Descriptions of Primary Services

If you are currently licensed in the U.S. as a physical therapist, are residing in the U.S., and you want to change your status with USCIS or are required to produce a Healthcare Worker Certificate to maintain your status with USCIS, you should apply for an FCCPT Visa Credential Certification (Type II Certificate).

The Type II Certificate is not accepted by U.S. jurisdictions for licensing purposes.

Requirements for a Type II applications include:

1. Copies of high school and college diplomas or leaving certificates which are notarized as true copies of the original.
2. Notarized attestation form and photo from applicant with signature.
3. Official transcripts/marksheets sent directly from the institution for ALL higher education.
4. Verification of all U.S. licenses sent directly from the appropriate agency.
5. NPTE score transfer.
6. English proficiency examinations (TOEFL, TWE & TSE or TOEFL iBT) scores are to be sent directly from the testing agency.
7. Fee = U.S. $650.00.

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FCCPT Educational Credentials Review
This review is used primarily for licensure, but may be used for academic admissions. If you are planning to reside indefinitely in one U.S. jurisdiction and are seeking a license to work in that jurisdiction, you should apply for an FCCPT Educational Credentials Review.

The FCCPT Educational Credentials Review is a course-by-course evaluation and comparison of your educational credentials based on the requirements of the specific U.S. licensing jurisdiction where you are seeking licensure. The evaluation determines whether or not your education is substantially equivalent to the first professional degree in physical therapy in the U.S. It is not used for obtaining a visa; it is used for licensure and educational purposes only.

The Educational Credentials Review is not accepted by USCIS for immigration purposes.

Requirements for Educational Credentials Review applications include:

1. Copies of high school and college diplomas or leaving certificates, which are notarized as true copies of the original.
2. Notarized attestation form and photo from applicant with signature.
3. Official transcripts/marksheets sent directly from the institution for ALL higher education.
4. Official course descriptions or syllabi sent directly from the institution for all physical therapy coursework. (Check "View Progress" after application is submitted to determine if the FCCPT already has this on file in our library. If a copy exists it does not need to be sent again).
5. Fee = U.S. $490.00. A surcharge is assessed for jurisdictions that require a conversion to a state specific tool, (California, New Jersey, Texas). Applicants should check jurisdictional requirements.

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FCCPT New York Verification Process
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) requires applicants for licensure as physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to obtain independent verification of the authenticity of their credentials from a NYSED-approved Credential Verification Organization (CVO). FCCPT is an approved CVO by NYSED to verify credentials in these two professions.

If you are a foreign educated physical therapist or physical therapist assistant seeking a license to practice in New York State, you need to complete an application for New York State Credentials Verification and submit it to FCCPT.

There is a separate, additional application for licensure in New York State, the Application for Licensure and First Registration. In order to be licensed in New York State, you must complete that application and send it to NYSED, not FCCPT. It is available at http://www.op.nysed.gov/pt.htm.

Requirements for New York Verification Process include:

1. Copies of high school and college diplomas or leaving certificates, which are notarized as true copies of the original.
2. Notarized attestation form and photo from applicant with signature.
3. New York State Credentials Verification Request (one form for each higher education institution).
4. New York State Licensure/Registration Verification Request (one form for each foreign license or registration).
5. Fee = U.S. $390.00.

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FCCPT Physical Therapist Assistant Educational Equivalency Review

This review is used primarily for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) certification and for a license to practice as a physical therapist assistant, where permitted by the jurisdiction.

The FCCPT Physical Therapist Assistant Educational Equivalency Review is a course-by-course evaluation and comparison of your educational credentials with the educational requirements for a physical therapist assistant in the U.S. The evaluation determines whether or not your education is substantially equivalent to that of a graduate from a U.S. accredited physical therapist assistant program. It is not used for obtaining a visa; it is used for CMS certification, licensure, and educational purposes only.

The Physical Therapist Assistant Educational Equivalency Review is not accepted by USCIS for immigration purposes.

