(a) It is the responsibility of the board to confirm that education obtained at colleges and universities outside of the United States (international education) is equivalent to education earned at board-recognized institutions of higher education in the U.S.
(b) The board shall use, at the expense of the applicant, the services of the University of Texas at Austin, Graduate and International Admissions Center, to validate, review, and evaluate international education documents submitted by an applicant to determine if the courses taken and degrees earned are substantially equivalent to those offered by the board-recognized institutions of higher education located in the U.S. The evaluation shall provide the following information to the board:
  (1) Degrees earned by the applicant that are substantially equivalent to those conferred by a board-recognized institution of higher education in the U.S. that meets §511.52 of this chapter (relating to Recognized Institutions of Higher Education);
  (2) The total number of semester hours or quarter hour equivalents earned that are substantially equivalent to those earned at U.S. institutions of higher education and that meet §511.59 of this chapter (relating to Definition of 120 Semester Hours to take the UCPAE);
  (3) The total number of semester hours or quarter hour equivalents earned in accounting coursework that meets §511.57 of this chapter (relating to Qualified Accounting Courses to take the UCPAE) or §511.60 of this chapter (relating to Qualified Accounting Courses Prior to January 1, 2024 to take the UCPAE);
  (4) An analysis of the title and content of courses taken that are substantially equivalent to courses listed in §511.57 or §511.60 of this chapter; and
  (5) The total number of semester hours or quarter hour equivalents earned in business coursework that meets §511.58 of this chapter (relating to Definitions of Related Business Subjects to take the UCPAE).
(c) The University of Texas at Austin, Graduate and International Admissions Center, may use the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) material, including the Electronic Database for Global Education (EDGE), in evaluating international education documents.
(d) Other evaluation or credentialing services of international education are not accepted by the board.
(e) Credits awarded for coursework taken through the following organizations and shown on a transcript from an institution of higher education may not be used to meet the requirements of this chapter:
  (1) American College Education (ACE);
  (2) Prior Learning Assessment (PLA);
  (3) Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES);
  (4) Defense Subject Standardized Test (DSST); and
  (5) StraighterLine.

Source Note: The provisions of this §511.53 adopted to be effective April 10, 2013, 38 TexReg 2222; amended to be effective February 8, 2017, 42 TexReg 421; amended to be effective June 2, 2021, 46 TexReg 3401; amended to be effective June 8, 2022, 47 TexReg 3262; amended to be effective October 4, 2023, 48 TexReg 5661; amended to be effective February 7, 2024, 49 TexReg 549