How courses from a semester/summer program abroad come back to ISU:
IMPORTANT: When advising students about study abroad, CALS study abroad advisors instruct students to consult with their academic advisors on how the classes they plan to take abroad will most likely transfer back to Iowa State.
- Transcripts from international institutions are sent to the CALS Study Abroad office if the student was on a CALS program; or to the Study Abroad Center in 281 Parks Library if they were on a non-CALS program.
- The CALS Study Abroad office sends a certified copy of the original transcript to the Registrar’s office.
- Students can pick up their original transcript from their host university in 0018 Curtiss Hall if they were on a CALS program; if they were on a Study Abroad Center program, they need to go to 281 Parks Library to pick up their original transcript.
- Course information on the transcripts from international institution, is sent to the student in Workday. Academic advisors are unaware of the transcripts/course information until the student alerts their academic advisor that they have received their transcript.
- Academic advisor (or in some cases, the leadership in their college/the college where they will earn their credit through) will determine how the credits transfer back. The academic advisor will review these courses to see how they might be used in the student’s degree program. In some cases, the course will come in as a specific ISU course (e.g., HIST 201); in other cases, the course will come in as a more generic course (e.g., HIST 2T**).
- If the course isn’t fitting where they want it to in Workday, they will need to submit a degree audit adjustment request. Departmental approval is required for all adjustment requests; additional approvals are required for requests involving college or university requirements. To secure required approval, academic advisors can ask the students to provide coursework and syllabi for course taken abroad. (CALS study abroad advisors encourage students to save their coursework and syllabi).
*Academic advisors: There may be other academic advisors in your department who have done this process before and could explain how they approach this process.
Disclaimer: This information was gathered from a few experienced academic advisors who have also warned that each department, and even major, may have different ways of doing this.