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Credential evaluatorEducational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
🇺🇸

ECE — Educational Credential Evaluators

A US-based evaluator that some universities, employers, and (occasionally) boards accept.

ECE is older than WES and is preferred by a handful of institutions — confirm that your target school, state board, or employer specifically lists ECE before paying.

Cost range
USD 170 – 300
Timeline
2 – 5 weeks
Common uses
Study / Immigration / Employment
Destinations
1 countries
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Requirements change. Always confirm with Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (www.ece.org) and your destination regulator or school before you pay any fee.

Read this first

  • Only pay for ECE if your institution lists it by name. Substituting for WES / CGFNS is not safe.
  • ECE is not used by most nursing regulators for RN licensure.
Quick facts

The must-know ECE facts on one screen.

What it is
Credential evaluator
Provider
Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
Common destinations
United States
Common uses
study, immigration, employment
Typically requested by
Specific universities, Some employers, Select state boards
Estimated cost
USD 170 – 300
Estimated timeline
2 – 5 weeks
Official source
www.ece.org
Sent directly by school / council?
Yes — usually
Open ECE official site
Who needs this
  • Applicants to US universities where ECE is the specified evaluator.
  • Employers who request an ECE report on the job listing or offer letter.
  • Select state boards that accept ECE (confirm with the board).
  • Candidates whose institution refused a WES report and named ECE instead.
Who usually does NOT need this
  • Nurses who have been told to use CGFNS — switching to ECE restarts the evaluation.
  • Most Canadian pathways — ECE is US-focused.
  • Candidates who already hold an acceptable WES or CGFNS report.
Pathways

Where ECE fits in the nurse pathway.

United States
State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) + CGFNS
See United States pathway →
Documents usually required

Have these ready before you open the ECE application.

  • Academic transcripts (sealed, direct from school)
  • Degree certificate
  • Translations for non-English documents
  • ECE application form + payment
Step-by-step

How the ECE process actually works.

  1. 1

    Confirm the institution accepts ECE

    Check the admissions page or employer portal. Do not rely on hearsay.

  2. 2

    Open an ECE application + choose report type

    General (document-by-document) vs Course-by-Course. Nursing-related uses usually need Course-by-Course.

  3. 3

    Arrange transcripts from your nursing school

    ECE requires sealed transcripts mailed directly by the registrar.

  4. 4

    Submit + pay

    Upload supporting documents through the ECE portal after they are mailed.

  5. 5

    Wait for evaluation

    Typical 2 – 5 weeks after documents arrive.

  6. 6

    Report delivered electronically

    ECE issues an applicant copy and transmits to chosen recipients.

Need help completing "ECE application"?

ECE forms, document uploads, and fee payments are the trip-up for many candidates. An advisor can walk you through each screen — you stay logged in, you pay Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. directly.

Book a call
Before you pay

African-nurse checklist for ECE.

  • Institution has confirmed ECE by name
    Email from admissions or HR is best.
  • Transcript request submitted to school
  • Certified translations for French documents
  • USD-capable payment method
  • Courier estimate for sealed transcripts
  • Recipient list confirmed before applying
Cost planning

What ECE really costs — itemised.

  • ECE General Report
    USD 115 – 170
  • ECE Course-by-Course
    USD 170 – 255
  • Additional recipient copy
    USD 30
  • Rush service
    +USD 85 – 150
  • Courier from African registrar
    USD 50 – 150
  • Total planning range
    Estimated only — confirm on ece.org.
    USD 200 – 500

Fees change often. Always confirm directly with Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. before paying.

Typical timeline

Plan 2 – 5 weeks end-to-end.

  1. 1

    Confirm ECE acceptance + documents

    1 week.

  2. 2

    Transcripts arrive at ECE

    1 – 3 weeks.

  3. 3

    Evaluation

    2 – 5 weeks after arrival.

  4. 4

    Report delivery

    Electronic copy same-day.

Avoid these

Mistakes that delay ECE most often.

  • Paying for ECE without confirming the institution accepts it.
  • Picking General Report when Course-by-Course is required.
  • Sending transcripts yourself — ECE rejects candidate-submitted documents.
  • Assuming ECE and WES are interchangeable (they are not, for many institutions).
After ECE

What happens once ECE is complete.

1

Report sent to institution or employer

You receive a PDF applicant copy.

2

Complete the institution application

ECE is one input — most schools want additional essays, references, or tests.

3

If nursing licensure is the goal, restart with CGFNS

Most state boards will not accept ECE for licensure.

Frequently asked

ECE questions nurses ask before they pay.

Is ECE accepted by US state boards?⌄

A small number accept ECE for RN credential evaluation; most require CGFNS. Always confirm with the specific state board before applying.

Is ECE cheaper than WES?⌄

ECE and WES are similar in price. The choice is driven by institution acceptance, not cost.

Can ECE evaluate French-language nursing credentials?⌄

Yes, with certified English translations attached to the source documents.

How long is an ECE report valid?⌄

The report does not expire, but institutions may require a fresh evaluation if the older one is beyond 3 – 5 years.

Official ECE source

Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. — www.ece.org

Requirements + fees change. Always verify live pricing and acceptance before you pay.

Pathway provides guidance only. We are not an immigration lawyer, a nursing regulator, or a visa agent. Outcomes depend on regulators and authorities, not on us.

Before you pay for credential verification

  • Confirm which credential service your nursing pathway requires.
  • Do not assume WES, CGFNS, NNAS, and DataFlow are interchangeable.
  • You pay the official credential body directly.
  • We guide you and help you avoid choosing the wrong service.
Check my credential route MyNursePathway.com helps you choose the right credential service. We do not collect credential fees and do not control your account.
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Related credential checks

Other credential services that may apply to you.

WES — World Education Services

WES is widely used by Canadian and US universities, by IRCC for Express Entry education points, and by many employers. Most nursing regulators still require CGFNS (USA) or NNAS (Canada) for licensure — do not pay for WES expecting it to unlock your nursing license.

Open guide →
Academic transcript verification

Almost every credential service — WES, CGFNS, NNAS, DataFlow, ECE, ICES, IQAS, CES — requires transcripts mailed *directly* from your nursing school in a sealed envelope. Getting them right is usually the slowest step.

Open guide →

Don't pay for ECE before you confirm you need it.

Build your free pathway in 2 minutes and see whether ECE is on it — before you open an account.

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Guidance only. Credential, nursing registration, and immigration requirements may change — always confirm with the official source.