Approving Credits for Study Abroad

USU advisors will refer to the process of requesting and approving a transfer of credits as ‘articulation’.

Before you leave on your study abroad program work with your articulation representative to request credit.

Approving Credits Based on Your Program

USU Faculty-Led Program Participants

You don’t have to request advance approval of credits. Students on USU faculty-led programs will receive USU credit automatically, while students on other programs will need to articulate their coursework to receive USU credit.

Exchange and Direct Program Participants

You do have to request approval of credits. Courses you take abroad through an exchange or direct program can be elective, major, minor or general education credits at USU. Work with the articulation representative in the academic department or college from which you are requesting credit, as well as your academic advisor, to approve courses before you study abroad. Your academic advisor may also be the articulation representative in some cases. USU articulation representatives and academic advisors refer to the process of requesting and approving a transfer of credits as 'articulation'.

Steps for Advance Credit Approval

Review courses offered by your host institution of study

Find the course descriptions of the courses you are interested in taking.

Look for courses at USU that you think match those courses

Meet with the articulation representative in your host department or college

Take the Study Abroad Credit Approval Form and the course descriptions of both the host institution courses and the USU courses to a meeting with the articulation representative in the academic department or college from which you are requesting credit. It is recommended that you select a few back-up courses in addition to your top pick courses, should certain courses not be available at the time of your enrollment. You are welcome to submit as many credit approval forms as needed.

Meet with your academic advisor

Take the Study Abroad Credit Approval Form and the course descriptions of both the host institution courses and the USU courses to a meeting with your academic advisor to ensure courses will fit in your academic plan, and to see if any classes can be graded pass/fail (P/F), if P/F grades are desired. Please note: You may choose to request any class be graded as P/F with prior approval, but be aware that some major classes must be letter graded to count toward your degree requirements. Discuss your P/F requests with your academic advisor to see if that type of grading best benefits what you want/need.

Submit the completed form to USU Study Abroad

The completed form with signatures must be submitted to USU Study Abroad prior to your departure from USU. Please upload your completed form to the Study Abroad Credit Approval section of your study abroad application.

Stay in contact

At the time of enrollment at your host institution, you may enroll in courses not listed on this form. If this happens, be in touch with the articulation representative in the academic department or college from which you are requesting credit and your academic advisor for approval of the additional courses and to ensure they will fit in your academic plan. The signed form should then be re-submitted.

Visit returning students page for steps to transfer credits when you return.