After you pass license what else does USCG do?

[woapba]

I just passed my license exam. I was told by the school that they dont get the license until about mid September. Why does it take so long for the USCG to issue the license? I thought all of the background checks, etc. were already completed during the application process. Is it just that it takes the USCG this long due to volume of orders?
Thanks,
Will

[jdcavo]

I'm confused by your reference to "the school." Were you approved to test by the National Maritime Center, and did you take an exam from the Coast Guard at a Regional Exam Center? If so, it only takes a day or two to issue the credential after you pass all exams.

However, if you did not take a test from the Coast Guard and took a course to take the place of a Coast Guard exam, it will be longer. If you have already applied and your application reached the PQEB of NMC (Professional Qualifications Evaluation Branch) and you were approved to test, you need to send your course certificate to the NMC and it will still takie a while to be evaluated.

[woapba]

I attended SUNY and signed a sheet allowing the school to handle my license application etc. I recently took the exam at the Battery for my 3rd Mate Unlimited. The USCG reported the grades back to the school. So when I asked the school when I would receive my license they said on graduation (sept. 25). They said they receive the license about a week prior to that date. I was just wondering why it took almost two months.
Thanks,
Will

[Capt_Anonymous]

I attended SUNY and signed a sheet allowing the school to handle my license application etc. I recently took the exam at the Battery for my 3rd Mate Unlimited. The USCG reported the grades back to the school. So when I asked the school when I would receive my license they said on graduation (sept. 25). They said they receive the license about a week prior to that date. I was just wondering why it took almost two months.
Thanks,
Will

What? The school holds onto your license for a week? That license belongs to you, not them! No way would I let somebody else hang onto my livelihood. And my guess is that they get them pretty quickly, so they are probably hanging onto them for a month or so.

[jdcavo]

See 46 CFR 11.407(a)(2) [formerly 46 CFR 10.407(a)(2)]. You don't qualify for the license until you graduate, thus the reason it's not being given to you until then. It is only a courtesy taht you are allowed to take the test prior to your graduation.

When you get the license you will probably find that the issue date is noted as your graduation date.

[woapba]

Thanks for the information. It is just hard to wait and look for jobs at the same time without the license.
Thanks,
Will

[cmakin]

They are correct. For any academy, one of the provisions of receiving the license is graduation. At KP (where I went), we didn't graduate until a couple of weeks after the state schools. That meant that we were behind the other new guys in the hall by a couple of weeks. One of my classmates passed his license exams, but didn't make high enough grades to pass the last quarter. He had to re-do the last two quarters of his senior year with the next class. They did give him a QMED rating, so he sailed as an electrician for the six months before the second quarter started back up. I don't recall if he had to retake his license exam, though. The last time I saw him was about 12 years ago. He was sailing C/E on one of the MARAD pre positioned crane ships. Or should I say standing by.

[New3M]

That's right - the licenses won't get to SUNY until the week before graduation - and then Posner is responsible for them, so watch out. You'll get it at graduation, and it will be dated that day. You can look for jobs though - tell them you're just waiting on your license and you'll be available to work after Sept.

[weski]

While SUNY posts Sept. graduation as 9/25, there really isn't an actual ceremony. You go to the registrar and pick up your certificates. Seems rather lame holding up everything. But at least it is DONE! Congratulations to all who passed their license exams!