schools that do not explicitly require applicants to certify their transcripts, and expressly indicate that they do not accept the certification of third-party institutions, most universities that require or accept certified transcripts will generally designate relevant certification associations or their certification bodies.

The transcript submitted by the student will only be accepted by the school after being certified by the designated certification authority, otherwise, it will be deemed invalid.

Common Certification Service Association

The organizations designated by American colleges and universities mainly (not limited to) the following:

● National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)

● Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE)

● American Evaluation Association (AEA)

● European Association of International Education (EAIE)

● American Translation Association (ATA)

● NAFSA: Association of International Educators (NAFSA)

● American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)

● America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST)

Each of the above associations has many different certification body members. WES and ECE, which are familiar to everyone, are all NACES members. The certification authorities specifically designated by the school generally belong to these associations.

Of course, some schools accept a wide range of certification institutions, which can be accepted as long as they are formal or subordinate to any of the above associations.

If the school does not specify the institution and is only given a selection range, you can go to the official websites of these associations and match the selection according to the school’s certification requirements for transcripts and the certification services that the institutions can provide. If you have any questions, you should confirm with the school in time.

The Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (ACEI)

It evaluates the academic and professional documents of individuals who have studied outside the United States and recommends academic equivalence in terms of studies completed at regionally accredited institutions in the US.

ACEI is a Charter and Endorsed member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators, AICE.

WES (World Education Services)

Official website link: http://www.wes.org

WES is a non-profit organization established in 1974 to provide certificate assessments for international students and immigrants who plan to study or work in the United States and Canada. Headquartered in New York, the United States, it also has a business in Toronto, Canada. It is the largest qualification evaluation company in North America.

WES is a certified member of NACES, which evaluates more than 200,000 certificates every year and automatically defines foreign education in U.S. or Canadian terms.

Certification form:

● Course-by-Course

● Document-by-Document

● CPA Board Evaluation

Which method to choose is mainly based on the requirements of American colleges and universities. Generally speaking, course-by-course service is used the most.

Required materials:

● Verified Academic Transcripts

● Domestic Certified Degree Certificates

Certification fee (Course-by-Couse:): $205 (ICAP) / $160 (Basic)

ECE (Educational Credential Evaluators)

ECE’s main business is to provide institutions for international students in the United States to handle performance and academic certification evaluation and also to provide support and training for educational institutions and other enterprises that conduct certificate evaluations. ECE certification is also widely accepted in the United States, and the recognition is no less than WES, both of which are NACES-certified members.

Although the scale of ECE is not as large as WES, the cost is relatively low. If the school accepts ECE certification at the time of application, it is also a good choice for everyone.

The ECE certification types selected by most student parties are mainly as follows:

1) General: only confirm the authenticity of academic documents and the equivalence of your study institutions and learning programs;

2) General with Grade Average: Provide the same functions as General, but increase the cumulative GPA;

3) Course-by-Course: Provide information about all individual courses, including course names, scores, and credits equivalent to the United States.

Required materials:

● Verified Academic Transcripts

● Domestic Certified Degree Certificates

Certification fee (Course-by-Couse:): $195

Unlock Your Global Education Goals with Maven Consulting Services

Embarking on an educational journey in North America? Let Maven Consulting Services, your premier education consultants in Chennai, expertly navigate you through the crucial Credential Evaluation process. Whether it’s WES, ECE, ACEI, or university-specific requirements, we’re here to ensure your academic credentials are accurately recognized.

Credential Evaluation can be the make-or-break factor in your university applications, particularly in the U.S. With diverse educational standards worldwide, having your credentials evaluated and certified can significantly bolster your application. Our team at Maven Consulting Services is dedicated to guiding you through these vital steps, ensuring your transition to international education is seamless.

As education consultants in Chennai, we specialize in providing personalized advice and understanding the unique needs of each student. Whether you’re transferring undergraduate courses or aiming for specialized programs like business or medical schools, we’ll help you understand the importance of certified transcripts and how they impact your application.

Start your journey to global academic success with Maven Consulting Services. Contact us today, and take the first step towards realizing your international education aspirations confidently and clearly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Credential Evaluation?

Credential evaluation is the process of assessing and verifying the academic or professional credentials of an individual, such as degrees, diplomas, certificates, and transcripts, to determine their equivalence or compatibility with the standards of another educational system or professional field.

Who needs a credential evaluation?

A credential evaluation is typically needed by individuals who have completed education or obtained qualifications outside of the country where they are seeking employment, education, or professional licensure. This evaluation helps institutions and organizations understand the equivalency of foreign credentials in comparison to local standards, ensuring a fair and accurate assessment of qualifications for various purposes such as employment, further education, or professional licensing.

Which type of credential evaluation is right for me?

Determining the right type of credential evaluation depends on your specific needs. If you’re seeking admission to an educational institution, Maven Consulting will provide detailed information on how your foreign credentials compare to the educational system of the destination country. If you’re applying for professional licensing or employment, a document-by-document evaluation may be sufficient to verify your educational achievements. Consider your goals and the requirements of the institution or organization you’re dealing with to choose the most appropriate type of evaluation.

How long will it take to prepare my evaluation report?

The time needed to prepare your evaluation report depends on various factors such as the complexity of the data, the depth of analysis required, and the length of the report. Typically, it may take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks to thoroughly compile, analyze, and document findings.