Requirements for the Physical Therapist Assistant Educational Equivalence Review applications include:

1. Copies of college degrees, diplomas or certificates, which are notarized as true copies of the original.
2. Notarized attestation form and photo from applicant with signature.
3. Official transcripts/marksheets sent directly from the institution for ALL higher education.
4. Official course descriptions or syllabi sent directly from the institution for all physical therapy coursework. (Check "View Progress" after application is submitted to determine if the FCCPT already has this on file in our library. If a copy exists it does not need to be sent again).
5. Fee = U.S. $490.00. A surcharge is assessed for jurisdictions (California) that require a conversion to a state specific tool. Applicants should check jurisdictional requirements.

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Descriptions of Related Services

Once you have applied for any of the previous primary services, you may need some additional related services. To access these service requests, log into your account and request a "related service."

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Planned Learning and Assistance Network (P-L-A-N)

The FCCPT has launched a new service which will assist foreign applicants whose educational credentials evaluation has been found to be not equivalent to the first professional degree in physical therapy in the United States, or who have not met specific requirements in a jurisdiction.

P-L-A-N is not currently available to applicants who have had the FCCPT Physical Therapist Assistant Educational Equivalency Review and whose credentials have been found to be not substantially equivalent to a physical therapist assistant degree in the U.S. A PLAN Service for physical therapist assistants is being developed and will be announced when it is ready.

Full Service P-L-A-N provides the following services:

1. A consultation to review and interpret the final Coursework Evaluation Tool findings.
2. A list of all core requirements that need to be completed.
3. Recommendations of how and where to fill these core requirements.
4. A study plan to guide the applicant for completion within an allotted two-year timeframe.
5. General education review and pre-approval of coursework to be taken.
6. Professional education:
       a.) List institutions within the U.S. that will offer the content required.
       b.) Pre-approve coursework to match identified deficiencies.
       c.) Preview courses descriptions from foreign programs that the candidate may find to match deficiencies.
7. Collect and collate the re-evaluation materials for candidate when completed.

The fee for Full Service P-L-A-N is (U.S.) $450.00.
Applicants must apply for this service online using their assigned file number.
Currently the Full Service P-L-A-N fee includes a re-evaluation, which when ordered separately is $350.00. When the applicant is ready to apply for the re-evaluation, instructions will be given for how to apply for it under the P-L-A-N program.

The fee for P-L-A-N Incremental is (U.S.) $100.00 per 1/2 hour.
Applicants who have a minimal number of questions and do not wish to apply for the Full Service P-L-A-N may purchase portions of the service, itemized 1 through 4, at a rate based upon ½ hour time increments. Applicants would apply for P-L-A-N Incremental online using their assigned file number. A re-evaluation is not included with the P-L-A-N Incremental.

Candidates who have had their education evaluated by an agency other than FCCPT, using the Coursework Evaluation Tool (CWT) licensed by FSBPT, can also apply for the P-L-A-N Incremental. This would help if they feel they need assistance to understand the US educational system to meet their identified deficiencies. These candidates may ONLY apply for the P-L-A-N Incremental service as FCCPT cannot pre-approve course work for another agency. These applicants must contact FCCPT to be assigned a file number. Please e-mail help@fccpt.org.

All services are provided via e-mail communications. Applicants will be contacted by a network counselor within 15 working days of applying online and making payment.

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Reactivation

1. Additional information may consist of curriculum/course descriptions for courses on transcripts, evidence of missing courses from transcripts, additional coursework taken (whether originally or in response to deficiencies noted in the initial review), clinical education certificates, etc.
2. Professional education coursework must be a component of a program leading to a recognized entry-level degree in physical therapy.
3. General education or foundational coursework may be taken as a component of a non-physical therapy degree programs completed at an accredited college or university. The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) scores can also be submitted. See http://www.collegeboard.com for information on CLEP.
4. Additional information must be provided directly to FCCPT from the issuing institution.
5. A re-evaluation fee must accompany the request for re-evaluation. If it is determined that the report was prepared in error prior to the final documents, the fee will be refunded.
6. Fee = U.S. $350.00.

If a request for a report to a state that requires a conversion is made after the initial report has been completed, then a re-evaluation is required (California, New Jersey, Texas). The re-evaluation fee is $350.00.

