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SpanTran analyzes international benchmark educational / professional credentials to determine U.S. equivalency. These evaluations range from special purpose letters to simple degree equivalencies to thorough course analyses, grade conversions, and grade-point averages. Benchmark refers to documents which mark the completion of an established educational level required in order to proceed to the next level. These are generally defined as primary / elementary, secondary, post-secondary / undergraduate, and graduate. Vocational credentials must be credit-bearing toward secondary or post-secondary graduation (e.g., vocational high-school diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree, comparable qualifications, etc.). Licenses which are the direct result of benchmark credentials will be included. Benchmark educational credentials exclude professional development / in-service training, extension / continuing / enrichment education, employment-related documents, progress statements, résumés, attestations of class rank or academic achievement, and so forth.
REGULAR EVALUATIONS:
The four types of evaluations of benchmark educational / professional credentials are:
I. The general evaluation (simple equivalency) identifies the benchmark credentials under analysis. The general evaluation provides a statement of equivalency to U.S. education independent of the standing of the credential in the source country. The general evaluation is appropriate for immigration, general employment, and further study if course analysis is not required. The fee for a general evaluation is $75.00. Note: if authentication is needed, additional fees may be added to the $75 or the client may be required to arrange for the issuing institution to mail official documents directly to SpanTran Educational Services, Inc.
The general evaluation may be appropriate in the following scenarios:
II. The general evaluation plus basic course analysis builds on the general evaluation by providing a simple course analysis which lists subjects in transcript order. The basic course analysis does not bear lower- / upper-division / graduate designations (if post-secondary) nor group subjects by category. The general plus basic course analysis is appropriate for transfer into a secondary school or community college, for the evaluation of subjects listed in blocks rather than by date (such as Russian-patterned education), for the calculation of the g.p.a. of the last sixty credit hours, or if requested by the target institution. This type of evaluation is not suitable for most higher education or for board applications, such as the Texas State Board for Educator Certification or the Texas State Board of Professional Engineers, both of which have special course analysis requirements. The fee for the general evaluation plus basic course analysis is $150. Note: if authentication is needed, additional fees may be added to the $150 or the client may be required to arrange for the issuing institution to mail official documents directly to SpanTran Educational Services, Inc.
The general evaluation plus basic course analysis may be appropriate in the following scenarios:
III. The general evaluation plus divisional course analysis builds on the general evaluation by providing a simple course analysis which lists subjects in transcript order, and indicating lower- / upper-division / graduate designations (if post-secondary). This type of evaluation does not group subjects by category. The general plus divisional course analysis is appropriate for transfer into a community college or university, for the evaluation of subjects listed in blocks rather than by date (such as Russian-patterned education), for the calculation of the g.p.a. of the last sixty credit hours, for showing the division to which a course belongs, or if requested by the target institution (such as the Cameron School of Business of the University of St. Thomas). This type of evaluation is not suitable for board applications, such as the Texas State Board for Educator Certification or the Texas State Board of Professional Engineers, both of which have special course analysis requirements. The fee for the general evaluation plus divisional course analysis is $200. Note: if authentication is needed, additional fees may be added to the $200 or the client may be required to arrange for the issuing institution to mail official documents directly to SpanTran Educational Services, Inc.
The general evaluation plus divisional course analysis may be appropriate in the following scenarios:
IV. The general evaluation plus comprehensive course analysis builds on the /general evaluation/ by providing a more detailed course analysis which indicates lower- / upper-division / graduate designations (if post-secondary) and groups courses by category. The general plus comprehensive course analysis is appropriate for admission / transfer to four-year institutions, for graduate admissions, for board applications (teachers, engineers, etc.) which require the subjects to be arranged by category with designation of division, or if requested by the target institution. This type of evaluation is required to seek teacher certification and to seek other professional licensing such as through a board of engineers. The fee for the general evaluation plus divisional course analysis is $250. Note: if authentication is needed, additional fees may be added to the $250 or the client may be required to arrange for the issuing institution to mail official documents directly to SpanTran Educational Services, Inc.
