Handbook – Study Abroad Policies

Policy Statement
Students may add or drop courses up until specific add/drop deadlines established for their program.  These dates will likely differ from those on UW-Madison’s campus.  Some programs may not have an add/drop option because all courses are required. After the add/drop deadline, students are not allowed to add or drop classes, except in extremely unusual circumstances.  See the Late Drop policy for more information.

Refer to the Credit Load policy and your MyStudyAbroad account to ensure your enrollment will still meet the minimum credit load required and not exceed the maximum credit load allowed.

Procedures
If it is during the program’s initial add/drop period, students should consult with their program staff on the required steps to drop or add courses.  Students should consult with their UW academic advisors before doing so.  If a course is dropped during the drop/add period, it will not appear on a student’s University of Wisconsin transcript.  Failure to follow all program steps and requirements for dropping a course may mean that the course will appear on their program transcript. If the course is reported and a failing grade is assigned, students will receive an F on their UW-Madison transcript for the course. If an “Incomplete” appears on the program transcript because you did not officially drop the course, this “Incomplete” will lapse to an “F” if you are unable to complete the work for this course.

Policy Statement
Students who are registered with the McBurney Disability Resource Center may be able to receive their accommodations abroad.

Procedures
Students should start at least six months to a year in advance to determine if their host site will be able to meet their accommodations.  Not all study abroad programs are able to offer accommodations to students. When a program has a specific educational requirement, a reasonable accommodation may not be attainable to provide reasonable access for you to meet the essential course standards. Each situation is unique and requires careful and thoughtful review. Creative solutions have been identified for many students needing complex accommodations when sufficient time is available to collaborate and problem solve. Likewise, if you do not provide sufficient notice to allow accommodations to be arranged, you may not be able to attend. See the Study Abroad for Students with Disabilities page for more information on specific procedures.

Policy Statement
Students are expected to be on time and attend all classes.

Procedures
Attend all classes as scheduled. Consult program handbooks and program course syllabi for specific attendance policies and how those may impact grades. If students have an accommodation that is approved at their host site that allows them to miss classes, they must present that information at the beginning of the semester to their faculty and follow any instructions provided by their host institution.

Policy Statement
Undergraduate students must take a minimum of the equivalent of 12 UW-Madison credits on semester-long programs.  Undergraduate students may take a maximum of the equivalent of 18 UW-Madison credits on semester-long programs.

Students taking credit during the summer term may not exceed 12 credits overall across all summer terms, including those abroad and at UW-Madison.

Graduate students’ (non-dissertator) minimum credit load for the fall and spring semester is the equivalent of 2 UW-Madison credits on semester-long programs, and summer programs. Graduate students (non-dissertator) maximum credit load is the equivalent of 15 UW-Madison credits on semester-long programs, and 12 for summer programs. For graduate students, credit equivalents must be at the 300 level or higher to meet these credit load requirements. Students are responsible for understanding their credit equivalent scales for their programs to ensure they meet enrollment minimum and maximum requirements. These equivalent scales are provided in your MyStudyAbroad account.

Dissertator students’ minimum and maximum credit load for the fall and spring semester on semester programs is 3 credits. It is also 3 credits for summer programs.

International students, undergraduate and graduate, may have specific credit enrollment requirements to maintain their immigration status as students. International students should consult with the International Student Services office to ensure they maintain proper enrollment.

Some programs may require a lower or higher minimum number of credits and students are required to take all required program courses.  These requirements will be noted in your Academics page of MyStudyAbroad.  If there are required courses on a program, those are not allowed to be dropped.

Students are responsible for understanding their credit equivalent scales for their programs to ensure they meet enrollment minimum and maximum requirements. These equivalent scales are provided in students’ MyStudyAbroad account.  If students do not enroll and maintain full-time status as defined by UW-Madison Study Abroad, they are responsible for knowing about possible obligations that may require full-time status. Such obligations may include financial aid, degree satisfactory progress requirements and visa eligibility (international students).

