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Processes After Return

Credit Transfer Process

 

INFORMATION FOR  EXCHANGE   DIRECT , AFFILIATE  PROGRAMS


Below is information on the process of how credits are processed and returned to NDSU after studying abroad on an exchange, direct, or affiliate program. For information on academic processes during other times, see the pages for Academics before you go and while abroad.

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  • Transcript Processing After Return 

    Transcript Timeline After Return
    1. University Abroad 1-2 months
    → Mails transcript to NDSU Study Abroad Services  
    Substitute/Waive a Course Forms can still be submitted until transcript arrives.
    2. Study Abroad Services 1-5 days 
    → Scans a copy of the transcript from abroad into online NDSU application and sends notification to student  
    → Processes transcript from abroad and sends it to Registration and Records together with any received Course Substitution Forms  
    3. Registration and Records 1-2 months 
    → Updates NDSU transcript to show P and 0 credits for term abroad  
    → Adds information on credits from abroad to Transfer Credit section of NDSU transcript  
    → Processes approved course substitutions  

    Below is an outline of the process for transcript processing after your time abroad.

    To make sure your transcript will be sent in a timely fashion, before leaving verify that your university abroad has the correct information to send the transcript directly to NDSU Study Abroad Services.

    Once your transcript from abroad is received and processed by Study Abroad Services, you will receive an automatic notification from the study abroad portal that a document has been attached to your account. This email indicates: 1.) you can login on the Study Abroad website to see a copy of the transcript, and 2.) your transcript and any Substitute/Waive a Course Forms have been sent to Registration and Records for the next steps of the process.

    Transcript processing by Registration and Records will take approximately 1-2 months. Once complete the number of credits passed and a "P" are added to your NDSU transcript (provided you passed at least one class abroad). Credit transfer decisions are based on the information contained in your host university transcript.  Any course substitutions that you had approved will not show on the transcript, but will be marked as completed requirements on the backside for you. Examples of how your transcript will appear in the two stages of processing are provided below.

  • Financial Aid Warning 

    At the beginning of the semester following your study abroad experience, you will likely receive an email from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships that indicates that you are on "Financial Aid Warning". This is because of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy requiring that you complete at least 66.67% of the courses that you registered for during the previous term at least a 2.0 GPA--until your transcript from abroad is received and processed it appears that you did not complete credits during that term. It is important to know that this is a notice rather than a hold. It's only after two consecutive semesters of not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress that Financial Aid and Scholarships start to hold the financial aid/loans for students.

    • If you were not on Financial Aid Warning previous to your study abroad experience: You do not need to do anything. Your aid will come in as it normally does and the once the transcript is received and processed, then the warning will be removed retroactively.
    • If you were already on Financial Aid Warning previous to your study abroad experience: You can follow the instructions on how to appeal. You only do this if you were already on Financial Aid Warning; if you haven't received this warning before you do not need to complete this appeal.
       

  • Example NDSU Transcript 

    Below is an example of what a transcript looks like after studying abroad on an exchange, direct, or affiliate program.
     
    NDSU Transcript: After program and after transcript is processed (click image for PDF version)
    After Processing (thumb)

  • Requesting Course Equivalency Afterwards 

    By default, courses listed on your transcript from abroad will return to NDSU as general credits. If you did not submit a substitution form before your transcript from abroad was received and processed, you can still request that the courses replace courses at NDSU later. The process depends on what you want to use your classes abroad to replace.
     
    • Courses for your major or minor: Submit the Substitute/Waive a Course Form directly to Registration and Records.
    • Courses for general education requirements: You can complete the Appeal General Education Requirements form (complete form online or PDF version) found on the one stop website by November 15 for approval during fall semester and April 15 for approval during spring semester. Several options apply:
      • 3 credits of UNIV 492, when completed successfully and transferred back to NDSU, will qualify for either Cultural Diversity or Global Perspectives credit. Check the box for "Study Abroad Students—Cultural Diversity or Global Perspectives" and select which of the two requirements you would like fulfilled.
      • 6+ credits of UNIV 492, when completed successfully and transferred back to NDSU, will qualify for both Cultural Diversity and Global Perspectives credit. Check the box for "Study Abroad Students—Cultural Diversity or Global Perspectives".
      • For other courses and/or general education requirements, you must explain concisely how the proposed course will fit into the general education category description from the Undergraduate Bulletin. Check the box "Substitution of a course into a general education category" and complete the requirements listed on the form.

    Both of these forms are available on the OneStop page at www.ndsu.edu/onestop/forms/.