Explanation of Credit Processing

Abroad Advisors works collaboratively with students to ensure that all credit from an official UT Austin study abroad program applies directly to a student’s degree requirements. The information presented herein is intended to give students a clear picture of the credit processing procedures and the expectations placed on the student to ensure the processing.

Even though Abroad Advisors will facilitate the credit processing, ultimately the responsibility lies with the student.

Students are responsible for:

• Meeting with their Abroad Advisor prior to departure during Credit Walk-in Hours
• Providing their Abroad Advisor with a list of potential course he or she plans to take abroad, as well as syllabi/course descriptions (if available).
• Completing the Course Verification Form in the SAO Portal on the Away Menu (to be done from abroad)
• Completing the Course Description Form(s) (as necessary)
• Attending a Re-Entry/Credit Processing Session (upon return)

Students participating on a BBA Exchange Programs click here for more detailed information.

Meet with your Abroad Advisor during Credit Walk-in Hours the semester before you go abroad. Be sure to bring a copy of your degree audit, a list of potential courses you may take while abroad and descriptions or syllabi of these courses (if available) with you to this meeting. Your Abroad Advisor will work with you and the UT department from which you are seeking credit to evaluate the foreign courses.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO UPON ARRIVAL IN MY HOST COUNTRY:

ONE: Course Verification Form
When the student arrives in the host country and has successfully registered for a full course load – 12 hours semester / 6-9 hours summer – then the student must complete the Course Verification Form (download from MY SAO), have it signed by the on-site program director and mail or fax it back to your UT Abroad Advisor. This step must be completed by the second week of courses at the institution overseas.

TWO: Course Description Forms (Only for course which have not been previously evaluated prior to departure.)
Students must complete a Course Description Form (download from MY SAO). This form and its attachments should be mailed back to your UT Abroad Advisor by the end of the first month of classes at the institution overseas.

THREE: Faculty Evaluation Forms (for students on exchange programs only) (affiliated students skip this step)
At the end of the semester, but before the last class day, exchange students should request that each of their professors overseas complete this form (download from MY SAO). If at all possible, the student should arrange to pick up the form from the professor before departure and then hand carry the completed forms to his or her Abroad Advisor upon return to Austin.

HOW DO MY GRADES FROM OVERSEAS GET ON MY UT TRANSCRIPT?

Affiliated Grades:

Credit from affiliated programs is posted by the Office of Graduate and International Admissions, to the transfer credit section of the official UT transcript. Courses and actual grades will appear. Students must make a C or better for credit to be given. However, the grades do not compute into the official GPA. In most cases, grades recorded on transcripts from affiliates have already been converted from the foreign mark or grade to the American letter grade system.

Reciprocal Exchange Grades:

Credit from exchange programs is posted by the Office of the Registrar to the official UT transcript. Courses and grades will appear (A-F). Grades compute into the official GPA. Transcripts from exchange universities are received by the Abroad Advisor. The Director of SAO under authorization from the Provost transcribes the grades from the foreign grading system to the UT letter grade system for each course taken abroad.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO UPON RETURN TO UT AUSTIN

All students must see his or her Abroad Advisor upon return to Austin. Advisors will guide students on the process from this point forward. Once the official transcript from the program has been received the student can expect that their credit will be posted to their official UT transcript within one long semester.

OFFICIAL POLICIES

GRADUATION RESTRICTIONS:
Students many not graduate the same semester they are abroad or the semester immediately upon return. Why you many ask? Because it is in almost every case implausible to think that the Abroad Advisor will receive, process and post the credit awarded in time for the stipulated Application for Graduation deadline.

We offer the chart below to help explain.

Due to this policy we strongly encourage students who study abroad their last semester at UT to review the procedure for In Absentia Graduation/Registration with an advisor in their Dean’s office.