Frequently Asked Questions – General
- How are evaluations prepared?
- Who can benefit from an ICD evaluation?
- What are the requirements for an ICD evaluation?
- Does ICD accept faxes of my documents?
- What is the difference between original and official documents?
- Must I submit my original documents for review?
- What if my documents are not in English?
- How long does ICD keep my documents?
- What do I do if I need extra copies of my evaluation?
- How long does an evaluation take?
- Who do I contact if I have questions about my application?
- Who pays for the program?
How are evaluations prepared?
All evaluations include the names of the universities/institutions attended outside the United States, names of the academic qualifications and dates earned. These academic credentials are compared to those in the United States, and those equivalencies are listed in the report. To determine the U.S. academic placement recommendations, ICD refers to reference texts such as those published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) and the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs (NAFSA) which describe the educational systems of countries around the world. In following these texts, ICD applies standards that are used by mainstream higher educational institutions in the United States and approved by the National Council on the Evaluation of Foreign Educational Credentials. Also, ICD conducts its own research on educational systems around the world and maintains thousands of files of sample foreign documents as key reference sources.
Who can benefit from an ICD evaluation?
ICD’s various credentials evaluation services will benefit candidates applying for employment, further education, certification or licensure in the United States, or to support an immigration application to the United States. ICD does credentials evaluations for the following areas:
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What are the requirements for an ICD evaluation?
- Completed and signed application form.
- The application fee, which can be a U.S. money order, cashier’s check or personal check in U.S. dollars, drawn on a U.S. bank, made payable to ICD.
- Photocopies that are authenticated, legalized or notarized by the country’s approved channels of all degrees, diplomas and certificates held by you.
- Certified, word-for-word translations of any documents that are not in English.
- Completed Request for Academic Records/Transcripts for Credentials Evaluation forms, submitted directly to ICD by the your school with academic records/transcripts containing: courses, grades/marks, credits, contact hours, course-weighing factors and proof of conferral of all degrees, diplomas and certificates earned.
- Completed Request for Validation of Registration/License for Credentials Evaluation forms, submitted directly to ICD by the issuing authority where you were licensed.
- (In the case of Physical Therapists) A photocopy that is authenticated, legalized or notarized by the country’s approved channels of the most recent international physical therapy registration/license held by the candidate.
Does ICD accept faxes of documentation?
No. ICD does not accept documentation sent by fax. All documents must be mailed.
What is the difference between ORIGINAL and OFFICIAL documents?
ORIGINAL documents are those sent to you from the educational institution in an official envelope with the proper seal/stamp.
OFFICIAL documents are those sent directly to ICD from the educational institution in an official envelope with the proper seal/stamp.
Must I submit my original documents for review?
Yes and no. ICD accepts legible secondary school document photocopies that are authenticated, legalized or notarized by the country’s approved channels. However, ICD will only accept original verification of registration/licenses from issuing agencies. All validation of registration/licenses and the applicant’s professional (tertiary) school’s transcripts must come directly from the issuing authority to ICD. In addition, since ICD verifies credentials authenticity, ICD maintains the right to validate any documentation with the source agency.
What if my documents are not in English?
A certified word-for-word English translation, signed with a certification of authenticity by the translator, must accompany any credentials not in English. If you cannot furnish a translation of your documents, ICD can provide an official translation of each document for an additional fee. ICD will accept translations of documents submitted by source agencies (such as transcripts and validations) only from the issuing authorities. Otherwise, ICD will translate documents for the appropriate fee.
How long does ICD keep my documents?
All documents and a copy of the evaluation are retained in your file for at least three years.
What do I do if I need extra copies of my evaluation?
If you need duplicate copies, please send the request in writing, including the address where you wish to have the evaluation sent. A reasonable fee is charged for this service.
How long does an evaluation take?
Evaluation times vary according to the amount of work received and the amount of time it takes to receive all the documentation from source agencies. Once all documents are received, an evaluation typically takes about eight to ten weeks.
Who do I contact if I have questions about my application?
For more information about ICD’s services or for specific questions about an application
address: International Consultants of Delaware, 3600 Market Street, Suite 450. Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651 USA
telephone: between the hours of 12:30pm and 3:30pm, U.S. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday at +1 (215) 222 8454 ext 603.
Who pays for the program?
The applicant typically pays for the program. The application fee can be paid by an international money order or certified bank check in U.S. dollars, drawn on a U.S. bank and made payable to “ICD”, or by one of the following credit cards: Visa, Mastercard or Discover/Novus.
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