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Registration and Credit
Registration
Students maintain official registration with UT Austin while abroad on university-approved credit-bearing programs. Students in exchange programs and affiliated programs enroll in a "placeholder" course while abroad. Students participating in faculty-led programs enroll in the faculty course. All registration is completed via the UT Austin online registration system.
General Timeline for Registration & Payment
Course registration and tuition bill payment timelines are determined by the Office of the Registrar and Student Accounts Receivable. For full details consult Texas One Stop.
Spring Abroad
- Register: mid-October
- Pay Tuition Bill: first week of January via My Tuition Bill website
Maymester, Summer and Fall Abroad
- Register: mid-April
- Pay Tuition Bill: mid-May (Maymester and Summer) and mid-August (Fall) via My Tuition Bill website
Credit
Education Abroad Credit 101 YouTube Playlist
Understand the process of earning degree credits while studying abroad in this four part video series.
Getting Credit
Every type of study abroad program has a specific type of credit. Students should review the specific sections below to learn more. Students who are being advised by Study Abroad Advisors from a particular college should refer to these units for instructions:
- McCombs Undergraduate Exchange Programs
- Cockrell Undergraduate Exchange Programs
- Law School Exchange Programs
All other students follow the instructions in the expandable sections below.
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How do I begin?
- Seek advice from your academic advisor on courses you should take while abroad and use the Credit Flow Chart to help you navigate this process.
- Check the course equivalencies in the My Credit Abroad (MyCA) online database for your program. If one or more of your courses are NOT listed in MyCA, you will need to submit a syllabus from the course by completing the Course Evaluation Request Survey via Qualtrics in order to request a new course evaluation. You must provide a full syllabus or detailed course description in order for a course to be evaluated. We cannot evaluate off a course blurb.
- Seek advice from your academic advisor on courses you should take while abroad and use the Credit Flow Chart to help you navigate this process.
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What do I need to do upon arrival in my host country?
- Enrollment Verification Survey: Upon arrival in the host country and once you have successfully registered for a full course load (12 hours semester / 6-9 hours summer), then you must complete the Enrollment Verification Survey via Qualtrics. This step must be completed by the deadline set by your Program Coordinator, generally two weeks after arrival.
- Course Syllabus and/or Course Description Form: For courses that have not been previously evaluated prior to departure, students must provide a syllabus or detailed course description for a course to be evaluated. In the absence of a syllabus with sufficient information, students should complete a Course Description Form. The syllabus and/or Course Description Form should be submitted by completing the Course Evaluation Request Survey via Qualtrics
- Enrollment Verification Survey: Upon arrival in the host country and once you have successfully registered for a full course load (12 hours semester / 6-9 hours summer), then you must complete the Enrollment Verification Survey via Qualtrics. This step must be completed by the deadline set by your Program Coordinator, generally two weeks after arrival.
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How do my grades from overseas get on my UT transcript?
Affiliated Grades
Credits from affiliated programs are posted by the Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC), 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. Students on affiliated studies programs may not elect for any of their credit from abroad to be posted as Pass/Fail (see GIAC rule on transfer credit).
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. Grades compute into the official GPA. Transcripts from exchange universities are received by the Program Coordinator. Education Abroad, under authorization from the Provost, transcribes the grades from the foreign grading system to the UT letter grade for each course taken abroad.
Students must take all courses abroad for a letter grade. However, students wishing to take a course pass/fail must inform their Program Coordinator in writing by the date marking 60% of course completion following the start of the academic session (course start date) in the host country. The numbers of pass/fail courses allowed per semester or per degree are set by the student’s college or school.
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What do I need to do upon completion of my program?
Once the official transcript from the program has been received the student should ensure that their credit will be posted to their official UT transcript within one long semester. Students should contact the Education Abroad Credit Team with any questions pertaining to their credit.
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Are there any graduation considerations?
It is not always possible for a student to graduate the same semester they are abroad or the semester immediately upon return. This is because there will be a delay in UT receiving your transcript from your study abroad program in time for your abroad credit to be posted to your official UT academic record. Some UT colleges and schools require all abroad coursework to be posted to the student’s official academic record before submitting the Application for Graduation.
If you are concerned about graduating during your semester abroad or the semester immediately following your return you should discuss this with both your Education Abroad Program Coordinator and an Academic Advisor in your college or school’s Dean’s Office.
Semester Abroad Transcript Arrives at UT Application for Graduation Deadline Fall Mid February- early April mid March – early April (for Spring graduation) Spring Late summer – early fall mid July (for Summer graduation) Summer Early fall mid October – early Nov. (for Fall graduation)
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.
Are you a student participating on BBA Exchange Programs? Learn more about this program.
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Exchange Programs
Student maintain registration in placeholder courses while abroad “ex. SAB 300”. Tuition amount is based on college/school, classification and hours enrolled. Students register for the specific courses at their host institution typically upon arrival. A few universities facilitate enrollment online in advance of arrival.
Using the exchange university's website and My Credit Abroad (MyCA), students should identify their desired course load plus 2-3 backup courses. This is because just like at UT-Austin, registration in a specific course is not guaranteed. Students work with their academic advisor to determine how courses apply to their degree plan while their Program Coordinator will advise on course load.
Students must be enrolled full time while abroad at the host university (fall 12 hours minimum; summer 6 hours minimum). Students may take online courses at UT while abroad but this must be in addition to a full course load at the partner university.
Students will register themselves via the UT Registrar's web page. Program Coordinators will provide students with the registration unique number required after acceptance.
Tuition bills are officially produced in mid-July for fall and late November for spring. Once fee bills have been posted, go to the My Tuition Bill page to pay your UT Austin tuition.
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Affiliated Programs
Students register in an administrative category while abroad known as Affiliated Studies (AS) “ex AS 000.” This registration is equal to full time enrollment and facilitates transfer of credit and financial aid. Students will register for specific courses via their affiliate, ex IES, CIEE, ARCADIA, etc.
Students must be enrolled full time while abroad (fall 12 hours minimum; summer 6 hours minimum). Students may take online courses at UT while abroad but this must be in addition to a full course load on the study abroad program.
Students will register themselves via the UT Registrar's web page. Program Coordinators will provide students with the registration unique number required after acceptance.
Affiliated Studies registration costs $600 per semester. Bills are officially produced in mid-July for fall and late November for spring. Once the bill has been posted, go to the My Tuition Bill page and pay the Affiliated Studies fee.
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Maymester Programs
If admitted to a 2021 Maymester program, students will register during the summer registration access period in April. Students will receive specific instructions from their Education Abroad program coordinator.
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Faculty-Led Programs
Students register in a UT Austin course taught by the professor. Some students also register in Affiliated Studies alongside the UT course. Students will receive specific instructions from their faculty member or Program Coordinator.
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Semester Plus Programs
Semester Plus students register in three components; (1) three credit faculty-led course, (2) one credit LA 119 Cultural Analysis Seminar (3) and 12 hours of exchange placeholder courses.
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Independent Study and Research
Students approved for this unique registration status will be registered in ISR 000. This status is equal to full time enrollment but is not eligible for transfer credit or federal financial aid.
Registration Process
- Students will be registered in either ISR 080 (graduates) or ISR 075 (undergraduates) no sooner than the last registration period.
- Once approved for ISR, students will be registered for ISR in the respective semester and advised to complete registration by paying their tuition bill. ISR is an exclusive registration, and cannot be combined with any other registered courses.
- Students may enroll in ISR for a maximum of four consecutive long semesters (Spring or Fall).
- Students must be abroad the majority of the semester to qualify for this registration category.
- ISR costs $600 per semester