How to Review Foreign Transcripts for High School Credit in the U.S.
Families that legally immigrate or naturalize from foreign countries to the United States often have teenage children who have completed high school credit in their home countries. Families may wish to enroll their child in an American school in order to complete a high school diploma in the United Sates and apply for admissions to an American college or university. The process can be complicated and it will vary in public and private schools. The best place to start this process is at the local school district's main office, where they have information about high school diploma requirements and resources to translate and verify foreign documents.
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Instructions
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Obtain several official copies of the original foreign transcript from the foreign school. An explanation of the school's programs and course content should be included with the transcript. This is often an official course description for each course. These documents should all bear an official seal from the school and the signature of the registrar or principal from the foreign school, as well as all contact information for the school. It is extremely helpful if the foreign school provides one copy of all documents in the native language and copies translated into English. The English copies can be used to determine which courses will qualify for high school credit based on state and local requirements. It is essential that a school receiving a foreign transcript can legally verify that a student completed required course content.
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Visit your local school district office or website and review the local high school diploma requirements. Each state and local district in the United States can have different requirements for high school graduation. There is no federal standard for high school graduation, and all requirements are determined by the individual state's Department of Education. It is, therefore, useful to research the state's requirements and then the local's school's individual requirements.
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The official review of foreign high school transcripts will vary depending on the state and school district. All public school districts have a central office where families enroll new students. Some larger urban areas have an office that receives foreign students and transcripts. These offices have personnel who are trained and qualified to translate all the documents and assign credit for each course that meets the local, state, and federal standards. Go directly to the local school district office, bring the foreign transcript, and ask for a transcript review. If the local office does not have personnel qualified to translate and evaluate a transcript they will refer the document to a state-level office where it can be reviewed. This process can be quite time-consuming, which is why detailed documentation and translation of all foreign coursework is suggested.
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Tips & Warnings
Foreign students need legal permission to live and study in the United States.
References
Resources
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