International Transcripts

Statement of Policy

To be considered for credit by Excelsior University, academic work from countries other than the United States must generally be degree-level study completed at an approved university or university-parallel institution. An approved university is one that has been officially recognized as degree granting or diploma granting by the regulating agency for higher education in the country in which the institution is located. Often this agency is either the national ministry of education or national department of education. Courses taken at postsecondary institutions without this status will not be considered for credit, unless the courses have been: (1) accepted by an approved institution and favorably reviewed using the Credit for Prior Learning Assessment Presented as Transfer Credit on Official Transcripts policy; (2) favorably reviewed for credit under the Assessment of Training, Non-Accredited Educational Programs, and Industry Credentials for Credit policy; or (3) evaluated and carry recommendation for college credit under the Non-Collegiate Sources of Credit policy.

Students who wish to submit transcripts from post-secondary institutions outside the United States should check the publication “Institutions Outside the United States Whose Transcripts are Accepted Directly” on
Excelsior’s Web site. Transcripts from institutions on this list may be submitted directly following guidelines in the Official Transcript policy. For all other institutions, students must forward their official documents to an evaluation agency recommended by Excelsior University for evaluating and interpreting international credentials. International transcripts should not be submitted directly to Excelsior University
in this case. All evaluation agencies charge a fee for their services.

• Students who are seeking enrollment in a graduate program and have completed a degree from international institutions should submit a Course-by-Course from World Education Services (WES) for consideration into Excelsior graduate programs.
• Students who are seeking enrollment in an undergraduate program and have completed a degree or some college credits from international institutions should submit a Subject Analysis Transcript from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).
• Nursing students with credentials from international nursing programs must submit their credentials to the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) for evaluation to determine Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse equivalency.

The evaluating agency makes recommendations to Excelsior University about the accreditation status of the international post-secondary institution, the amount of credit to be granted, courses to which the study is equivalent in the United States, and the degree status of students. In general, international institutions which are recognized by the regulating agency for higher education in the respective countries are considered to be equivalent to regionally accredited institutions in the United States.

Students who have already received a post-secondary degree from an international institution which is recognized by the evaluating agency as comparable to an accredited institution in the United States are subject to Excelsior policies on second and third degrees.

Procedure

A. Students who plan to submit international transcripts for evaluation should visit the Excelsior University Web site prior to enrolling to obtain current information about the evaluation agencies' (ECE or CGFNS) services, fees, and type of evaluation report required i.e., Subject Analysis from ECE.

B. Nursing and technology students must have official catalog descriptions or the official syllabi of study submitted for all courses to be applied toward the professional component and any other core requirements in the arts and sciences. Students in the baccalaureate degrees in liberal arts must submit descriptions for any courses to be applied toward a major. Other course descriptions or syllabi may be requested when necessary.

C. When credit from an institution outside the U.S. appears on the transcript of a college/university from which we accept credit directly:

• The Academic Evaluator will verify through SIS or the PLA on Official Transcript database if Excelsior University has awarded credit for this study previously. If credit was awarded previously, then credit
  can be awarded
• If Excelsior University has not previously granted the credit, then the Academic Evaluator can initiate a request for evaluation per the Credit for Prior Learning Assessment Presented as Transfer Credit
  on Official Transcript policy. Credit will be awarded if the PLA appeal is approved.

D. Students will be required to submit evaluations from ECE or CGFNS (nursing students only) at the time the student submits an application to Excelsior University. Once the preliminary review has been completed using an evaluation from ECE or CGFNS, a student will not be able to submit an evaluation from one of the other approved foreign credentials agencies for the same credits.