|
Credentials Evaluation Service
1. What does the Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) do? The CGFNS International Credentials Evaluation Service evaluates the comparability of an international education and preparation to U.S. standards. The CES provides detailed reports for regulatory bodies, educational programs and employers. Two levels of report are available: Healthcare Profession and Science Course-by-Course Report and Full Education Course-by-Course Report. 2. Why do I need to have a CES report? Many U.S. state nursing boards require a CES report and usually a specific level of the report. Contact the state board of the state you are interested in to find out which level you will need. Also, academic institutions, specialty certification authorities, immigration attorneys and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), as well as recruiters and employers all may require a CES report. 3. Can I have a CES report done only for myself? No. CGFNS International requires you to have an official recipient for the report, but you will receive a copy. 4. What are the requirements for the Credentials Evaluation Service (CES)?
5. It’s very difficult for me to obtain documents from my country. Is it possible for me to send a copy of my transcripts or licenses to your office? No. CGFNS International needs to have the applicant’s school(s) and/or licensing authority(ies) send the information directly in order to verify authenticity. 6. Do I need to have validations for all licenses I have held to complete my Credentials Evaluation Service application? CGFNS International requires all CES applicants to have validations of their initial and current licenses. 7. Can I provide a photocopy of my license instead of a validation? No. CGFNS International requires that official validations of licenses must be completed and sent directly from the issuing authorities. 8. What are the differences between the CES report and the CGFNS International Certification Program? The CES report summarizes an applicant’s credentials. It does not include a pass/fail eligibility review or an examination as in the Certification Program. The CES evaluates the educational/professional credentials of multiple types and levels of health care professionals, while the Certification Program accommodates ONLY first-level, general (registered) nurses. (The CES can be utilized by multiple, internationally educated health care professionals.) Another difference is that the CGFNS International Certification Program indicates one’s likelihood of passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN® examination). 9. Who typically requests and uses CES reports? The applicant (internationally educated health care professional) orders the report at the request of the recipient. Recipients commonly include: U.S. boards of health care professions, academic institutions, specialty certification authorities, immigration attorneys, the U.S. Citizenship Immigration and Services (USCIS), recruiters and employers. 10. Who pays for the CES Report? The applicant typically pays for the CES Report. 11. How long does it take to obtain a report? After CGFNS International has received all required documentation and fees, it generally takes 8 to 10 weeks to prepare and furnish a completed report. 12. What type of information does a CES report contain? All CES reports contain an analysis of non-health care and professional education, country-specific background information about schools attended by the applicant, complete dates of attendance, grading scales, validations of registration/license information received directly from source authorities, credential source verification and bibliographical references. All information is presented in terms of U.S. standards. 13. Who provides the documentation included in the evaluation? CGFNS International only evaluates academic records and validations of registration/license submitted from the issuing authority or, in the event that the institution no longer exists, the organization authorized to hold transcripts or registrations/licenses on its behalf. The applicant may submit additional documentation, but CGFNS International will request and include official documentation received from issuing authorities to address particular concerns. 14. Does CES make a recommendation regarding the applicant’s candidacy for academic admission, licensure or employment? No. CES reports are advisory in nature. They provide factual information and interpretation about educational preparation and registration/licensure to assist decision-making. They do not make specific recommendations. 15. I already applied for or have been certified by the CGFNS International Certification Program. Must I submit any other documentation for the Credentials Evaluation Service? Perhaps. The documentation required for the Certification Program differs from that required by the Credentials Evaluation Service. It will be necessary for you to request a full academic transcript from your foreign school listing each course you completed during your professional training, since the Certification Program does not require a full transcript and one may not have been provided by the school. If you are uncertain about the documentation CGFNS International has on file and what you may need to submit or request, call the Customer Service Department for more information. 16. How do I know which documents to submit for evaluation? Always check with your report recipients to verify the specific credentials they wish to see in the report. Remember that CGFNS International only accepts academic transcripts and registration/license validations directly from the issuing authorities. 17. How do I know that I have submitted the appropriate documents for evaluation? Each time CGFNS International receives a piece of information, it will review your file and contact you to acknowledge the receipt of a document and the need for any outstanding documentation. You may also check your status online at www.cgfns.org by registering for and using a username and password. 18. Must I submit my original documents for review? Yes and no. CGFNS International accepts clear and legible photocopies of secondary school documents for evaluation. However, CGFNS International will only accept original verification from issuing agencies. All validations of registrations/licenses and academic transcripts must come directly from the issuing authorities to CGFNS. In addition, since CGFNS International verifies credential authenticity, CGFNS maintains the right to validate any documentation with the source agency. 19. What if I no longer have my original documents and cannot provide a photocopy? If you no longer have your original diploma or other documents, you must contact the authority that issued your credential and request that they submit an official letter by mail or courier directly to CGFNS International verifying your records and results. CGFNS accepts external examination results only if provided by the examination board. 20. What should I do if my educational institution has closed? CGFNS International only accepts certain documentation from source agencies (such as transcripts and validations of registration/ licensure). If your school has closed or no longer operates, you will need to contact the organization or agency authorized to hold documentation for that institution (such as a ministry of health or the national, provincial or state licensing authority in your country of education). If you are uncertain about where to go, call the CGFNS International Customer Service Department. 21. Can I fax or email copies of my credentials to CGFNS International for evaluation? No. CGFNS International only accepts documents submitted by mail and courier, but you may email any questions or concerns regarding the progress of your evaluation using the contact us form on https://www.cgfns.org/contact/. 22. Once I submit documents for review, can they be returned to me? No. Once documentation is received, it becomes the property of CGFNS International. Make sure you do not submit original documents to CGFNS. 23. 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, CGFNS International can provide an official translation of each document at an additional fee. CGFNS International will accept translations of documents submitted by source agencies (such as transcripts and validations) only from the issuing authorities. Otherwise, CGFNS International will translate documents for the appropriate fee. 24. Do I receive a copy of the completed CES report? Yes. You will receive a copy of the official CES report so you can see exactly what has been submitted to your report recipient. 25. What if I have any questions about my CES report? Our Customer Service staff, available from 8am to Noon (U.S. Eastern Time) Monday through Friday, can answer any questions you have about your report. 26. If I need to send a copy of my CES report to another recipient at a later date, must I go through the entire process again? No. But since other recipients may require different information, be sure to verify that the report on file contains all the necessary information. CGFNS can update any existing report to include supplementary information for an additional fee. |
|
back to top