For the Texas Board of Professional Engineers, a general evaluation plus comprehensive course analysis is needed. Evaluations for the Texas Board of Professional Engineers have specific requirements, including (1) validating the documentation (as explained below); (2) grouping of subjects by four areas (humanities and social sciences, math and basic sciences, engineering sciences and engineering design, and other); and (3) comparing the coursework to program criteria determined by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology for the year of coursework completion; for this comparison, SpanTran contracts with a professional engineer (Ph.D.) who has been a professor at a major state university for many years. Per TBPE requirements, prior to the evaluation, the documentation must be validated. Validation occurs in two ways: (1) the applicant arranges with the source institution to send /official /transcripts and degree certification directly to SpanTran, in an official institutional preprinted envelope, by* regular postal mail or Federal Express only*. SpanTran accepts no other mode of delivery as /official/. (2) SpanTran verifies the documentation directly with cooperating source institutions which often require payment in national currencies; notification of needed verification fees will be sent. The evaluation for the Texas Board of Professional Engineers is $300. Note: authentication fees may be added to the $300 if the client does not arrange for the issuing institution to mail official documents directly to SpanTran Educational Services, Inc.
The general evaluation plus comprehensive course analysis may be appropriate in the following scenarios:
SPECIAL PURPOSE LETTERS:
Special purpose letters are single-page statements that deal with the highest educational benchmark submitted to indicate a U.S. educational equivalency: diploma of high-school graduation, completion of less than two years of tertiary transfer credit, completion of two or more years of tertiary transfer credit, associate degree, completion of four or more years of tertiary transfer credit, and bachelor's degree or higher. More specific equivalencies are not provided. The special purpose letter (SPL) serves as an adjunct for entrance into the military, for application for financial aid, and for initial undergraduate admissions at those institutions which require it. It is restricted to use by the target institution (addressee). THIS TYPE OF SERVICE IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO MILITARY RECRUITING STATIONS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES SUCH AS SAN JACINTO COMMUNITY COLLEGE. Except in the case of typographical error, the SPL is not subject to revision and its conclusions are not subject to challenge. Any change to the SPL requires an additional fee. The fee for the special purpose letter is $50. Note: if authentication is needed, additional fees may be added to the $50 or the client may be required to arrange for the issuing institution to mail official documents directly to SpanTran Educational Services, Inc.
The heading of our evaluations identifies the applicant, including known maiden/married names, date and country of birth, the last four digits of social security numbers if available, type and purpose of evaluation, and status of the documentation (e.g., originals/attested/direct from source institution).
The heading is followed by the recommended U.S. educational equivalency--set off in a box--enabling the target institution to know the outcome of the evaluation immediately. The recommendation states if the education is equivalent to that of a regionally-accredited institution in the United States.
Benchmark educational credentials are evaluated in chronological order, with type of document (e.g., transcript, certificate, syllabus), qualification, visible dates, normal length of program, institutional name and description, location, authentication (received, pending, or official from source institution), educational system, and U.S. equivalency. The institutional data assures that the institution has been checked for accreditation. The educational system provides general admission and program requirements. Depending on the country, the grade scale, U.S. grade conversions, and language(s) of instruction appear in the institutional description or educational system.
The basic course analysis lists subjects in transcript order. Subjects are followed by the recommended semester credit hours and grades on the four-point and letter systems. After the basic course analysis appears the recommended total semester credit hours and the grade-point average. Some course analyses are followed by a list of subjects for which no credit is recommended. The basic course analysis does not bear lower- / upper-division / graduate designations (if post-secondary) and does not group subjects by category.
The divisional course analysis lists subjects in transcript order. Subjects are followed by the recommended semester credit hours, division (lower / upper / graduate) and grades on the four-point and letter systems. The semester credit hour recommendation is followed by the grade-point average. Some course analyses are followed by a list of subjects for which no credit is recommended. The divisional course analysis does not group subjects by category and is unusual among evaluation services in bearing lower- / upper-division / graduate designations (if post-secondary).
