What Is RIA’s Refund Policy?

As a general rule, RIA International Education Consultants (RIA) will refund client fees only
under the following conditions:

Rush Service Unavailable

RIA guarantees the timely completion and delivery of evaluations for which clients have paid a rush service fee. In the rare event that RIA is unable to meet the guaranteed turnaround time, the rush fee will be refunded in full.

Any other refund requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. However, the following circumstances do not qualify for refunds or other forms of compensation:

  • Disagreement between the client and RIA regarding the evaluation results or equivalency outcomes.
  • Subsequent refusal of acceptance by any educational institution, employer, or licensing board.
  • Client failure to meet an application or admission deadline due to delays in document submission or external verification.
  • Submission of fraudulent, altered, or incomplete documentation by the client.

Refunds made to clients who paid by credit or debit card will be credited to the same account. Refunds for payments made by check or money order will be issued by company check and may require up to two to three weeks for processing before mailing.

What Is RIA’s Policy for Requesting Changes or Revisions to an Existing Evaluation?

Clients may request revisions to an existing evaluation within two years of the report’s completion date.

RIA maintains each client file for two years from the date of issuance. During this period, clients may request changes to their existing evaluation at a reduced revision fee of $65, unless an optional additional service is also requested.

To Request a Revision:

  • Complete a Request for Revision form.
  • Submit the $65 revision fee (unless an optional service is selected).
  • Specify whether the revised report should be a General Statement of Equivalency or Course-by-Course Detailed Evaluation.
  • Include your RIA Evaluation ID number (or attach a copy of the previous report).
  • Provide a written explanation of the requested changes.
  • Submit any new or corrected documentation, along with certified translations if necessary.

Unless rush service is selected, revision requests follow the same processing time as a standard evaluation (approximately two weeks).

Clients may request copies for an existing evaluation within two years of the report’s completion date. The cost for high school evaluation is $25.

The cost for a university degree evaluation report is $50.
If a client request a copy of the evaluation report after two years from the report’s completion date, the client must pay the full price again.

What Is RIA’s Policy for Correction of an Existing Evaluation?

Integrity and professional ethics are at the heart of RIA International Education Consultants. Our evaluators apply years of international education research and uphold the highest professional standards.

Evaluations may only be reviewed or corrected within two years of the original completion date.

Correction Procedure:

Clients who believe their report contains an error should:

  • Provide RIA a written explanation describing the issue in detail.
  • Include the RIA Evaluation ID number from the report.

Upon receipt, RIA will assign the case to an evaluator for review. If a correction is deemed appropriate, RIA will issue a revised evaluation at no additional charge and send updated official copies to the client. If no change is warranted, RIA will provide a written explanation. Clients who wish to appeal this decision may request a case review by the RIA Review Committee.

The Committee’s decision is final.
If justified, RIA will provide updated official copies of the corrected report free of charge.

Please note:

Evaluations are based on the documents submitted with the application and payment. While RIA may request additional documents out of professional courtesy, it is the client’s responsibility to ensure a complete set of academic credentials is submitted.
Documents provided after an evaluation has been finalized cannot be added to an existing report and will require a formal revision request.

What Is RIA’s Policy on Guaranteeing Credential Acceptance?

While RIA’s evaluations are widely recognized by universities, employers, and licensing authorities across the United States, we cannot guarantee acceptance by any specific
organization.

Acceptance of credential evaluations is determined solely by the receiving institution or agency.
We strongly recommend that clients confirm acceptance with their intended recipient (school, board, or employer) before ordering an evaluation.

There is no single federal or state authority regulating educational credential evaluation in the U.S., nor any universally enforced standard for equivalency determination. However, RIA adheres to the best practices and methodologies established by AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers) and other professional bodies to ensure accuracy and fairness. Therefore, an academic credential evaluation should be understood as an independent professional opinion—not a legally binding certification. Receiving organizations may choose whether to accept or require evaluations from specific agencies.

Customer Support

Our customer service team is here to assist you with any questions or concerns. Before contacting us, please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, which covers:

  • Where RIA evaluations are recognized
  • The different types of evaluations offered
  • How to determine which evaluation you need
  • Estimated turnaround times