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1. You should request an appeal in writing to the chair, FCCPT Board of Directors, within 30 days after receipt of the report. The request should outline your appeal and the reasons for the appeal.
2. A fee of $500.00 must accompany the appeal. If it is determined that the report was prepared in error, the fee will be refunded.
3. The chair shall appoint three members of the board to serve as an ad hoc appeals committee. The committee, called the Appeals Review Committee, shall convene to consider your appeal, review materials and make a final recommendation to the Board of Directors. Meetings may be held electronically.
4. No new information shall be permitted in conjunction with your appeal to the Board of Directors. Should you present new information, the Board of Directors will refer the matter back to the original reviewer(s) for consideration, and a re-evaluation fee will be charged. See application for re-evaluation.
5. Copies of your file, work papers and reports will be sent to members of the Appeals Review Committee for their review. Any committee member who may have been consulted during the course of the review should excuse her/him self from the discussion and deliberations.
6. The Appeals Review Committee may interview the initial reviewer(s) to review the background on your file and outcome of the original review.
7. The Appeals Review Committee may interview you or your designee in order to respond to questions.
8. If you wish to have legal counsel present at a meeting of the Appeals Review Committee or the Board of Directors meeting, then FCCPT shall also have legal counsel present and an FCCPT legal counsel fee of $600 per meeting shall be assessed and collected from you prior to the meeting. If the Board of Directors reverses the opinion of the earlier reviewer's decision and has collected the legal counsel fee, then the fee of $600 per meeting shall be refunded to you.
9. If you wish to have another party present your case, inform FCCPT in writing prior to the scheduled meeting.
10. All submissions to the Appeals Review Committee either by you or your designee must be in writing, signed by both yourself and any representative.
11. The Appeals Review Committee shall consider whether documents with additional information were considered in the process as well as whether such information may be material to the outcome of the decision, and shall make a report and recommendation to the FCCPT Board of Directors.
12. Once the Board of Directors has heard from you and the Appeals Review Committee and had the opportunity to question both parties, it will adjourn the meeting and go into an executive session to deliberate.
13. The Board of Directors shall issue an opinion and decision in writing, addressed to you and the original reviewer(s).
14. The Board of Directors’ opinion and decision shall be final.

Description	Current fee (USD)	New fee (USD) effective 1/1/2009
FCCPT Comprehensive Credentials Evaluation (Type I) (1)	$660.00	$750.00
FCCPT Visa Credentials Verification Certificate (Type II) (2)	$465.00	$650.00
FCCPT Educational Credentials Review (3)	$465.00	$490.00
New York Verification Process	$355.00	$390.00
FCCPT Physical Therapist Assistant Educational Equivalency Review	$490.00	$490.00
Planned Learning and Assistance Network (4)	$350.00	$450.00
P-L-A-N increments of 1/2 hour	$100.00	No Change
Reactivation (5)	$210.00	No Change
Re-evaluation (6)	$210.00	$350.00
Duplicate Reports	$55.00	$90.00
Fees for states that require conversion of credentials to a second state form: California, New Jersey, Texas	$50.00	No Change
Requests for copies for states that require conversion after first review has been completed and mailed = re-evaluation	$210.00	$350.00
Photocopies of original documents notarized by FCCPT	$25.00	No Change
Change of Service Requests	$100.00	No Change
Late Fees	$100.00	No Change

Important Note:

All payments are to be submitted via Credit Card at the time of request/application. FCCPT reserves the right to adjust the fee schedule at any time without notice.

1. FCCPT Comprehensive Credentials Evaluation Certificate (Type I) includes certificate and report forwarded to applicant and one state. If additional report(s) are required, a duplicate report fee will be charged.
2. FCCPT Visa Credentials Verification Certificate (Type II) includes certificate for submission to the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services.
3. FCCPT Educational Credentials Review includes report forwarded to applicant and one state. If additional report(s) are required, a dupicate report fee will be charged.
4. Physical Therapist Assistant Educational Equivalency Review includes a report forwarded to the applicant and to one state. If additional report(s) are required, a duplicate report fee will be charged.
5. PLAN counseling continues to include the cost of one re-evaluation after coursework is completed.
6. Reactivation Fee to reinstate expired application.
7. Re-review of evaluation based on new information provided by applicant.