Global Experiences Transfer Credit Approval Process

Note: The below steps are only for international global experiences where a student is participating in a credit bearing experience. If you are looking for information regarding transferring credit from a U.S. institution, please consult your Success Advisor.

Why do I need to complete the Transfer Credit Approval Process before studying abroad? 

The Transfer Credit Approval Process is required to maintain your enrollment as an Ohio University student. Additionally, this process allows you to:  

• Ensure that you receive academic credit.
• Verify that your expectations regarding credits earned are realistic.
• Understand if and how your financial aid package (scholarships and loans) will apply to your program costs.  
• Ensure that you understand the appropriate guidelines and policies 

Still narrowing your program decision? Not a problem. 

If you have narrowed your program choice down to a final two or three options but want to see how credits and financial aid applies to each create an application in the OGO Student Portal with details for each program.  When you've decided on your final choice, email global.opportunities@ohio.edu to let us know that you'd like to cancel the other applications.  

What does the process look like? 

The credit approval process consists of four steps, which you will complete in the Office of Global Opportunities Student Portal. 

1. Admissions Approval - Confirms that the institution issuing your transcript is accredited by a national ministry of education and the credits earned can be accepted by Ohio University.  
2. Academic Approval – Evaluates what courses will be available on your global experience and how they will transfer back to Ohio University. 
3. Budget and Financial Aid Approval - Understand total program cost as well as if and how financial aid can apply to your program costs. 
4. Verification of Enrollment – Upon arriving on-site, you will submit a verification of enrollment form, which allows OHIO to confirm your enrollment and disburse any applicable financial aid. 

Admissions Approval 

This section is completed by an Office of Global Opportunities (OGO) advisor in consultation with Undergraduate Admissions when your program is approved within the OGO Student Portal.  You will know that your program is approved by OGO when your program name in the OGO Student Portal switches from "Non-OHIO Placeholder Program" to the actual name of your selected program and you have received an "Acceptance" email.  Note: This process can take up to one week after your application has been received.  

After OGO has approved your program, you will see your transcription institution listed on the "Admissions Approval" tab of the OGO Student Portal.  Review this information and contact Global Opportunities ASAP if you have any questions or concerns about what is listed there. 

Transfer Credit Guidelines

Final determination of transfer credit will depend on the transcript received after the experience has been completed. Courses and grades must meet the guidelines found on the Admissions Catalog. In most cases, study abroad course credit pre-approved during this process meets these guidelines. 
 
Undergraduate students must receive the equivalent grade of a “C” or better to receive transfer credit to Ohio University. Graduate students are required to receive the equivalent of a “B" or better. Transfer credit will be placed on your DARS after the Ohio University Admissions Office has received and evaluated the official transcript from the recognized or accredited university. The transfer credit will appear as a “T” signifying that it is transfer credit, followed by the appropriate letter grade that you received, e.g., “TA,” “TB”. 
 
It is your responsibility to ensure that the host institution or the provider will provide a transcript, translated in English, if necessary, to the Office of Global Opportunities. If secure digital transcripts are offered, request these be sent to admissions@ohio.edu, and if possible, copying global.opportunities@ohio.edu 

It can take 2 to 4 months for the host institution to provide your transcript. Upon receipt, OGO forwards the transcript to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. It is then sent to your college/department, as they add the course equivalencies. 

Academic Approval 

In this section, you will evaluate what courses are available on your global experience and how they will transfer back to OHIO. You will work with the Success Advisor in your college(s) of enrollment to receive academic pre-approval for any courses you consider taking on your global program.  

If your program provider also has a course approval form, once you have completed the "Academic Approval" tab in the portal, email the form to global.opportunities@ohio.edu and an OGO advisor will sign the form.

How to complete the Study Abroad Course Pre-Approval Form

• Meet with your Success Advisor(s) to review your DARS and plan what courses may fit in your Graduation Plan. 
  • College of Arts and Sciences students should meet with Randy Price or Grace Jones.
• Select courses and find course descriptions and/or course syllabi offered by your global program. In case some courses become unavailable, identify at least twice the number of courses than your intended course load. IMPORTANT NOTE: Without course syllabi, you may be unable to properly equate your proposed courses to OHIO courses. Contact your global program provider or university partner to request course descriptions and/or syllabi.
• Complete the Study Abroad Course Pre-Approval Form with program and course information. Tips for completing this form: 
  • Find the Transcript Issuing Institution identified in the Admissions Approval tab. Note: The domestic/international status of the transcript institution may be different than the international program site. 
  • Provide as much information as possible for each course in Course Information. 
  • Add course descriptions to Additional Information (optional). The form only accepts Word or PDF file types.
  • Look for a notification email from the Online, Transfer, and Credit Services Center upon successful submission of your request.

You will receive a confirmation email with the results of your pre-approved courses within 5-7 business days. OGO encourages you to consult with your Success Advisor about the results of this pre-approval and any potential DARS substitutions to determine how they may impact your time to degree completion. 

• Upload pdf results of the Study Abroad Course Pre-Approval form to this Academic Approvals Tab and check the box below. 

Onsite reminder: You should keep all updated syllabi and completed coursework from the study abroad experience in case additional approvals or checks are needed upon return. If seeking a DARS exception, you will request this after completing the study abroad experience. DARS exceptions cannot be completed until after courses have been completed and added to the DARS.

Budget and Financial Aid Approval 

For this section, the process varies for Exchange and Non-OHIO experiences. Students interested in exchange programs will utilize the student budget worksheet associated with the exchange experience for their term of interest. The student budget worksheet can be found on the program website.  

Students interested in a Non-OHIO experience will work with an OGO advisor to create a budget outlining the total estimated “cost of attendance” for the global experience.  

Creating a budget (Non-OHIO Programs): 

1. Download the Alternative Budget Form. Use this guide to determine the total estimated “cost of attendance” for your global experience. Be sure to include any program fees your provider has, the $150 education abroad administrative fee as well as out-of-pocket expenses like round-trip airfare, food (if meals are not included), extra travel expenses, passport and visa fees, and other miscellaneous costs. 
2. Meet with an OGO Advisor.  An OGO advisor will review your budget to ensure you have accounted for all estimated program costs. You will need an OGO advisor to sign off to complete your registration. 

Once you have either a student budget worksheet or an OGO-approved alternative budget form, you are ready to meet with Financial Aid to discuss your hat about their financial situation.  

When going to Financial Aid, students must bring: 

• A copy of their completed Study Abroad Course Pre-Approval form (see the Academic Approvals for more details). 
• A copy of the student budget worksheet or the completed Alternative Budget Form, signed by an OGO advisor 
• Any questions about your financial situation. 

Verification of Oversees Enrollment (VOE) 

Once you have arrived on-site you will need to confirm your enrollment as an Ohio University student by completing the Verification of Enrollment (VOE) form.  

After you have arrived in your host country: 

1. Download a copy of the VOE Form 
2. Complete the top portion of the form. 
3. Reach out to the appropriate institutional authority overseas (in-country Program Director or Registrar) and have them complete the second section. They must sign, date, and, if available, affix or stamp the institution’s official seal on it. 
4. Upload a copy of the form in the OGO Student Portal.  

After a VOE has been submitted, any financial aid and scholarships that are applicable to your experience can be released. It will take approximately two weeks for financial aid to be released after OGO receives the completed VOE.