PRE-SESSION CREDITS

Courses earned prior to the start of a semester abroad program will be used toward the maximum required credit enrollment in the semester program (18 credits for undergraduates and 15 graduate (non-dissertator), but do not count towards the minimum number of credits earned for a term abroad. Students must maintain a full time load for the duration of the semester abroad and pre-session credits are in addition to the minimum full time course load, and may not exceed 18 credits per term.

Procedures
Credit conversions are specific to each UW-Madison Study Abroad program. Students should check their MyStudyAbroad account for the program’s credit conversion scale.  If a study abroad program requires more than 12 credits, students must take the required amount.

Pre-Session Credits Procedures
If after converting the credits students are enrolled in, and they are taking more than 18 UW-Madison credits (not including the pre-semester course), they will need to contact their Enrollment Manager to request permission for a credit overload.

Policy Statement
Each course taken on a UW-Madison Study Abroad program must be equated to a course at UW-Madison, which we refer to as a course equivalent.  In some cases, a program course may need two UW-Madison course equivalents, or program courses may be combined towards one UW-Madison course equivalent. Refer to Course Equivalent Request (CER) information specific to your program in your MyStudyAbroad account. In most cases, one program course must have one UW-Madison course equivalent. UW-Madison course equivalents must be approved by the respective academic department on campus.

Sometimes the content of a program course is unique, and it is difficult to identify an appropriate UW-Madison course equivalent. In this case, a topics course may be the most appropriate match, and many UW-Madison academic departments offer ‘study abroad topics’ courses specifically to serve as program course equivalents.

In the event that there is not an appropriate UW-Madison academic department equivalent for a program course, UW-Madison Study Abroad will seek a study abroad elective course equivalent. Study abroad elective courses use the abbreviation STDYABRD, similar to International Studies using INTL ST. STDYABRD courses are not listed in the Guide. Your UW-Madison Study Abroad Office will identify the appropriate STDYABRD for your program course equivalent.  STDYABRD courses, by definition, are not attached to an academic department and do not apply toward a student’s major, or as departmental electives.

All SAB courses count toward fulfilling UW degree requirements including:

• Total Degree Credits Required (120 Credit Rule)
• 30 Credit Residence Requirement

Individual SAB courses, depending on the course components, may also count toward the following UW degree requirements:

• Breadth
• Depth (60 Credit Rule)
• Foreign Language
• Honors

Procedures
All students must submit a UW-Madison Course Equivalent Request (CER) for each course taken on their program, regardless of your grade or whether you are expecting major or elective credit. Students are granted access to the Course Equivalent Request system, which is located within the “Academics” tile, upon acceptance to their program.

Some program courses may already have a pre-approved UW-Madison course equivalent, or multiple course equivalents, while others will have to be reviewed and assigned a UW-Madison course equivalent for the first time.

Students will log in to MyStudyAbroad to request their course equivalent even if there is only one established equivalent.

There are three options to submit a CER in the MyStudyAbroad account.

1. Request a PRE-APPROVED UW-Madison course equivalent

Some program courses have pre-approved UW-Madison course equivalents. “Pre-Approved” means that the academic department has already reviewed the program course and has approved the UW-Madison course equivalent.

There may be multiple pre-approved equivalents listed for the same program course. Students should choose the equivalent that is most appropriate for their major and degree requirements. If students have questions about which equivalent to choose for their degree plan, they should consult their UW-Madison academic advisor(s).

Many UW faculty-led programs offer a single course with a single approved course equivalent. You will still need to log in to MySA to request your course equivalent even if there is only one option. Other faculty-led programs have multiple course equivalents to choose from; if this is the case, only the one you select in your MySA will appear on your transcript.

If students wish to request a different UW-Madison equivalent for a program course, they should submit a new CER (process below).

