Administrative Regulation: Validation of Transcripts
Regulation Number: 5.0.2

Purpose
Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) is committed to ensuring compliance with federal regulations concerning Title IV student aid eligibility. This policy outlines the criteria and process for verifying the authenticity of a student’s high school diploma (or its recognized equivalent) and for documenting situations where further investigation is required.

Scope
This Administrative Regulation applies to:

  • All new applicants to EWC who present a high school diploma, GED, or recognized equivalent.
  • All students applying for federal Title IV financial aid programs.
  • All EWC personnel involved in admissions and financial aid processing, particularly when there is reason to believe a high school diploma or transcript may not be valid.

Governing Regulations
This policy is based on:

  • Higher Education Act (HEA) Sec. 484(a)(1) and 34 CFR 668.32(b) regarding admissions requirements.
  • 34 CFR 668.16(p) regarding procedures to evaluate the validity of a high school diploma.
  • Guidance on recognized equivalents and handling foreign transcripts from the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Guidance on recognition of Title IV eligibility for homeschooled students from the U.S. Department of Education

A degree-seeking student must have, at a minimum, a high school diploma or GED or equivalent to be admitted into any approved academic programs at Eastern Wyoming College. A student seeking admission into any program must submit a copy of their U.S. high school transcript, GED or equivalent or, Number: if an international student, its equivalent. A student seeking admission and/or Title IV aid consideration will be eligible for review if they can provide documentation of one of the following:

1. A high school diploma (this can be from a foreign school if it is equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma) as documented on an official transcript sent directly from the High School to the EWC Admissions Office. Official transcripts must:

a. Meet the requirements established by the State agency, Tribal agency or Bureau of Indian Education in the state where the school is located
b. Contain the date (minimum year and month) of the student’s graduation
c. Include official’s signature (ink or digital) or proof of electronic delivery

1. If a transcript is “complete” standing alone (i.e., there is a signature, a graduation date, a confirmed accredited school and it came from a trusted source) Eastern Wyoming College does not require supplemental documentation. For the examples listed below, if a transcript does not have a signature, or does not include a signature line, Admissions will require with the transcript:
● etranscript= a copy of the email accompanying the transcript
● Clearinghouse = a screenshot showing the record/transcript as received
● Wyoming Transcript Center= a screenshot showing the record/transcript as received
● Scribbs= a copy of the supporting letter from Scribbs
● Wyoming State Archives= a copy of the supporting letter from Wyoming State Archive

2. Recognized Equivalents
a. GED (General Educational Development) certificate.
b. State-authorized high school equivalency exams (such as HiSET, TASC, or state-specific proficiency exams).
c. An associate’s degree or transcript showing successful completion of at least 60 semester credits.

3. Homeschool Diplomas
a. EWC will accept a homeschool diploma or official homeschool transcript if the homeschool program meets state law requirements and the student is beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in that state.
b. If the student’s home state issues a secondary completion credential for homeschoolers and requires the student to have it, the student must present it for Title IV eligibility.
c. Acceptable evidence of homeschool completion will vary depending on the state in which the education was completed but will generally include a formal transcript that outlines the full high school curriculum as well as the signature of the home school administrator

4. Foreign Transcripts
a. Foreign high school diplomas (or equivalents) are acceptable if they are determined to be the equivalent of a U.S. high school diploma.
b. EWC may perform internal evaluations if qualified or may require students to obtain an evaluation from a credential evaluation service.
c. In rare cases (e.g., refugees, asylees, victims of human trafficking), self-certification of foreign high school completion may be accepted if the student demonstrates it is impossible to obtain documentation and provides proof of attempts to retrieve it, along with relevant refugee/asylee/VOT status.

Validation of Questionable Diplomas
Validation is required if any of the following conditions are met:

  • EWC or the Department of Education has reason to believe a high school diploma is not valid or was obtained from an entity that does not provide secondary education.
  • There is conflicting information between the student’s self-certification and other documentation in the student’s file.
  • The diploma is from a school that lacks recognized state oversight or appears to have minimal or no academic rigor.

Required Validation Steps

EWC shall adhere to the following procedures to evaluate diploma validity, including:

  • Step 1: Collect Documentation Provide documentation from the granting organization (or equivalent) verifying its standing as a legitimate secondary institution. The following formats are accepted:
    • Official transcript detailing course requirements met.
    • Written description of the school’s curriculum/academic structure.
    • Signed statements by a principal or executive officer attesting to the school’s academic rigor and quality.
    • Require additional information from a company that evaluates foreign diplomas (in the case of a foreign diploma)
  • Step 2: Confirm State or Equivalent Agency Recognition If the high school is overseen by a state agency, tribal agency, or the Bureau of Indian Education, EWC should contact or obtain documentation from that agency confirming the school’s recognition or compliance with agency standards.
  • Step 3: Verify the School Is Not on a Federal Invalid Diploma List If the Secretary of Education publishes a list of schools issuing invalid diplomas, EWC must confirm that the school in question does not appear on that list.

Final Determination of Validity of the High School/equivalent credentials

Once all documentation has been collected in accordance with the validation steps, the Director of Admissions or his/her designee will make a final determination of the validity of the documentation. In the event that the credentials are determined to be invalid, the student will not be admitted to the college.

Criteria for an Invalid Diploma

A high school diploma is not valid if:

1. It did not meet state, tribal, or Bureau of Indian Education requirements.

2. It has been determined invalid by the Department, a state agency, or a court.

3. It was issued by an entity requiring little or no instruction or coursework to obtain it (e.g., a “diploma mill”), including use of tests that do not meet recognized equivalency standards under 34 CFR 600.2.

 

Handling Conflicting Statements

● If a student states on one application that they possess a high school diploma and later states they do not, EWC will treat the student as having been ineligible for all previous aid unless documentation resolves the conflict (e.g., the student corrects a previous mistake and supplies valid proof of graduation).

● The student is responsible for repaying any overpayment of Title IV funds received while ineligible. EWC may need to report the overpayment to NSLDS if not resolved, following the procedures in Volume 4, Chapter 3 of the FSA Handbook.

 

Original Adoption Date: 10/10/2024
Revision Date(s): 03/23/2026
Date Reviewed but No Change: