NACES Frequently Asked Questions
What is NACES?
NACES is an association of US based independent and nongovernmental organizations providing credential evaluation services. . NACES member organizations are committed to providing the highest quality credential evaluations.
I have been referred to the NACES website to have my credentials evaluated. Does NACES evaluate credentials?
No. NACES does not evaluate credentials, but our members do. You should select a NACES member from the list of current NACES members and work with the agency directly to obtain a credential evaluation.
What is a credential evaluation report?
The evaluations prepared by NACES member agencies are written assessments of academic work completed outside of the United States. An evaluation report represents a professional opinion of the study completed. The opinions expressed on evaluation reports are based on the experience, knowledge, and research of expert evaluation staff. The format and content of an evaluation report from a NACES member may differ from agency to agency and depends on the type of service you request.
How is NACES different from other associations of international education evaluation services?
NACES membership requires a rigorous prescreening and application procedure. This includes an on-site visit prior to admission as a member. Members must retain qualified senior evaluation staff with no less than 5 years of full-time experience in international admissions. Their experience must have been gained at a regionally accredited academic institution, or at an established credential evaluation agency. NACES members make sustained contributions to the field of credential evaluation, maintain extensive reference, resource libraries, and databases, share information with others in the field of international education. Our members adhere to strict standards of professional ethics and undergo an annual recertification process which includes periodic on-site visits.
Why should I choose a NACES member to evaluate international credentials?
NACES members provide accurate and reliable evaluations that are prepared with integrity. Within the United States, no government agency monitors the establishment of credential evaluation services. NACES was founded in 1987 to promote excellence in the field of credential evaluation. NACES has stringent membership requirements. Its members are dedicated to ethical standards and they contribute to the field of international education. For these reasons and more, using a NACES organization is a good choice.
Which NACES member should I choose?
All NACES members provide evaluations of the highest quality. There are, however, several factors you may wish to consider when choosing a member organization.
Fees and processing time will vary depending on the services you require - this may help you determine which organization is right for you. Be sure that the institution to which you will be applying will accept an evaluation report from the member organization you select. Some institutions may accept a report from any NACES member organization, while other institutions may have a pre-selected list of member organizations for you to make your selection.
Should I consider using the services of a NACES member near where I live?
Location should not be the criterion for choosing a member organization, as all member agencies offer comprehensive credential evaluation services through mail, technology or a combination thereof.
Which credential evaluation organizations are members of NACES?
A list of our current members can be found on our Members page. The list of current members on this website provides the name and website information for all members of NACES. If an organization is not on the list, it is not a member of NACES.
Is there a NACES member in my country?
NACES member organizations provide credential evaluation services within the United States. If you are seeking to have the credentials you have earned outside the United States evaluated, choose a NACES member organization and follow the instructions as to how to submit an application from your country.
How can I determine if an evaluation organization was a past member of NACES?
If you wish to inquire about past members, please contact the Membership Chair to determine an organization’s membership status in NACES.
What role does NACES play in the day-to-day operations of members?
NACES requires that good practices, high ethical standards, and reliable evaluation reports prepared with integrity, be a part of the day-to-day operations of its members.
Will the evaluations from different members be identical? If not, why?
While each member is held to high standards in preparing reliable evaluations, it is important to know that different legitimate methodologies may be used to conduct evaluations. NACES does not dictate evaluation conclusions. Determinations are made based on the judgment of the senior evaluators of the NACES member organization that prepares an evaluation report. It is important to know that professional judgments can differ from one NACES member organization to another. The final decision concerning the judgments rendered in an evaluation report rests with the senior evaluators of the evaluation organization preparing the report.
If a complaint is filed against a NACES member, what are the steps for a resolution? Is there a follow-up to the member organization to ensure resolution?
Any complaint should first be addressed with the individual member organization. The organization that has prepared the evaluation will provide you with an explanation of how the judgment was made. Complaints made directly to NACES will be forwarded to the member organization that provided the evaluation for resolution.
It must be noted that the role of an evaluation organization is to analyze the information provided by an individual, determine the US equivalence of the quantitative and qualitative information contained therein, and prepare an evaluation report that states the US equivalence of the individual's educational qualifications.
The role of NACES is to ensure that the senior evaluation staff of NACES member organizations (i.e., the persons who make evaluation decisions) has the appropriate level of experience and relevant library resources to evaluate educational credentials from other countries.
Does NACES approve licenses or accredit institutions for the education they offer?
No, NACES is not an accrediting body or licensing board. Individuals and/or school officials are encouraged to contact professional societies that represent individual disciplines or accreditation.