2. Request a NEW UW-Madison course equivalent

If a student’s program course(s) are not listed on the pre-approved list OR they wish to have another equivalent evaluated for a program course, they will submit a new CER requesting a UW-Madison course that best matches the program course. Submit one CER per program course, unless you are given more detailed instructions in the Academics section of MyStudyAbroad.

Students should check the UW-Madison Guide to find a UW-Madison course that is relevant to their program course. The courses should be similar in content and level. The Program Leader, program staff, Enrollment Manager or UW-Madison Academic Advisor(s), may have suggestions, but it is a student’s responsibility to research and submit appropriate CERs. Students should be careful that they are not requesting a course that they have already taken at UW-Madison, unless the course is repeatable. Students should check their School/College-level rules on “Repeating a Course” in the Guide before doing so.  If you’re having trouble, look for a Topics course or Study Abroad Topics course in a closely related department. Be aware that topics courses may not fulfill breadth requirements since the topic can vary.

When requesting a new equivalent, students must include a program course syllabus (in English, unless requesting a course equivalent in a language department) that includes a course description, topics covered, evaluation/grading criteria and reading list.  If a syllabus is not in English, students can do their own translation when necessary.  If the course does not have a syllabus, students are prompted to enter the necessary course information and details into a syllabus form when submitting their CER. If this information is not included, the request is sent back to the student, requiring further action on their part.

UW-Madison academic departments review CERs and make decisions on granting equivalents.  The determination of the academic department is final.

1. Request a Directed Study Course

CER Processing Time
Once students submit their CERs, the Enrollment Manager reviews the requests and forwards them to the relevant UW-Madison academic department for evaluation. Processing time varies by department; it is recommended that students submit their course requests as soon as possible after their schedule is finalized in order to provide adequate time.

Our staff and UW academic department staff review each CER individually, so please be mindful of the number of CERs you submit. While you can submit CERs as soon as you gain access to your MySA account (upon acceptance), you may want to wait and submit them until after you’ve enrolled in your program courses. This way you only select a pre-approved CER if you are taking the course.

Students should only select a pre-approved UW-Madison course equivalent if it is pre-approved for the exact program course they are actually taking (meaning the program course title should match the one they are taking).

Some universities may offer courses in subjects that are not taught at UW-Madison or for which there is no appropriate UW-Madison equivalent; therefore, a study abroad elective course equivalent (department listed as STDYABRD) will be assigned.

If your CER is denied, check the list of pre-approved equivalents to see if the department has approved a different equivalent. Departments rarely approve more than one equivalent for a course abroad. If no alternative equivalent was approved, submit a new CER for the course in a different academic department.

See the CER FAQ for additional information on CERs.

Policy Statement
Study abroad grades will count towards Dean’s List eligibility.

Procedure
The Registrar’s Office will add Dean’s List notation to the official transcript of any eligible study abroad student after their grades from abroad have been received and posted.

Policy Statement
Students are permitted to complete UW-Madison directed study courses while participating on their program only in addition to the minimum program course enrollment requirement.  Students cannot exceed the equivalent of 18 UW-Madison credits with directed study.  Students are limited to one directed study course taught by a UW-Madison professor, unless there is a required internship or directed study as part of the program structure.  Petitions to take two directed study courses will be considered if degree progression will be impeded.  Petitions need to be submitted prior to program departure. There are no additional fees for directed study courses.

Procedures
Students who want to pursue a directed study course abroad must do the following:

• Consider your academic goals and priorities for your study abroad or domestic study away experience, and whether adding a directed study would align with those goals.
• Consider and review the minimum & maximum course/credit load for your program. Refer to the program page and consult with your Enrollment Manager.
• Follow all program and host institution guidelines for full-time enrollment. In some cases, it is not possible to complete a directed study in addition to the course load required on the program.
• Find an instructor for your directed study.
• Plan your directed study directly with the UW-Madison instructor who will serve as your supervisor. Your UW-Madison study abroad office has no role or responsibility in this process.
• Complete this form, and upload it in your MyStudyAbroad account (Academic section, CER Option 3).

