Academic Credit Transfer

CIS Abroad‘s programs are fully accredited and at some of the best institutions in the world. CIS Abroad programs either carry a transcript from the host institution, accredited in that country, or carry a fully accredited U.S. institution transcript. Determining how credit will transfer is a crucial part of the study abroad application process for students, parents, and advisors. We compiled some guidelines to help facilitate credit transfer process from our host institutions abroad.

Transferring credit from CIS Abroad programs

A student’s home university will dictate whether they can receive credit for courses taken abroad on a CIS Abroad program. We recommend that students seek approval for each class by submitting course syllabi or course descriptions to an academic advisor in their department during the enrollment process. Students should begin by asking their study abroad office if CIS Abroad is an approved program and about the process for transferring credits back to campus.

Processing Transcripts

After your student has completed their coursework at the foreign university and has made all of the appropriate payments, the home institution will be issued a transcript from the host school via CIS Abroad. In addition to the official transcript, we also provide a transcript translation sheet to facilitate faster acceptance of overseas credits.

This process generally takes longer than in the U.S., usually about 8 – 10 weeks. Please keep in mind that academic records will not be released if a student has any outstanding financial obligations to the host university or to CIS Abroad. If you have any questions about a student transcript, please contact us!

Transcript Request

Have students applying to graduate school or need an additional transcript? Please email admissions@cisabroad.com.

ARGENTINA

BUENOS AIRES

Our university partner in Argentina structures courses in terms of contact hours. The number of credits earned depends on the time spent in class with a professor.

At the Universidad de Belgrano, each contact hour is equivalent to 45 minutes, rather than the standard 50 minutes in the United States. CIS Abroad recommends calculating the number of credit hours to be awarded per course by translating the total number of Argentine contact hours into U.S. contact hours. Students receive a Universidad de Belgrano transcript.

AUSTRALIA

ADELAIDE

University of Adelaide operates on a credit ‘point’ system. Credit values per course at Adelaide may vary (generally 3 credit points equals 4 U.S. credits). Students will select 3-4 courses for a total of 9-12 credit points, or approximately 12-16 U.S. semester credits. The recommended credit calculation is 1 subject/course = 3 units = 3-4 U.S. semester credits. Students receive a University of Adelaide transcript.

MELBOURNE

La Trobe University issues credits that are equal to 0.25 U.S. credits. In other words, to determine U.S. semester credit equivalency from La Trobe credits, divide by four. A full-time workload at La Trobe is typically 60 La Trobe credits per semester (or 15 U.S. credits). As courses at La Trobe can equate to varying amounts of U.S. credit hours, all students should verify that they will complete the required amount of credit for their home university upon their arrival. Students usually complete 3-4 modules per term. Students receive a La Trobe University transcript.

University of Melbourne, our other university partner in Melbourne, operates on a credit ‘point’ system. Students must take between three to four classes. A full course load at the University of Melbourne is roughly 37.5 points to 50 points. One course equals about 12.5 points. It is recommended that 12.5 UMEL unit points is equivalent to 4 U.S. credits. Contact hours vary, however, they are usually between 12-18 hours per class per week for an entire semester. Each subject students take is usually a combination of large lectures and small group tutorials or laboratory courses. Students receive a University of Melbourne transcript.

NEWCASTLE

University of Newcastle operates on a semester schedule similar to the American system. Newcastle is like the Australian universities in that students take 3-4 subjects per term. Each course at Newcastle is worth 10 points and would be equivalent to 3-4 U.S. credits. Students receive a University of Newcastle transcript.

SYDNEY

Macquarie University operates on a credit ‘point’ system. Credit values per course at Macquarie may vary (generally 3 credit points equals 4 U.S. credits), so students should be sure to check equivalencies with their home university in order to maintain their full-time enrollment. Students will select 3-4 courses for a total of 9-12 credit points, or approximately 12-16 U.S. semester credits. Students receive a Macquarie University transcript.

University of Sydney operates on a credit ‘point’ system. Students will select 3-4 courses for their term. The recommended credit, 6 USYD unit points, is roughly equivalent to 4 U.S. credits. Students receive a University of Sydney transcript.

Bond University operates on a trimester schedule similar to the American system. Bond is like the Australian universities in that students take 3-4 subjects per term. Each subject at Bond is worth 10 points and would be equivalent to 3-4 U.S. credits.

