Learning Abroad Center

Academic Credit

Academic Credit

Credit is awarded for successful completion of coursework on any of the programs listed on the Learning Abroad Center website. Credit is also awarded for completion of courses on non-promoted affiliated programs or outside programs with prior approval. Participation in non-academic activities such as work, interning, volunteering or teaching abroad does not result in credit.

There is no single typical timeline for your credit to be posted to your UofM record. The amount of time it will take varies widely based on country and program. It could be several weeks to several months after your return before your grades are posted. If you plan to graduate within one semester of completing your study abroad, inform the Learning Abroad Center, and your academic adviser. Credit will be processed as quickly as possible, however, graduation may be delayed.

Types of Credit

Resident Credit

Resident credit is offered for most programs on the Learning Abroad Center website. Upon credit posting, individual coursework completed abroad appears on your UofM transcript along with letter grades and credit totals for each class. Grades received in these classes are calculated into your UofM GPA. Petitioning for credit is not necessary with resident credit, however, you'll need to work with your academic adviser if you plan to fulfill major or minor requirements.

For Liberal Education requirement fulfillment see the U-Credit Abroad database

To receive credit you will need an official transcript from an accredited institution displaying coursework, letter grades and credit amounts. For most Learning Abroad Center programs and affiliated programs, this arrangement has been made for you. If your program requests you to fill out a form or is unsure of where to send the transcript upon completion of your program, the address is: 

Learning Abroad Center
University of Minnesota
Attn: Academic Services
230 Heller Hall
271 19th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455-0430
USA

Read more about resident credit.

 

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit appears as a block of credit at the top of your transcript. It does not factor into your UofM GPA, nor are individual courses listed separately. It is important to check with your departmental and college advisers on possible transfer credit limits or restrictions prior to departure on your program. This is particularly important if you are close to graduation, have already transferred a large number of credits to the UofM from another institution, or if you plan on using study abroad credits to fulfill major or minor requirements.

If you need to request transcripts from the program or host institution in the future, you will need to do this directly with them and not through the UofM. In some cases securing these transcripts can be difficult if much time has passed; we recommend looking into this early if you anticipate this need.

Frequently Asked Questions about Transfer Credit