How do I obtain credit for my study abroad program?
You need an official transcript from an accredited institution where credit is posted as home school credit, not transfer credit on the home school transcript.
What is the deadline for me to post study abroad transfer credit?
Transfer credit must be posted to your University of Minnesota record no later than the end of the semester after you return from study abroad. For example, if you studied abroad for Fall Semester, transfer credit must be posted by the end of Spring Semester.
What can I do to meet the deadline to post study abroad transfer credit?
Have your official study abroad transcript sent to the the Admissions Office as soon as possible. Have it sent to:
Office of Admissions
University of Minnesota
240 Williamson Hall
231 Pillsbury Drive S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0213
USA
Then, watch for your transfer credit to be posted to your University of Minnesota transcript. Work with your college adviser to petition promptly if needed (more information on this is below).
Will my program send the Admissions Office my official transcript?
Only if you tell them to! If you’re not sure, contact your program (not the Learning Abroad Center) and ask them if or when they’ve sent your official transcript to the address above.
What happens if I miss the deadline to post study abroad transfer credit?
If you miss the deadline and therefore fail to demonstrate that you completed the academic requirements of your transfer credit, you may receive an "I" grade, that will lapse to an "N" grade in one year, for your FOST study abroad registration. Because your study abroad credits did not transfer, you will not be able to use them to meet your degree requirements. A hold, which will prevent you from receiving your University of Minnesota transcript and diploma, may be placed on your record. If you received financial aid, you may be placed on financial aid probation or suspension, or even need to immediately repay financial aid you have received.
For the deadline see above.
How long does it take for my transfer credit to appear?
Study abroad transfer credit must be processed by different University of Minnesota offices. It can take several weeks to months after your transcript is received for credit to appear on your University of Minnesota transcript.
How will I know when my transfer credits have posted?
Look at your University of Minnesota transcript. While you studied abroad, your transcript showed a FOST registration for the terms of your study abroad.
After your credits are evaluated for transfer, the transfer credits will appear near the top of your transcript (in the "Transfer Credit" section before "Beginning of Undergraduate Record"). The individual courses and grades will not be listed; you will just see the number of transfer credits you received and the name of the school from which they came.
What will my transfer credit look like on my University of Minnesota transcript when everything is complete?
Your FOST registration will show 0 credits. If you pass the course you will also receive an "S" grade for your FOST registration. If you do not pass the course you will receive an N and if your transcript does not arrive you will receive an I grade. If you pass the courses you will also receive a transcript memo explaining your study abroad credit. It will look something like:
TRANSFER CREDITS FROM MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY REFLECT STUDY IN AKITA, JAPAN
This memo will appear below the last semester of your study abroad. For example, if you studied abroad for Academic Year 2005–06, it will appear under Spring 2006 on your University of Minnesota transcript.
How will I know if my courses transferred or if they meet degree requirements?
Look at your APAS report. The APAS report lists individual transfer courses and shows what degree requirements they meet. Talk with your college adviser to see if you need to petition any courses for transfer credit or to meet degree requirements. If petitioning is necessary, your college adviser will guide you through that process.
How does credit from other insitutions transfer?
This is ultimately decided by Admissions; however there are some general guidelines you can follow.
US Transfer Credit
Most US institutions are on a quarter or semester system. Semester credits from other US schools are usually equivalent to University of Minnesota semester credits. Quarter credits are multiplied by 2/3 to determine the number of University of Minnesota semester credits (for example, 6 quarter credits = 4 semester credits).Foreign Transfer Credit
Foreign institutions vary in their method of assigning credit (sometimes referred to as contact hours, units, etc.). Therefore, the ratio of foreign credits to University of Minnesota credits varies widely. If you are receiving a transcript from an institution in a European country, ask to receive an ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) transcript; 2 ECTS credits = 1 University of Minnesota semester credit. If you have a foreign non-ECTS transcript, Admissions will evaluate the ratio of foreign credits to University of Minnesota credits after you return.If you enroll in what is considered a full-time credit load at a foreign institution, it will generally transfer as a full-time credit load here. It is often wise to ask an official at the foreign institution you are attending to give you a letter certifying that you are taking what is considered to be a full-time credit load at that school.
Do my transfer credit grades count?
Transfer credit grades are not included in your GPA. (Your APAS report will still show whether you passed or failed foreign transfer courses, and will show your A-F grade for US transfer courses.) The credit does count toward overall credits needed to graduate. However, there are policies about how much transfer credit you can have so check with your college or major adviser to learn the guidelines.
Why didn't some of my coursework transfer?
Ask your college adviser to help you figure this out. They have access to your "Transfer Record of Articulated Courses," which shows a code related to the reason transfer credit was denied.
If transfer credit is denied, can I petition?
Sometimes. Initial denial of transfer credit is certainly not a reason to panic. While some courses cannot transfer, often a denial of transfer credit just means that the evaluator didn't have enough information about the course for it to transfer. This is why you should save all coursework, syllabi, and exams. You can always petition to have a course reconsidered for transfer credit. If you want to petition a course, talk with your college adviser, who can direct you to what you need to do.
What if my petition succeeds so I get more transfer credits and my transcript memo is no longer accurate?
Send an email to the Learning Abroad Center and include your name, student ID, the name of your study abroad program, and the term of your study abroad. Also state that you need your transcript memo updated. The transcript memo will be updated to reflect the new number of transfer credits.
What if I plan to graduate soon? Will the credit be processed in time?
Back To TopIf you plan to graduate within one semester of completing your study abroad, contact Admissions to ask them to rush your transcript. Let them know your name, student ID, the name of your study abroad program, and the term of your study abroad. Then, be sure to also ask the Learning Abroad Center Outside Program Adviser to rush your transcript process. While your credit will be processed as quickly as possible, there is a chance that your graduation may be delayed. Talk with your college adviser about this. Also, remember that the sooner your transcript is sent to the Admissions Office, the sooner your credit can be evaluated.
Last modified on May 13, 2008 |