Classes are generally organized by students going to a lecture once per week and tutorials twice per week. A tutorial is a smaller class where students can interact with the professor or lecturer, and this is where they are encouraged to ask questions. Although students can take only 4 subjects in a semester, they are asked to do much more outside of the classroom than in the American system. For this reason, it is recommended that U.S. schools consider granting 4 U.S. credits per class as opposed to 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a Bond University transcript.

CHINA

BEIJING

At Tsinghua University, students are required to enroll in 5 to 6 courses for a full course load of 15-18 credits.

The number of credits per course type is as follows:

Academic courses (1-4 credits each)
Mandarin language courses (6-8 credits each)
Chinese culture and society courses (2 credits each)

Students receive a Tsinghua University transcript.

COSTA RICA

SAN JOSE

Universidad Veritas operates on the contact hour system. The number of credits earned depends on the time spent in class with a professor. To determine the conversion of Costa Rican contact hours to U.S. credits, divide the contact hours per course by 15 (number of weeks in a semester). Elective courses vary between 3-4 U.S. semester credits and language courses can equate to 3-5 U.S. semester credits. Students receive a Universidad Veritas transcript.

CZECH REPUBLIC

PRAGUE

Charles University operates on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). It is generally accepted that in order to convert from ECTS to U.S. credits, one should divide the ECTS total by 2. One course is typically 6 ECTS, whereby most courses are worth 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a Charles University transcript.

University of Economics of Prague (VŠE) also operates on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). It is generally accepted that in order to convert from ECTS to U.S. credits, one should divide the ECTS total by 2. One course is typically 6 ECTS, whereby most courses are worth 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a University of Economics of Prague transcript.

ECUADOR

QUITO

Universidad Internacional de Ecuador operates on the contact hour system. The number of credits earned depends on the time spent in class with a professor. Courses are three credits each. One credit is equivalent to one hour of class per week throughout the semester. To determine the conversion of contact hours to U.S. credits, divide the contact hours for each course by 15 (number of weeks in the semester). Students receive a Universidad Internacional de Ecuador transcript.

The Universidad San Francisco de Quito operates on the contact hour system. The number of credits earned depends on the time spent in class with a professor. To determine the conversion of contact hours to U.S. credits, divide the contact hours for each course by 15 (number of weeks in the semester). Students receive a Universidad San Francisco de Quito transcript.

ENGLAND

LONDON

University of Westminster students enrolled full-time receive a total of 60 UK credits (the equivalent of 12 U.S. semester credits or 30 ECTS credits) in one semester. Students generally complete 3 modules per semester (with a fourth semester module available for an additional fee), or 1 module per summer, as the majority of modules are worth 20 UK credits (the equivalent of 4 U.S. semester credits or 10 ECTS credits) each. Students receive a University of Westminster transcript.

The University of Roehampton operates on the British credit system. Students usually complete 3-4 modules per term, each valued at 10 – 20 British credits. A student will typically be enrolled in 60 UK credits for a full term, which is 3-4 courses. Students receive a University of Roehampton transcript.

FRANCE

AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Institut Américain Universitaire – College issues a U.S. transcript. One semester hour requires completion of one 50 minute class meeting per week for an academic session of 15 weeks, or the equivalent. Students receive a Institut Américain Universitaire transcript.

PARIS

Institut Catholique de Paris operates on the contact hour system, wherein the amount of credits earned depends on the time spent in class. The Institut Catholique de Paris will issue students a transcript with their grade as well as the total number of in-class hours for each course. One course equals 43-45 contact hours or 3 U.S. credits. Students usually take 180 contact hours, which is 12 U.S. credits. Students receive an Institut Catholique de Paris transcript.

LISAA School of Art & Design operates on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). It is generally accepted that in order to convert from ECTS to U.S. credits, one should divide the ECTS total by 2. One course is typically 6 ECTS, whereby most courses are worth 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a LISAA School of Art & Design transcript.

Paris School of Business operates on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). It is generally accepted that in order to convert from ECTS to U.S. credits, one should divide the ECTS total by 2. One course is typically 6 ECTS, whereby most courses are worth 3 U.S. credits. Each of the courses offered at PSB is worth 5 ECTS, which roughly transfers to 2.5 semester units. Most institutions round up to 3 U.S. semester credits. Students receive a Paris School of Business transcript.

