Transfer Credit and Courses

Each university will have specific requirements and protocols for getting permission to apply for credit transfer for courses taken at a institution other than your home university.

Talk to an academic advisor at your home institution to find out the specific requirements of your school and to find out if there are individual requirements or permissions needed from a specific faculty or department at your home institution.

Generally, students must apply directly to the destination university they wish to attend, meet all of the requirements for admission to the destination university, and pay applicable tuition fees directly to the destination institution. You must receive permission from your home institution prior to registering for study abroad and attending and completing the coursework at the destination institution.

Once you have received approval from your home institution and have been accepted by your destination institution, you will receive information regarding course offerings, pre-requisites and the registration process. Please be aware that university systems differ from country to country, and your course selection may be quite different from what you are familiar with at home.

Flexibility is key when determining what courses to take, as long as they transfer back to your home institution. When selecting your courses it is important to speak with an advisor regarding what courses have already been pre-approved for specific transfer credit and to determine what course requirements you will need to fulfill while studying abroad. Study abroad can be an excellent time to take interesting elective courses which can apply to your degree program. If you wish to make changes to your course selection while studying abroad, it is very important that you contact an advisor at your home institution.

It is your responsibility to investigate the specific transfer credit process at your institution to ensure the transferability of courses successfully completed while studying abroad. It is important to be aware of pertinent academic deadlines (eg. Course registration for upcoming terms, admission deadlines, application for graduation, etc) that may relate to your transfer credit and allow adequate time for processing transfer credit.

Language Proficiency Language requirements vary by institution. Some institutions offer courses in English, some provide a mix of both English and foreign language, and others are full immersion in the local language. Although fluency in the language of instruction is not usually a pre-requisite, knowledge of the local language is beneficial. Language competency tests may be administered to determine suitability.

Supplemental second language courses may be included as an option of some study abroad programs and are an excellent way to learn a language in addition to your academic course load!