Receive Residence Credit and Grades
All approved study abroad programs meet UW-Madison course standards and give you in-residence credit. This means that grades earned abroad become part of your UW-Madison grade point average and course equivalents are recorded on your transcript for the classes you complete abroad. College of Engineering policy exception.
Upon acceptance to your program, you will receive a program-specific grade/credit conversion chart.
Maintain UW-Madison Enrollment
While abroad, you remain continuously registered at UW-Madison. This means that you:
- maintain your class standing with the Office of the Registrar;
- enroll for future semesters at the same time that you would if you weren’t studying abroad;
- continue to be eligible for all services (academic advising, Office 365 applications and email, library access, etc.) provided to UW students which you can access from off campus.
We enroll you in a study abroad “placeholder” course during the time you are abroad. This will be replaced with specific graded course credit once your program is complete and grades are processed.
Choose the Right Classes
While some of our programs offer a single course or a set curriculum, many give you the freedom to pick from a wide range of courses. These programs allow you to choose what is most interesting to you or what will work best for your major/degree. You will eventually fill out a Course Equivalent Request (CER) for all of the courses you take abroad.
Each of our program pages has a list of course equivalents attached to it. If you have chosen a program with a wide range of available courses, this list is to help you get a sense of the types of courses UW-Madison students have taken in the past and that you may be able to take while you are abroad. You are not limited to the courses listed! We encourage students to explore their interests and even take courses with content that is not offered here at UW-Madison.
Graduate While Abroad
You may be able to graduate while abroad if you have completed all of your degree requirements. Communication is important here; be sure to discuss your plans to graduate abroad with your academic advisor and study abroad advisor. International students should discuss graduation abroad with ISS to be sure they understand how this affects their U.S. visa status.
The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the College of Engineering (Rules and Regulations; rule 39) both have specific graduation policies that students planning to graduate while abroad need to know.
Review the Study Abroad Handbook for detailed information about graduating while abroad. The Office of the Registrar has more information available online about applying for graduation.