Foreign Credentials, Fraudulent Documents &
Overview of the Chinese Education System
Bernard Ramos
Director of Evaluations
Educational Perspectives, nfp
15 January 2015
International Student Graduate Admissions, Michigan State University
Focus Areas
• What is a foreign, academic credential? Who is authorized to
issue them? How do you maintain the integrity of the
document?
• What can be reviewed, compared, verified and analyzed on a
document that can deter and spot fraud?
• Overview of the Chinese Education System
• Undergraduate and graduate degree programs
• Credits and Grading Scale
• Documentation: Degree Certificate, Graduation Certificate,
Academic Transcripts
• Verification outlets: CDGDC and CHESICC
What is a Foreign Academic Credential?
Who issues it? Who is it for?
What is considered an official academic credential in the US is based on
the document that is considered official in the country of study.
Can this document be used in the home country among educational
institutions? Or are they useful only for purposes of employment and
other uses?
 Official Documents: The acceptable source for official credentials is
from the institution that is authorized to issue them.
 Sent Direct Documents
 Original Documents
 Attested Photocopies
 Photocopies
 Non-Official Documents
 Credentials that are not issued by the appropriate authority or
authorized office and department such as a faculty, the dean, a
professor, etc.
 In many cases, documents that are not useful among educational
institutions in the country of study
 Invalidated credentials such as documents issued to students when
they specifically state ‘Confidential’ or ‘Not to be issued to Student’
Your Assistance is Requested:
Translation and Interpretation
In general, it is best to accept academic records in the official language of the
country of study, although exceptions apply. In some countries, official
credentials are issued in the English language.
•
Call the document based on what it is called in the country of study, not
what is interpreted to be in the United States
•
•
‘Transcript,’ ‘Plan of Studies,’ ‘Syllabi’
‘College,’ ‘Postsecondary School,’ ‘Higher Education Institution’
•
When do you need translations? Who gets to translate the documents? Do
you require translations from a reputable/certified translator? Can you rely
on your school’s Modern Language Department/Faculty?
•
When you do accept translations, do you require documents in the native
language to be submitted?
•
Know the difference between a translation and an interpretation
•
How to identify good or bad translation: Do course titles seem to cater to
your faculty’s requirements?
• Mao Zedong’s Thoughts or Political Theory
• National ‘Propaganda’ Course or Civic Education
• History of the Communist Part of China or Political Science
Small Detail ● Big Deal
Spotting Fraudulent Information
Review and compare the biographical and educational information on
the student’s application against their credentials:
• Check the student’s demographic information: first, middle, last
names; date of birth; gender
• Do the names match? Is it the same person on the application
form?
• Is it possible to get a Bachelor’s degree at age 12?
• Who is allowed to attend an All-Girls School? A Women’s College of
Education?
• Education History can help evaluate documents and know where to
place the credentials in the education ladder
• Use the applicant’s educational history to check if the order of
education is logical and within the context of the educational
system and age appropriateness of the student
• Grades matter
• Check consistency of grades—be judicious
• Are all grades ‘A’ ?
Overview of the Chinese Education System
Postsecondary Study
Zhuanke
•
•
•
•
专科 programs, Short-Cycle study, Junior College study
Typically 3-year programs
Generally focused on applied study, for employment
Lead to Diplomas
Students have the possibility of continuing on to benke degree
programs; duration is typically two additional years
Benke
本科 programs, Long-Cycle study, Degree Program
Duration is typically 4 years for undergraduate study; 5 years for
professional study such as Architecture, Medicine, Veterinary
Medicine
Master
硕士degree programs typically lasts 2 to 3 years
The first two or three semesters are spent on taking courses and
examinations and the rest is spent on research and thesis
preparation
Common Terms
毕业证书
Degree Certificate 学位证书
Bachelor 学士
Master 硕士
Arts/Literature 文学
Economics 经济
Engineering 工
Management 管理
Medicine 医学
Science 理学
Veterinary Medicine 兽医
Certificate of Graduation
Grading Scale
4-Point Scale
Chinese Letter Grade
A
B
C
F
Percentage
85-100%
75-84%
60-74%
0-59%
Character
优
良
及格 or 中
不及格
Descriptor
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory/Pass
Fail
EP Grade
A
B
C
F
Percentage
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
0-59%
Character
优
良
中
及格
不及格
Descriptor
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
Pass
Fail
EP Grade
A
B
C+
C
F
5-Point Scale
Chinese Letter Grade
A
B
C
D
E/F
Recap
• An official academic record must be issued by an authority, institution,
or office that is authorized to issue them
• A document that is original may not necessarily mean it is an official
academic record. An official academic record may be in an original
state or photocopied.
• The language of the document matters in determining whether the
credential is official or not.
• Know the difference between a translation and interpretation.
• Call the credential what it is in the home country, not what it is
considered to be in the United States
• Check the names, date of birth, gender if they all match; check
consistency of grades
• Know the difference between a Diploma program and Degree
program; zhuanke or short-term cycle and benke or long-term cycle
Registrar
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji
Bhavnagar University
Bhavnagar
College Record
Transcript
Note: Enter below the information requested for each of the subject
which will have been completed before beginning studies in the
United States (U.S.A.)/ Canada/ UK/ Germany & all other
countries. Enter subject in chronological order. And evaluation will
be made on the basis of the statement made below.
Application for
Admission to an
Educational
Institution in the
United States
(U.S.A.)/Canada/
Germany/UK and
All Countries
Statement of Marks
Registrar signature
Principal
Swami Sahajanand College
Of Commerce & Management
Bhavnagar
Notarial Translation,
not official credential
Bachelor Degree
Bachelor Degree
Shanghai University
Certificate
Engineering
Regulations on Academic Degrees of
the People’s Republic of China
Graduation Certificate
Benke program
Four years
Academic Affairs Office of
Northwest A & F University
Print Date 2014/08/28
Education System: 5 years
Rated Credit: 205
Acquired Credit: 189.50
Non-academic qualification
BA Thesis?
Master Degree
Engineering
Fraud
Fraud
THANK YOU
Bernard Ramos
Director of Evaluations
bramos@edperspective.org