Policy Statement
Students will be enrolled in a study abroad placeholder course that allows them to maintain continuous enrollment at UW-Madison.

Summer Programs

The study abroad placeholder course is posted as the maximum number of credits students can take on their program. For example, students attending a program offering 3-6 credits will be enrolled in a 6-credit placeholder. If students plan to take additional UW-Madison courses during the summer, they should enroll for the selected courses as usual. Students taking credit during the summer term may not exceed 12 credits overall across all summer terms.

Winter and Spring Break Programs

The study abroad course for a winter or spring break program is included in the spring semester enrollment amount.

Procedures
Students must resolve and clear any holds on their UW student account that prevent enrollment.  Students should not enroll in courses on campus for the term of their program as that will prevent registration in the study abroad placeholder. If UW-Madison Study Abroad is unable to enroll you in the appropriate placeholder, your program participation may be cancelled.

After program completion, the placeholder is replaced with the actual UW equivalent courses, number of credits earned and grades corresponding to the courses the student took abroad. When calculating their remaining credits to graduate, it is important to note that the actual credits earned will vary based on the classes the student takes abroad, and in many cases will not exactly match the placeholder credits.   If students are taking a course abroad and their UW-Madison course equivalent will be a pre-requisite to enroll in a course on campus, students should be in touch with their academic advisor about how to enroll in the course on campus since the prerequisite course will not show on their record.  having the pre-rec on their transcript yet).

Winter and Spring Break Programs

Students should follow normal steps for their spring course enrollment at UW-Madison.  If their winter or spring break study abroad program enrollment credits interfere with their ability to take 15-18 spring term credits, students can contact their Enrollment Manager with the total number of spring term credits they plan to take so their enrollment credits can be adjusted for the overload. Students are not charged a fee for this credit overload.

Online courses
See the Online and Distance Learning section for more details.

Policy Statement
Grades, including Pass/Fail, are reported on a student’s UW-Madison transcript for all courses completed on their program.

College of Engineering
All students on programs offered in partnership with the College of Engineering (indicated by an orange gear icon in the program search and ENGR abbreviation) earn pass/fail credit unless they take courses abroad that fulfill degree requirements for a second major or a certificate outside of the College of Engineering, in which case A-F grades are issued for those courses.

Procedure
Each program has a grade scale that can be found in the student’s MyStudyAbroad account. If a student took a class pass/fail, they will receive S or U grades. If they receive an incomplete on their transcript at the end of the term, they will have one semester to remove the incomplete. If the incomplete is not removed by this deadline, the incomplete will lapse into a failure (F).

Policy Statement
Students may appeal a grade received for a course abroad that they feel is inaccurate or biased.

Procedure
Students should contact their Enrollment Manager for information on how to proceed with a grade appeal.  Students have 30 days from the date of receiving their UW Study Abroad grade report to submit an appeal. For direct enroll, exchange, and program provider programs, students will also need to contact their host institution/organization to ask about the grade appeal process and procedures.

After following these steps, the student may file an official appeal in writing with supporting evidence regarding their appeal to their Enrollment Manager.  Appealed grades must be legitimate complaints with evidence supporting the appeal in question.  This includes situations such as unfair/unethical behavior by the instructor (e.g., if an instructor has stated course grading expectations in writing, then uses different criteria to arrive at the final grade; final exam date is changed to after the semester is over).

The following reasons do not constitute justification for a grade appeal:

• Student disagrees with conversion of the foreign institution’s grades to UW-Madison scale
• Student usually gets higher grades in these kinds of courses when on campus
• Students needs a higher grade for entry into (i.e.: major, professional school)
• Student was having trouble adjusting to the culture, environment, method of teaching, etc.
• Grading scale there is different from UW-Madison
• Student didn’t perform well on final exam
• The student perceives the professor graded them differently than any other students without any evidence to support that claim.
• Student not accustomed to their entire course grade being based on a final exam

Grade appeals are reviewed by the IAP Faculty Advisory Committee. Decisions will be provided to the student in writing.

