Global Seal of Biliteracy LLC

The Global Seal of Biliteracy is an independent American certification organization that provides a standardized, market-oriented credential documenting an individual's language proficiency. According to its official materials, it was born in 2018 as a response to the need for a universal and consistent way to document, recognize, and share language skills. It issues a micro-credential that can be earned by individuals or awarded by employers, universities, and schools to their employees and students. The certification is offered free of charge in over 100 languages and is designed to be inclusive, embracing all languages and learners regardless of how they acquired their skills. The Global Seal operates a three-step pathway recognizing differing levels of fluency: Functional Fluency™, Working Fluency™, and Professional Fluency™. Each level describes the practical capabilities of the certificate holder, from handling familiar routines and predictable situations at the Functional level, to managing both routine and unfamiliar situations in formal and informal settings at the Working and Professional levels. The credentials are stackable, meaning recipients can continue to earn additional seals and level up their certification over time, and they are digitally shareable through a personalized digital profile with a unique link. The organization reports that its certification has been issued in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia as well as in 60 countries and territories worldwide, and that it has certified thousands of individuals around the world. It positions itself as a rigorous, standardized, and market-friendly language certification that helps recipients showcase their language skills to educational institutions and employers across borders. The Global Seal emphasizes the growing demand for foreign language skills in the global economy, citing Ipsos Public Affairs research that over 90% of surveyed employers cite a strong and growing demand for foreign language skills. The Global Seal of Biliteracy is distinct from the various state Seal of Biliteracy programs in the United States; it describes itself as an independent organization providing a universal and consistent certification. Its globe logo incorporates words in multiple languages—read in Japanese, capable in Spanish and Portuguese, fluent in Chinese, talent in Korean, fluency in English, competent in Amharic, and listen in Arabic—representing each continent and the diversity of skills its recipients possess. The intersecting circles in the logo serve as a metaphor for the advantages of being bilingual in a multicultural world.

The Global Seal of Biliteracy was established in 2018 as an independent organization. According to its official "Our Story" page, it was born as a response to the need for a universal and consistent way to document, recognize, and share one's language skills. The organization was created to provide an opportunity for all language users and students to earn recognition for their language proficiency, regardless of how they acquired their skills. The Global Seal was designed as a highly rigorous, standardized, and market-friendly language certification. It introduced a three-level pathway—Functional Fluency™, Working Fluency™, and Professional Fluency™—to recognize differing levels of language fluency. The certificate was made stackable to encourage learners to continue to grow and level up their language skills, and it was designed to be inclusive, embracing all languages and learners with the intent to provide equal access and expanded opportunity. Since its founding, the Global Seal of Biliteracy has expanded its reach significantly. Its official materials state that the certification has been issued in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia as well as in 60 countries and territories worldwide. The organization reports that it has certified thousands of individuals around the world at one of its three levels of certification as evidenced through proficiency-based testing. The certificate can be earned by individuals or awarded by employers, universities, and schools to their employees and students. The Global Seal of Biliteracy operates as an independent organization, distinct from state-level Seal of Biliteracy programs in the United States. It offers free certification in over 100 languages and provides recipients with a personalized digital profile to showcase their language skills. The organization emphasizes the value of language credentials in documenting and measuring language skills, and it continues to promote multilingualism in the global economy.

• 2021

  Wikidata records the entity as an American certification business (2021-).

• 2018

  Global Seal of Biliteracy founded as an independent organization.

A rigorous, standardized, and market-friendly language certification that is inclusive, stackable, and digitally shareable, designed to increase opportunity for bilinguals from middle school through adulthood.

• Functional Fluency™ certification

  For individuals who can function in familiar routines and predictable situations.

• Working Fluency™ certification

  For individuals who can handle routine and unfamiliar situations in formal and informal settings.

• Professional Fluency™ certification

  For individuals who can interact in a wide range of situations with professional-level proficiency.

1. 1Global Seal of Biliteracytheglobalseal.com
2. 2Our Story — Global Seal of Biliteracytheglobalseal.com
3. 3About — Global Seal of Biliteracytheglobalseal.com
4. 4Global Seal of Biliteracy LLCwikidata.org