Accreditation of Foreign Degrees UNITED STATES Teach and Learn Program-Universidad de Alcalá Overview: As stated by ed.gov, There is no single authority in the United States for the recognition of foreign degrees and other qualifications. International agreements and the practice in the U.S. education system and labor market recognize the existence of three competent authorities for recognition matters. These three authorities are: The admitting school or higher education institution which is for students who want to study in the United States and would like to apply their credits and qualifications in which they earned abroad. The hiring employer which is for someone that is looking to work in the United States and is presenting their degree/degrees or their qualifications in which they earned abroad. The state or territorial licensing boards which is for individuals who would like to practice regulated professions in a jurisdiction of the U.S. and they are presenting their degree and qualifications in which they earned abroad. Additional information from ed.gov: Credential evaluation services are independent organizations that perform analyses of non-u.s. qualifications and issue recommendations as to how a particular qualification compares to a similar qualification or set of qualifications in the U.S. education system, labor market or the professions. These credential evaluations vary in cost which is usually paid for by the individual/student or, in certain situations, by the prospective employer. 1
STEP 1: Obtain your Transcripts and Diploma from Universidad de Alcalá Estudios Propios Office One month after the Graduation Ceremony you can request the official transcripts and diploma at Estudios Propios Office at Universidad de Alcalá. Please fill in the attached forms- Appendix 1 and 2- or click on the following links to access the forms: Appendix 1: DIPLOMA REQUEST FORM: https://portal.uah.es/portal/page/portal/posgrado/posgrados_propios/documento s/doc_4_ep.pdf Appendix 2: TRANSCRIPTS REQUEST FORM: https://portal.uah.es/portal/page/portal/posgrado/posgrados_propios/documento s/doc_5_ep.pdf This is the MA information that you will have to include in the Appendix 1 and 2: ACADEMIC YEAR: 2011-2012 CÓDIGO: EB95 MÁSTER EN BILINGUAL AND MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION CÓDIGO: EB96 MÁSTER EN ENSEÑANZA DE LA LENGUA, LITERATURA Y CULTURA EN EL MUNDO HISPÁNICO CÓDIGO: EB97 MÁSTER EN APRENDIZAJE Y ENSEÑANZA DE ESPAÑOL COMO LENGUA EXTRANJERA PAR EL PROGRAMA TEACH & LEARN STEPS TO OBTAIN TRANSCRIPTS AND/OR DIPLOMA: 1. Email Esther Sánchez at esther.sanchez@uah.es and send her the forms. 2. Estudios Propios office will check if the student accomplished the MA Degree requirements. 3. Students will have to pay the fees according to the following steps: NOTE: 2011/ 2012: The price for the transcripts is 26, 11 Euros and for the diploma, 211, 15 Euros. Please take into account that the amount of the fee must be precise and the transfer may have an additional fee. Please check that with your bank. 2
PAYMENT METHOD: If you live in Spain or someone will issue the payment for you, you have to pay the fee directly at Santander Central Hispano bank with the receipt that Estudios Propios will send you at the provided email. You will have to send a pdf copy of the sealed receipt by the bank (after the payment was issued) at esther.sanchez@uah.es or take a copy at the Estudios Propios Office (Colegio de León, Calle Libreros 21, 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid). If you live outside Spain when you will be requesting the diploma and/or transcripts you will have to pay by transfer at the bank account named below. You have to send a copy of the sealed receipt at esther.sanchez@uah.es or by fax at 00 34 918856879. Banco Santander (BSCH) Código de Banco: 0049 Código de sucursal: 6692. Dirección: C/ Libreros, 19. 28801. Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) Teléfono 91 889 11 58 Nombre de la Cuenta: Universidad de Alcalá. Estudios Propios DC: 80 Número de la cuenta: 2316216026 Número de swift: BSCHESMMXXX IBAN: ES23 0049 6692 8023 1621 6026 BIC: BSCHESMM IMPORTANT: BE AWARE THAT THE PAYMENT RECEIPT MUST INCLUDE THE COMPLETE NAME OF THE STUDENT THAT ISSUES THE DIPLOMA OR TRANSCRIPTS AND THE FOLLOWING CONCEPT: 1. To request the transcripts: Certificado Académico Personal del Máster (include the MA Degree information) 2. To request the diploma: Diploma del Máster (include the MA Degree information) DURATION OF THE PROCESS: To obtain the TRANSCRIPTS: approximately 10 days after the payment has been completed. To obtain the DIPLOMA: around 3 and 6 months after the payment has been completed. 3