Policy Statement
Students receive in-residence credit for coursework taken abroad and therefore students from most Schools and Colleges are able to complete their final semester and graduate abroad.  Students from the College of Engineering are not able to graduate abroad.

Students applying to participate in a summer term study or intern abroad program immediately following their spring graduation must consult with their academic advisor before submitting an application. Schools and colleges have differing policies regarding staying enrolled for participation in summer study abroad programs after degree requirements are completed. Certain schools and colleges do not permit study abroad participation post-graduation, while other schools and colleges may allow students to stay enrolled by indicating an August graduation date; this may or may not require an appeal.

Procedure
Each school, college, and some majors have their own residency requirements, and some more specifically have senior residency requirements. For this reason, it is essential that students refer to their specific school or college section of the Guide, their DARS, and consult with their UW academic advisor regarding questions prior to their departure and to ensure all degree requirements will be met.

In addition, students must apply to graduate. Details regarding the graduation process are online.

If students intend to complete any final requirements for their degree abroad, their School/College’s Dean’s Office may contact them to let them know that they have remaining degree requirements to complete. Students’ enrollment shows up as a placeholder until their final study abroad courses and grades are posted to their transcript.

A student’s degree will be final after the following have been completed:

• All of their course equivalents and grades from their program have been processed and posted to their UW-Madison transcript
• Their School/College confirms that they have fulfilled all of their degree requirements through reviewing their student record and/or DARS report.
• The Office of the Registrar confers their degree.

Study abroad program academic calendars often differ from the UW-Madison calendar. This means there may be a delay in the posting of UW course equivalents, grades and credits (that would satisfy final degree requirements) until the program transcript has been received and fully processed. A student’s official graduation date on their transcript will match the UW-Madison semester in which they completed their degree requirements, even if their program ends months after the UW-Madison term. Students should consult their Enrollment Manager if they have questions or concerns regarding graduating while abroad.

If students wish to attend a graduation ceremony but cannot be at UW-Madison for the ceremony in the term in which they graduate, they may attend an earlier or later ceremony. Students should note their preferred graduation ceremony date when they apply to graduate through MyUW. Detailed information regarding commencement ceremonies and attire can be found on the commencement website.

Policy Statement
Students are able to earn honors credit while abroad.

Honors, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Students pursuing either track within the CALS Honors Program may complete a UW-Madison study abroad program.

Honors in the Liberal Arts Program, College of Letters and Science Students
Honors credit is automatically granted for many courses on the University College Utrecht (Netherlands) program and the Ceiba Tropical Conservation Semester (Ecuador) program.  For all other programs, students may submit a petition to request that one course per semester taken abroad count towards unmet honors requirements. The course must transfer as L&S credit (C credit), and students must earn a B or better in the class. Courses taken pass/fail towards honors requirements do not count.

Students who wish to enroll in Senior Honors Thesis credits for an L&S major while participating in an IAP study abroad program may do so if and only if they have received permission from the L&S Honors Program’s Associate Director of Advising and Curriculum (Christine Evans) prior to departure. Such permission is rarely granted, and students should generally be advised to complete all thesis credits while on campus in Madison.

Procedure

Students participating in the University College Utrecht (Netherlands) program and the Ceiba Tropical Conservation Semester (Ecuador) should consult their program academic notes to learn about the number of honors credit they will automatically receive.

For CALS students: Those on the Honors in Research track should work with the CALS honors program manager and their research mentor to plan for their experience. Those pursuing Honors in Major should work with their academic advisor in their CALS major department.

For L&S Students: Refer to the HLA study abroad page for complete requirements and process.  Students completing Honors in the Major should talk to their major Academic Advisor(s) about whether any of their abroad coursework can be counted towards HM requirements.