GERMANY

Valparaiso University Study Center at Reutlingen University (Valparaiso University) issues a U.S. transcript for this program. Most courses are worth 3-4 credits each. Students receive a Valparaiso University transcript.

GREECE

Hellenic American University (HAU) uses a traditional U.S. grading system and U.S. transcript for academic courses. The average course load is 5-6 courses, equivalent to 18 U.S. credits. Official U.S. transcripts are provided by HAU. Students receive a Hellenic American University transcript.

IRELAND

Our partner universities in Ireland operate on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). It is generally accepted that in order to convert from ECTS to U.S. credits, one should divide the ECTS total by 2, one course is typically 6 ECTS whereby most courses are worth 3 U.S. credits.

DUBLIN

The standard Dublin City University course is 5 ECTS credits, which is also typically equivalent to 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a Dublin City University transcript.

LIMERICK

The standard University of Limerick module is valued at 6 ECTS credits, although there are some exceptions. 6 ECTS credits are typically equivalent to 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a University of Limerick transcript.

ITALY

FLORENCE

At Florence University of the Arts, University of South Florida issues a U.S. transcript for this program, most courses are worth 3-4 credits each. Students receive a Florence University of the Arts transcript.

PERUGIA

Students will receive an Umbra Institute grade report or they may request a U.S. transcript from the Umbra Institute school of record, Connecticut College, for an additional fee. Each course is worth 3-4 credits. Students typically take 4-5 courses per semester.

ROME

At American University of Rome, at a minimum, one semester credit hour equals 15 classroom contact hours of lectures, 30 hours of laboratory, or 45 hours of practicum. The majority of courses listed in the catalog carry three semester credit hours. Students will take 4-5 classes. Students receive an American University of Rome transcript.

SORRENTO

At our partner in Sorrento, Sant’Anna Institute, Jacksonville University issues a U.S. transcript for this program. Most courses are worth 3-4 credits each. Students receive a Jacksonville University transcript.

JAPAN

KYOTO

At Kyoto University of Foreign Studies (KUFS), students take between 10-18 Japanese credits per term. Ten of those credits must be in Japanese Language coursework at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies. There are 45 course hours total per 1 KUFS credit.

For the Japanese language course, the transcript will show all 10 levels below the course listing. We recommend evaluating that as 1 Japanese credit, for 45 contact hours. Students receive a Kyoo University of Foreign Studies transcript.

TOKYO

At Seisen University, participants are required to enroll in one course per 2 week term at Seisen University. Each course is worth 4 Japanese credits, which is 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a Seisen University transcript.

NEW ZEALAND

Our partner universities in New Zealand operate on a credit ‘point’ system. Courses in New Zealand are commonly referred to as “papers.” Generally speaking, one 18 point paper is generally equivalent to 3-4 U.S. semester credits. Most students take 3-4 papers per semester for 54-72 credit points per semester, or 12-16 U.S. semester credits. Given that point values vary, the way in which credits completed abroad will transfer to a student’s home campus will be under the discretion of the student’s home institution and should be verified in advance.

OTAGO

At the University of Otago, a full-time course is generally between 54 and 72 points in any one semester. The normal class load of a student studying at the University of Otago is 3-4 classes.

54 points = 36 hours of work per week = 12 U.S. credit workload
72 points = 48 hours of work per week = 16 U.S. credit workload

One class is usually worth 18 Otago points each. CIS Abroad recommends that 18-point classes transfer back as 4 U.S. credits. Students receive a University of Otago transcript.

WELLINGTON

At Victoria University of Wellington, a typical full-time load consists of 60 points per term. 1 point equals 10 hours of total work over the term (inclusive of lectures, labs, tutorials and independent study).

100 level classes equal 15 or 18 pts. (150 or 180 hours of study)
200 level classes equal 20 or 22 pts. (200 or 220 hours of study)
300 level classes equal 20 or 24 pts. (200 or 240 hours of study)
Some classes equal 30 pts. (300 hours of study)

Recommended credit: 15-30 points per class= 3-7 U.S. semester credits per subject. Students receive a Victoria University of Wellington transcript.

PERU

CUSCO

At Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL), a typical course load is 5 courses per semester. Students typically take 4 elective courses and 1 language course. Local credits transfer back on the semester system. 1 USIL credit equals 1 U.S. semester credit. Students receive a Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola transcript.

