Credit Transfer Continnued
The SAF works closely with participants home and host universities to facilitate the transfer credit process. We provide SAF participants with current and comprehensive course titles and descriptions for each host university and SAF participants are fully advised on host university course registration policies and procedures. In many cases, course registration may be completed before an SAF participant ever travels overseas.
Opportunities: The SAF facilitates a smooth credit transfer process in the following manner.
- The prospective study abroad student should consult with SAF staff and use the SAF website to determine which host universities offer appropriate coursework to meet the student’s academic interests and needs.
- The SAF website provides direct links to each host university’s on-line course catalogue providing course titles and more specific course descriptions that allow the student, their academic advisor, and faculty to review more fully each course the student proposes to undertake while abroad.
- The SAF will fully explain the registration policies and procedures for each SAF host university or college. In many cases, SAF students are able to register for courses well before their study abroad experience begins. At other institutions, registration can only be competed upon arrival at the host university campus.
- To ensure a smooth credit transfer process, the SAF encourages students to become familiar with their home university’s transfer credit policies and procedures. The SAF Application for Admission provides the opportunity for a home university official to outline specific policies and procedures at the time the student makes application to the SAF. The SAF advisors are more than willing to speak with a students home university to help clarify their transfer credit practices.
- In all cases, the SAF will work closely with the student, their home university, and the host university throughout the registration process to ensure that all parties are fully apprised on course availability and/or enrollment constraints.
- At the completion of the SAF program, original, official host university transcripts are forwarded by the SAF to the appropriate official at the students home university.
- SAF students are advised to keep copies of all course materials they receive or submit while abroad (e.g., syllabi, notes, exams, quizzes, papers, etc.) as this information may be required to finalize the transfer credit process.
Challenges: Students should read the following statements carefully to ensure they fully understand the challenges they may encounter when attempting to transfer credit.
- Students must first visit the international education or registrars office on their home university campus and request the rules and regulations regarding credit transfer. Credit transfer policies and procedures will be unique to each university.
- Students who begin their studies abroad in an English language program need to verify whether their home university will provide any transfer credit for their English studies. A few of the SAF host universities do award credit for their English courses, but this will not necessarily mean the home university will recognize such credit as applying toward the student’s degree completion requirements.
- Some home universities will require students to pay a fee for transfering the credit earned abroad to their degree completion requirements at home. Before participating on a SAF program, students should ensure they and their parents understand the financial considerations for transfer credit. The SAF will not be responsible for any fees charged by the home university to transfer credit back to students home university.
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