Transferring credits

Studying away at another institution in the United States (including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands) through NSE? Visit this Records and Registrations webpage for their off-campus course transfer process.

If your placement through NSE is in Canada, follow the Education Abroad process below. 

To receive specific UWL credits for your study abroad experience, you MUST submit an Education Abroad Academic Plan. If you do not submit an Academic Plan and have approvals for courses abroad, they will transfer back to UWL as elective credits.

Only plans completed through the DocuSign process will be accepted, no e-mail approvals will be allowed.

1. Before you start your plan:
   • Have syllabi/description of the course you want approval for. You must upload a file for each class.
     • All syllabi/descriptions must be in English. It is your responsibility to translate if needed.
   • For each course you’ll want to know your abroad course number (if available), abroad course title, which (if any) gen ed credit you want for the course, and the equivalent UWL course number.
   • Do not start your plan until you are ready with these materials as your progress is not saved.
     • We highly suggest that you add more courses than you need to take on your plan so you have multiple options for your program.
   • Example of academic plan here
2. Complete the Education Abroad Academic Plan DocuSign power form
   
   • Follow this link to the DocuSign power form to complete your academic plan. 
   • Read through and follow the instructions on the first page.
3. Review plan.
   • Once the plan is completed by the approvers, a copy will be sent to you to review and sign.
   • Save a copy of your Academic. 

Recommended Deadlines to Submit Your Academic Plan
Winter and Spring Programs: November 15
Summer, Fall, and Academic Year Programs: April 15

Instructions for filling out your Education Abroad Academic Plan

1. Go to the DocuSign power form  enter your First and Last name and your UWL email. Select "Begin Signing"
2. Read through all instructions and frequently asked questions on page one.
3. On the second page, complete the rest of the Student Information Section including your Student ID number, your majors and minors, your term abroad and your program name. 
4. Now you can fill out the Courses section.
   1. For the first class you want approval for, upload your syllabus. 
      1. Make sure if your syllabus is a screenshot nothing was cut off, it includes the title, and if necessary, is translated to English.
   2. In the "Abroad Course #" box you will put in the code that the program you are applying to uses for this course. Please note, not all programs use course numbers/codes; if this is the case for your program you can leave this blank. 
   3. Add the title of the course you plan to take abroad as your program abroad calls it in the "Abroad Course Title" box not the UWL one you want it to transfer back as.
   4. If you intend to have this course transfer back as a General Education requirement you need to select "Yes" in the "Using for Gen Ed?" box and then write which Gen Ed you want it back as.
      1. The Gen Ed is not an elective in your major/minor and you should not be writing a course number in this box. For example, if you were trying to get your science general education requirement completed you would write either 05, 1008, or NSWL-ES depending on your advisement report. 
   5. In the "UWL Course #" box you will add in the UWL course code for the class you would like this to transfer back as.
   6. If there is anything you want the department approvers to know about the course, you can add a comment. This box is optional.
   7. You can repeat step 4 for a total of up to 10 courses on one plan. 
5.  Once you have filled out the student information section all the courses you may complete the plan by selecting "Finish". This will send the plan to IEE who will send it to each department you asked for a course from for approval.
   1. This can take up to 3 weeks to be processed, longer during the summer/winter breaks.
6. Once it is processed you are sent a copy to review and sign. Be sure to save a copy for your records. 
7. You are able to submit multiple academic plans.
   1. This process is to get approvals for courses, it is not setting in stone what you have to take abroad.
   2. If on a plan you have one course denied but others approved, you can submit a new plan and you only need to add a replacement for the denied course. Courses that are approved on any plan for you will remain approved.
   3. In some cases, students might not be able to complete it until they arrive at their host institution abroad or when they return to UWL after their semester abroad. If this is your case, you MUST communicate with your UWL international programs manager.

IEE maintains a "Course Equivalency Database” you can visit with courses that have been previously approved for students to take abroad/away.

• This database is not comprehensive and does not take the place of completing your academic plan or meeting with your academic advisor.
• Even if a course is on this list you still must add it to an academic plan. If you take the course without submitting it on an academic plan it will transfer back as general elective credit.

IEE will enroll you in the UWL 300 International Study Abroad course for the duration of your study abroad program.

If you are participating in a Faculty-led Program, you will be enrolled in the actual course(s) by IEE.

Potential UWL Registration Issues: HOLDS!

If IEE can't enroll you in the study abroad course for the semester abroad, it could be due to any of these issues:

• Current balance must be paid in full.
• Meet with your academic advisor to remove advising holds.

You can find instructions on how to determine what kind of hold you have and what to do on the WINGS webpage (click on "Holds and To Do List").

1. It may take up to 90 days after you complete your program for IEE to receive your international transcript. Be sure to follow-up with your host institution or program provider to ensure your transcript is sent to IEE. In some cases students MUST request a transcript to be sent to IEE. 
2. IEE will evaluate your transcript and match your courses to your course approvals on your Education Abroad Academic Plan. Courses that do not have approvals will transfer back as general education credit.
3. Once the evaluation is complete, IEE will forward your transcript and evaluation to UWL Records & Registration.
4. Records and Registration will process your transcript evaluation and courses will show up on your transcript record under transfer credits.

Remember:

• Grades count and will come back as A - F letter grades.
• Education abroad credits are considered transfer credits.
• Education abroad grades will factor into your transfer GPA and cumulative GPA (see example below).
• For faculty-led programs study abroad credits are considered UWL credits and grades will factor into the UWL GPA.

Your Academic Plan determines how your courses from abroad will transfer to UWL. If you do not submit an Academic Plan, credits will transfer as GEL 000L.
If you need specific UWL credits, you MUST submit an Academic Plan.

It is your responsibility to find the classes you want to take at the program abroad and find the equivalents, but you should meet with your academic advisor to discuss your plans and how your courses fit into your program.

Each program has different requirements when it comes to education abroad so make sure to do your research and stay in contact with your advisors. 

IEE is aware that students participating in certain programs might not be able to complete their plan by the deadlines. In some cases, students might not be able to complete it until they arrive at their host institution abroad or when they return to UWL after their semester abroad. If this is your case, you MUST communicate with your UWL international programs manager.

Grades will factor into your Transfer GPA and Overall GPA. All international grades will be converted into the UWL/U.S. grading system. Grades from faculty-led programs will count towards the UWL GPA.

No. You cannot retake a failed course abroad. You must repeat the failed course on campus.

All students abroad must still follow the undergraduate student credit load policy. 

Students must be enrolled in at least

• 12 U.S. Credits during semester programs. Most students take 12-18 credits.
• 6 U.S. Credits during summer programs. Most students take 6-12 credits.
• Winter programs based on weeks abroad. Most students take 3 credits.

International institutions have different credit systems. If you are unsure as to how many courses you need to be enrolled in, please consult this International Credit Equivalencies page and/or contact your International Program Manager/Education Abroad Advisor.
For Example: UK Programs: 5-6 ECTS = 3 U.S. credits. 15 British Credits = 3 U.S. credits. AUS Programs: 10-12 = 4 U.S. credits.

If you do not get approval for your courses, credits will transfer as GEL (general elective).

You should contact IEE regarding any course changes/additions for your courses abroad. You can submit a new Education Abroad Academic Plan with the new course(s) at any time.

If you need courses to transfer as specific UWL credits, you must get approval from the academic department through the academic plan.

No. Your education abroad courses will not count towards the UWL tuition plateau.