SCOTLAND

STIRLING

At the University of Stirling, students are encouraged to take 60 SCQF credits per semester. However, Stirling advises that each course is roughly the equivalent of 5 U.S. semester credits. 3 Stirling modules (60 SCQF) is considered a full semester load. Students receive a University of Stirling transcript.

EDINBURGH

Most courses at University of Edinburgh are worth 20 “Edinburgh” credits. 20 Edinburgh credits are roughly equivalent to 10 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System), or approximately 5 U.S. credits. Students should aim to take 60 Edinburgh credits per semester. Three Edinburgh modules (60 Edinburgh credits or 15 U.S. credits) is considered a full semester load. Students receive a University of Edinburgh transcript.

SOUTH AFRICA

STELLENBOSCH

At Stellenbosch University, the number of credits is based on the workload of each course. 4 South African credits is equivalent to 1 U.S. credit. One course at Stellenbosch is worth 12 South African credits and 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a Stellenbosch University transcript.

SOUTH KOREA

SEOUL

At Sogang University, one Korean credit is equal to 1 U.S. credit. Each course is typically worth 3 credits. Students will take 4-5 courses per semester to be considered full-time. Students receive a Sogang University transcript.

At Kyung Hee University, one Korean credit is equal to 1 U.S. credit. Each course is typically worth 3 credits. Students will take 4-5 courses per semester to be considered full-time. Students receive a Kyung Hee University transcript.

SPAIN

Partner universities in Spain operate on the contact hour system, wherein the amount of credits earned depends on the time spent in class. A 45-hour class is worth 6 ECTS credits (3 U.S. credits). A 90-hour class is worth 12 ECTS credits (6 U.S. credits).

BARCELONA

At Barcelona School for International Studies, Jacksonville University issues a U.S. transcript for this program. Most courses are worth 3-4 credits each. Students receive a Jacksonville University transcript.

Universitat de Barcelona operates on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). It is generally accepted that in order to convert from ECTS to U.S. credits, one should divide the ECTS total by 2. One course is typically 6 ECTS, whereby most courses are worth 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a Universitat de Barcelona transcript.

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona operates on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). It is generally accepted that in order to convert from ECTS to U.S. credits, one should divide the ECTS total by 2. One course is typically 6 ECTS, whereby most courses are worth 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona transcript.

MADRID

Universidad Antonio de Nebrija operates on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). It is generally accepted that in order to convert from ECTS to U.S. credits, one should divide the ECTS total by 2. One course is typically 6 ECTS, whereby most courses are worth 3 U.S. credits. Students receive a Universidad Antonio de Nebrija transcript.

THAILAND

BANGKOK

The grading system at Mahidol University (MUIC) is like the system at an American college. A trimester course worth 4 Thai credits at Mahidol University is often equivalent to a 3-credit semester class. There are typically 44 lecture hours per 4-Thai-credit course, not including the final exam. Students receive a Mahidol University transcript.

U.S. - HAWAI'I

HONOLULU

Hawai’i Pacific University issues a U.S. transcript for this program, most courses are worth 3-4 credits each. Students receive a Hawai’i Pacific University transcript.

VIETNAM

HO CHI MINH

Our partner in Vietnam is RMIT University in Vietnam, a campus of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, which is an Australian university that issues an Australian transcript. RMIT operates on a credit ‘point’ system. Students must take between 3-4 classes. A full course load at the RMIT is roughly 37 points to 50 points. One course equals about 12 unit points. It is recommended that 12 RMIT unit points is equivalent to 3 U.S. credits. Students receive an RMIT University transcript.

INTERNSHIP CREDIT? WE OFFER THAT, TOO

Two options are available for participants who are interested in earning academic credit for the CIS Abroad internship experience.

PLYMOUTH STATE UNIVERSITY CREDIT

Participants should discuss academic credit options with their home university early in the application process. Academic credit for internships must be approved and arranged BEFORE the internship begins, as credit cannot typically be arranged retroactively. This option is available for an additional fee.

HOME UNIVERSITY CREDIT

Participants may be able to arrange academic credit for the internship placement directly through their home university by speaking with their academic department and/or the study abroad office. At the time of application to the program, students who choose this option will need to provide CIS Abroad with the details of the credit and any special requirements as it relates to the internship placement. Students are responsible for paying their home university for any tuition or fees associated with the credit.

NOTE: Participants should discuss academic credit options with their home university early in the application process. Academic credit for internships must be approved and arranged BEFORE the internship begins, as credit cannot typically be retroactively arranged.