Senior Honors Thesis: If you want to enroll in the Senior Honors Thesis credits for an L&S major, reach out to the L&S Honors Program’s Associate Director of Advising and Curriculum (Christine Evans) prior to departure for permission.  If permission is granted, the L&S Honors Program Associate Director of Advising and Curriculum will notify IAP and note this permission in the Advising Notes System. The student will then use IAP’s directed study enrollment process to request enrollment in the thesis credits for which permission was granted, typically 681 in the relevant department.

Students in other schools and colleges at UW-Madison should contact their academic advisor(s) about honors credit.

Policy Statement
If a student receives an incomplete on their transcript at the end of the term, they will have one semester to remove the incomplete. If the incomplete is not removed by this deadline, the incomplete will lapse into a failure (F). Failing to properly drop a course, that lapses into incomplete/failure, will lead to a recorded grade of “F” at UW-Madison. If a program provider or host institution reports a course as dropped or withdrawn, no UW-Madison course equivalent will be needed and no grade or credits will be recorded.

Procedure

Any course that has been marked Incomplete must be completed by the end of the fourth week of classes of the student’s next semester (exclusive of summer sessions) or it will lapse into a Failure (F).

Policy Statement
In order to drop a course after the official drop deadline of your program, a student should have verifiable non-academic circumstances beyond their control that prevented them from dropping the course in a timely manner or from completing the course. Late drops are granted on a case-by-case basis with strong supporting documentation.  Providing documentation *is not* a guarantee that a student’s request to drop a class will be granted.  Earning a poor grade in a course, not being aware of deadlines, not wanting to sit an exam at the time it is scheduled, or not receiving feedback on an examination until after the drop deadline are a few examples that are not considered strong reasons for obtaining a drop after the deadline.  Student visa regulations may not allow for late drops in some countries. Students on semester-long programs are required to maintain full-time student status (the equivalent of 12-18 UW-Madison credits).

Procedure
Students must first check to see if they are able to do a late drop at their host institution.  If it is not possible to do a late drop through their host institution, a student may request a late drop through their UW-Madison Study Abroad Office using the link below.  This request will be reviewed by UW-Madison Study Abroad Office and is not guaranteed.

The last day to request a late drop is on the last day of classes prior to the start of final exams.

It is important to provide strong documentation of the circumstances and those need to be well documented.  Examples of documentation that should be provided are as follows:

Death of a family member or friend

• Obituary or death certificate
• Letter from counselor
• Documentation should include date and indicated relationship to the deceased

Family Issues

• Letter from therapist or counselor

Medical Issues (serious illness, hospitalization, mental health, change in health status)

• Letter from doctor with advised period of recovery
• Record of doctor visits
• Hospitalization records
• Copies of medical bills documenting illness/injury
• Letter from doctor, therapist, or counselor

Students may also include:

• Written feedback from instructor(s) regarding class participation and academic performance, if that information would be helpful to the dean reviewing their situation.

Students should submit their request here.

Policy Statement
Students abroad must carry the minimum course load required by their program.  Any online course taken through UW-Madison would be in addition to the minimum load required by their program. Students are not allowed to take an online course if it would lead them to exceed the maximum credit load allowed for the term. Students are limited to one online course (either from their host institution or other accredited institution including UW-Madison).  Petitions to take two online courses will be considered if degree progression will be impeded.  Petitions need to be submitted prior to program departure.

Procedure

• Students notify their Enrollment Manager of their plans, including the number of credits for which they wish to enroll.
• Students contact their Academic Advisor to discuss concurrent enrollment policies and/or how to enroll in the course if it is outside UW-Madison’s course catalog (such as a UW System online course).
• Students enroll for their online course. This is separate from their enrollment for their study abroad program which is done for them.
• Students will be charged tuition and any applicable fees UW-Madison tuition for the online course.
• Students may not exceed the amount of credits they would normally be able to take in a single term. Students should refer to their home School/College for guidelines on allowable maximum credit by term.