STEP 2: Notarize and legalize your Transcripts and Diploma from Universidad de Alcalá The diplomas from the program have to be previously notarized in Spain. If you know someone or a place that can do it for you, that would be best, however, the following process can be followed: The process for notarization of diplomas is the following: 1) Diplomas from Universidad de Alcalá have to be notarized at a Notary service on Calle Libreros: (it costs around 6 or 7 Euros per document) Isidoro Lora Tamayo Rodriguez C/ Libreros, 14, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain Tel: 00 34 918-798-019/ fax: +34 918 82 21 33 2) After that, you have to send the notarized diploma to Ilustre Colegio Notarial de Madrid to request legalization. The process of posting the Hague Apostille lasts around 2 days and the cost goes around 10 Euros. http://madrid.notariado.org/ Ilustre Colegio Notarial de Madrid C/ Juan de Mena, 9 28014 - Madrid OFICINAS C/ Ruiz de Alarcón, 3 28014 - Madrid CENTRALITA e INFORMACIÓN Telf: 91-213.00.00 Fax Colegio: 91-213.00.48 Fax Dirección: 91-213.00.50 E-mail: info@madrid.notariado.org 4
STEP 3: Getting your foreign credential evaluated in the US If you want your foreign credential to be evaluated you can try any of the following well known third party service: 1. American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. AACROA is a non-profit organization that serves as the trade group for nonacademic personnel at colleges and universities in the United States. They offer this service to assist colleges and universities that do not have the resources to conduct evaluations of their own. E-learners.com 2. When you are selecting a commercial service, it is important to make sure that they are a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). This is the trade organization for the industry. 3. Furthermore, World Education Services is one of the best known commercial evaluators and is a founding member of NACES, which offers evaluations that are widely respected in the United States and in Canada. Elearners.com Sources: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html For information on Types of Foreign Credential Evaluation, visit http://www.elearners.com/guide/researching-and-applying/transferring-credit-fromforeign-universities-to-u-s-schools/. http://www.elearners.com/guide/researching-and-applying/transferring-credit-from-foreignuniversities-to-u-s-schools/ http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/index.html 5
STEP 4: General Information for World Education Services Students can obtain accreditation at World Education Services http://www.wes.org/ Students must pay to have transcripts and diploma evaluated by this Agency. Please check the Agency s fees. Follow the previous steps in order to obtain Universidad de Alcalá Diploma and Transcripts and after that send them to WES for evaluation. In order to obtain your diploma, please read the following instructions and read and complete the two forms available on pages 6 through 11. WES offers two types of credential evaluation packages Basic and ICAP. Basic: WES prepares a credential evaluation report which explains how your international education compares with the U.S. system. WES ICAP (International Credential Advantage Package): Transcript delivery with your evaluation report plus permanent storage of your records This package gives you the convenience of sending your evaluation report and verified academic transcripts in one comprehensive package to any educational institution, at anytime, even many years later. Past students have found: o The Agency claims that the U.S. equivalent of the Master from Alcalá would be a Master's Degree from a regionallyaccredited institution in the U.S. They also state that approximately 30 of the credits from the Alcalá Master would be applicable for possible credit in a US institution. For more information please refer to the Accreditation Resources included at the end of this document. (pg. 7) 6
RESOURCES FOR ACCREDITATION OF FOREIGN DEGREES AND TEACHING IN THE U.S.A. http://www.wes.org/jobseekers/certification.asp Professional Licensing and Certification See: Candidates seeking Teaching Certification http://www.wes.org/evaluations/teaching.asp Teacher Certification Boards that accept WES Evaluations http://nasbe.org/ National Association of State Boards of Education http://www.wes.org/jobseekers/links.asp Licensing for Teaching Candidates http://www.wes.org/educators/evaluation.asp WES Credential Evaluation http://www.wes.org/application/apply_now.asp WES Official Evaluation http://www.alleducationschools.com/education-careers/article/teacher-certification Teacher Certification and Licensure Information/Requirements for Teaching in U.S. Schools http://www.alleducationschools.com/education-careers/article/department-of-education Departments of Education of Each State within the U.S.A. http://education.uky.edu/acadserv/content/50-states-certification-requirements Link providing the 50 states Certification Requirements 7