Use the Course Approval Database to complete a Tentative Course Plan as part of the Study Abroad Orientation Course (LAS 291/292). For this form, you will research and plan for potential courses and determine the appropriate approval process.

You may start the course approval process prior to your departure, with the understanding that for many programs, the courses that you are choosing may not be available to you. The more you do ahead of time, the easier your course selection process will be once you are on-site.

Collect as much information on your courses as you can. This includes bringing back syllabi, homework assignments, tests, textbooks, etc. These will be used in the Course Approval Process.

Consult with your academic advisor to determine which of your completed courses require approval. For those courses, follow the instructions for the course approval process. Remember that you must complete the Course Approval Summary Form (pdf) even if all the courses you plan to take are in the Course Approval Database. All other courses will default to ACES 1--.

Complete and submit the Course Approval Summary Form (pdf) to ACES Study Abroad (128 Mumford Hall) by the Friday of the first week of October (for spring, summer, and Academic Year term[s] abroad) or March (for fall term abroad). If you do not complete the course approval process upon your return, your courses will appear as "ACES 388" on your transcript.

It can take approximately six to eight weeks for credit to appear on your University of Illinois record from the date all foreign transcripts and course approvals are received. Grades and international credits will be converted to University of Illinois equivalencies. To avoid delays, notify your program or institution to send the transcript of your coursework abroad to the ACES Study Abroad Office.

Your foreign university transcript is part of your academic record. Every course on your foreign transcript will be processed, even if you do not need a course to satisfy your graduation requirement.

Once credits and grades have been converted, they will appear on your Degree Audit.