Policy Statement
Any UW-Madison undergraduate student in good academic standing is eligible to take one (1) course on a pass/fail basis per term and a maximum of sixteen (16) pass/fail credits during his/her undergraduate career at UW-Madison, including courses abroad. First-semester freshmen and transfer students without an established UW-Madison GPA are eligible to take a course on a pass/fail basis.

Summer programs: The summer sessions collectively count as a single term. All summer courses, including those abroad, on-campus, and online, are part of the same Summer term. Only one course may be taken pass/fail during the Summer term.

Winter Intersession and Spring Break programs: The Spring term is comprised of the Spring semester on-campus or online, Winter Intersession, and Spring Break programs. Only one course may be taken pass/fail during the Spring term.

College of Engineering Students
Engineering students automatically earn pass/fail credit on Engineering-sponsored programs (more details can be found in the CoE Study Abroad Policies tab) and do not need to make pass/fail requests.

Procedures
Students must complete the pass/fail request process in their MyStudyAbroad account by the pass/fail deadline posted in their MyStudyAbroad. After submitting a pass/fail request, a pass/fail confirmation will appear in their approved course list in their MyStudyAbroad account.

For classes declared as pass/fail, if the student receives a grade of C or better, the letter grade S (satisfactory) is posted on the transcript. If the student receives a grade of D or F, the letter grade U (unsatisfactory) is posted on their transcript, resulting in no degree credit for the class.

A study abroad course taken as pass/fail still requires a UW-Madison course equivalent.  A student may not change, nor request, a pass/fail at any time after the pass/fail deadline listed in their MyStudy Abroad.

The information below applies to all students considering a pass/fail request for a study abroad course:

• Required courses cannot be taken on a pass/fail basis- only elective work may be taken on a pass/fail basis. Students should consult with their Academic Advisor(s) and understand the pass/fail policies in their school/college before declaring any course pass/fail.
• Pass/fail courses do not count toward the following requirements:
  • Breadth (humanities, literature, social science, science)
  • Foreign language (prior to fulfilling the BA or BS foreign language requirement)
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Math (coursework required to satisfy the BS mathematics requirement or needed to enroll in required math courses)
  • General Education (Comm A, Comm B, QR A, QR B)
  • Coursework for a student’s major
  • Coursework required for a student’s certificate

Policy Statement

Students must follow the drop deadline established by their program.  Courses cannot be dropped after that deadline except in extremely unusual circumstances and only with approval of the Dean of the International Division.  A retroactive drop is one that is requested AFTER the term has ended and the student should have verifiable non-academic circumstances beyond their control that prevented them from dropping the course in a timely manner or completing the course.  It is expected that the retroactive drop request be made within the term immediately following the term in question.  If a student has verifiable academic circumstances, that does not constitute a retroactive drop and students should review the study abroad Grade Appeal process and submit materials for a Grade Appeal.  Providing documentation *is not* a guarantee that a student’s request to have a retroactive drop will be granted.

Procedures

Students should read through the Retroactive Drop information to ensure their request meets the criteria for a retroactive drop.  Students make a request through their UW-Madison Study Abroad Office using the link below.  This request will be reviewed by UW-Madison Study Abroad Office and is not guaranteed. It is important to provide strong documentation of the circumstances and those need to be well documented.  Examples of documentation that should be provided are as follows:

Death of a family member or friend

• Obituary or death certificate
• Letter from counselor
• Documentation should include date and indicated relationship to the deceased

Family Issues

• Letter from therapist or counselor

Medical Issues (serious illness, hospitalization, mental health, change in health status)

• Letter from doctor with advised period of recovery
• Record of doctor visits
• Hospitalization records
• Copies of medical bills documenting illness/injury
• Letter from doctor, therapist, or counselor

Students may also include:

• Written feedback from instructor(s) regarding class participation and academic performance, if that information would be helpful to the dean reviewing their situation.