The comprehensive course analysis groups subjects by general category; for example, math or English subjects are grouped together. Subjects are followed by the recommended semester credit hours, division (lower / upper / graduate), and grades on the four-point and letter systems. The semester credit hour recommendation is followed by the grade-point average. Some course analyses are followed by a list of subjects for which no credit is recommended. The comprehensive course analysis is unusual among evaluation services in organizing subjects by category and bearing lower- / upper-division / graduate designations (if post-secondary).
Each evaluation is issued on paper unique to SpanTran. The evaluation is preceded by an affidavit; both affidavit and evaluation bear the SpanTran dry seal. The evaluation can be attached to photocopies of the documents if requested by the target institution prior to issuance.
Course analyses include equivalent U.S. credit hours. Whether the source degree plan was based on a yearly, semester, trimester, or quarter system, these are converted to semester credit hours. A semester credit hour requires a minimum of 15 contact hours of theoretical instruction or 30 to 45 contact hours of laboratory / practical instruction. The norm in the United States is approximately 30 semester credit hours per academic year; foreign education requiring a heavier class load must be reduced accordingly. Thus, subjects may be assigned a lower number of U.S. semester credit hours than the student expects to receive; some courses may receive only one or two credits, and others may receive no credit at all. Evaluations state total recommended credit hours and may list subjects for which no U.S. transfer credit is recommended; the latter are included in grade point calculations.
When evaluations, such as the General plus Divisional Course Analysis and the General plus Comprehensive Course Analysis, have course listings that include divisional recommendations the credits bear the following letters: L = lower division (first two years of undergraduate level study in content or U.S. equivalency regardless of student standing), U = upper division (third and higher years of undergraduate level study in content or U.S. equivalency regardless of student standing), and G = graduate (beyond the undergraduate level in content or U.S. equivalency regardless of student standing).
Foreign grades are converted to U.S. letter grades based on the 4.00 system. Letter grade values are A = 4.00, A- = 3.67, B+ = 3.33, B = 3.00, B- = 2.67, C+ = 2.33, C = 2.00, C- = 1.67, D+ = 1.33, D = 1.00, F = 0.00. A grade point average is a weighted average; recommended credits per subject are multiplied times the 4.00-based grade per subject, arriving at quality points, and then total quality points are divided by attempted credits. SpanTran lists the highest equivalent grade per subject, including failures and such grades as credit, satisfactory, and pass. Failures are included in grade point calculations; such grades as credit, satisfactory, and pass are excluded from grade point calculations. Because D grades, though passing, indicate a marginal achievement, target / admitting institutions retain the right to decline to recognize coursework with a D grade or to require challenge testing.
SpanTran provides certified and notarized translations of most major languages by experienced professional translators who frequently hold advanced degrees in language / linguistics and / or specific language-group certifications by examination of the American Translators Association. Most of our translators are active in the ATA or in ATA-based chapters. We translate all certificates, diplomas, degrees, syllabi, course / program descriptions, transcripts, professional licenses, etc. associated with academic and professional credentials as well as the supporting documents needed for further study, employment, and immigration: vital statistics (birth, marriage, divorce, death) certificates, documents of financial support / solvency, attestations of good conduct, letters of employment, certificates of continuing education / professional development training, and so forth. As an agency, we translate nearly all languages and types of documentation, including large technical tracts.
Translations are priced by the page, with consideration for the amount of work involved. Accordingly, quotations are given only upon review of the documents to be translated. The minimum translation fee is $65.
*Note: If payment is by personal check, the work is not released for ten working days until the check clears.
This page was last updated on Monday, February 18, 2008.
SpanTran Educational Services, Inc. does not guarantee the currency, accuracy, or contents of information written herein. Please bring to our attention any misleading or inappropriate information on this webpage so that we can correct it.