<p>I'm trying to get an understanding of how exactly credit from study abroad gets transferred. From what I have read, generally courses will be credited as the equivalent at your home school. If equivalent courses are not offered, they will be awarded as general credit. </p>
<p>I've been leaning towards transferring schools (decided to change my major, but the major I am looking for is not offered at my current school), but would like to study abroad before I do so. So, if I were to take courses abroad that would have equivalents at the transfer school, but not at my current school, would they end up being general credits or could I use them to fulfill actual requirements. </p>
<p>Basically, would they go:</p>
<p>Course -> General credit -> General credit</p>
<p>or Course -> General credit -> restored to designation</p>
<p>Thank you for your help. I hope I've managed to be clear about my question.</p>
<p>This is a very difficult question to answer generically. Different colleges handle it different ways. Most colleges in the US are quite careful to NOT guarantee that they are going to accept credits from foreign colleges, and that they will have to review what you have taken before deciding.</p>
<p>Another complexity is that the foreign college may be on a different system (eg, quarters at the foreign college, semesters at your US college), which also makes it more difficult.</p>
<p>If you decide to do this, here are a couple of thoughts:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Save every piece of info and coursework you do about your classes. Keep a copy of your schedule (showing how often they met), and any syllabus, papers, exams, etc. D1’s US college uses that info when they are not sure if they will accept credits or not.</p></li>
<li><p>Honestly, I think US colleges are more invested in accepting credits for CURRENT students that they have allowed to study abroad than incoming ones who just present credits from a foreign university.</p></li>
<li><p>Most US universities have some written rules about how many credits in general and toward your major they will accept from off campus. Usually the specific department the credits would apply to a requirement from needs to make the final decision.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>In my opinion if you really want your credits to apply, your best bet is to transfer, THEN study abroad at a program offered by your new US university. You can usually study abroad right up through the 1st semester of senior year. Or if you are transferring next fall and will be a junior, then get right on the study abroad process at your new school in preparation for study abroad 2nd semester of junior year.</p>
<p>Meet with academic advisor with as much info as possible. Print out online descriptions of courses, email the foreign university for a syllabus. Check if others have paved the way before you. Try to match it up. Then if it does not match item for item, then talk to the dean of the area you want the study credit and arrange a DIRECTED STUDY CREDIT. It is a contract with your institution and it will use the foreign class as “seat time” and then usually it involves writing a long report that is agreed to as to learning goals and objectives BEFORE YOU GET THE PLANE TICKETS. It can be sorta like double paying for the credit on one hand and I have seen double credit being awarded ( one for general studies)as well. Lot of leg work but study abroad is essential job skill in the new market in all jobs.</p>
<p>Thank you for the suggestions. Sounds like a really good idea to save all the course material. </p>
<p>If possible, I would prefer to do it before transferring (as the study abroad would be effectively free due to scholarships from my current school).<br>
If they were courses offered at my current school, I would presume that they’d transfer (most of them anyway). However, by not being offered they tweak things around a little. </p>
<p>Of course, I could always do it for the study abroad experience anyway, and not worry about the credits transferring. :)</p>