Students should submit their request here.

Policy Statement
UW-Madison degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. “In residence” means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses and course equivalents offered on UW–Madison study abroad and study away programs.

Procedure
Students will automatically receive UW-Madison in-residence credit for course work completed abroad on approved programs.  Each school, college, and some majors have their own residency requirements, and some more specifically have senior residency requirements. For this reason, it is essential that students refer to their specific school or college section of the Guide, their DARS, or consult with their UW academic advisors regarding questions prior to their departure.

College of Engineering Students
The College of Engineering does not consider study abroad programs as ‘in residence’ so CoE students cannot graduate abroad, and they must obtain approval through a waiver process in order to study abroad in their second to last semester.

Policy Statement

All courses and grades earned abroad appear on a student’s UW-Madison transcript. For academic year and calendar year participants, their first semester grades will not appear on their UW-Madison transcript until their grades for both semesters have been received.

Procedure
Study abroad grades are processed after a student’s transcript or grade report is received from their study abroad program. All of a student’s course equivalents need to be approved and students need to have completed the online program evaluation in order for staff to process their grades.

When all required CERs are on their record and grades are processed, students will receive an email asking them to review their Program Grade Report through their MyStudyAbroad account.

If there are no errors in their grades, credits, or equivalents, students need to confirm the Program Grade Report in their MyStudyAbroad within 30 days following the date of notification. The sooner they confirm their Program Grade Report, the sooner their grades post to their transcript.

If students feel there is a discrepancy in their Program Grade Report, they do not confirm their Program Grade Report. Students should contact their Enrollment Manager regarding the issue(s) within 30 days of receipt.

After students confirm their Program Grade Report, the grades will post to their transcript within 14 days. Students should consult their MyUW to confirm their study abroad coursework has posted.

If students do not confirm their Program Grade Report within 30 days of receipt, their grade and course equivalent information will be sent to the Office of the Registrar for posting on their UW-Madison transcript.

Once posted to a student’s UW-Madison transcript, grades and equivalents cannot be changed without approval from the International Division Dean. Students requesting a change must contact their Enrollment Manager.

If students earn a GPA that makes them Dean’s List eligible, a notation will be added to their UW-Madison student record.

Policy Statement

Study abroad staff cannot order or forward official UW-Madison transcripts on a student’s behalf. The Office of the Registrar’s website has detailed information about how to obtain a transcript.

Procedure

If students attend another U.S. institution and participated on a UW-Madison Study Abroad program as a Special student, they will need to make a request to the UW-Madison Office of the Registrar in order to have their transcript sent to their home institution. Students need to make sure their study abroad grades have posted before ordering their transcript. Students may check grades through their MyUW account.

Policy Statement

For almost all programs, the program provider/host institution will send UW-Madison Study Abroad a copy of the student’s program transcript or academic record for processing. This will be used to convert the courses, grades and credits earned through the program and apply these to the student’s UW-Madison transcript.

Procedure

Students are encouraged to request a copy of their program transcript/academic record directly from their program provider/host institution, for their own records. This may be useful to the student for future graduate or professional school applications, or even job applications. Only the host institution can provide an official copy of the student’s record with them. UW-Madison Study Abroad staff may be able to provide students with an unofficial copy (possibly a PDF/scan) of this record upon request, but this is not always possible.

A student who departs a program early due to serious illness, injury, or personal emergency is generally not entitled to incompletes or partial credit. Some exceptions are made if there is approval from the program provider/host institution and UW-Madison Study Abroad to complete the coursework in a timely manner.

Procedures
The student should contact their UW-Madison Study Abroad staff as soon as possible.  UW-Madison Study Abroad staff will work with the onsite staff to see what credit is allowed, if any, as well as the possibility to finish coursework.