Student Opportunities
All ACES Study Abroad Programs are for academic credit!
Study Abroad Course Database ACES Course Approval Guide

Below is important information about the study abroad course transfer process for ACES students who are participating in a full summer, full semester, or academic year study abroad programs. 

NOTE: Even if participating a study abroad program administered by a different college, all ACES students will work with ACES Study Abroad to transfer study abroad courses. The only exception is for ABE students who will work with International Programs in Engineering and will follow Grainger College of Engineering study abroad course policies. 
 

Landscape in Scotland with a student on the right-hand side, sitting with their back to us
Students sitting on a mountain in India

Study Abroad Course Selection & Transfer Process

Before you go abroad

  1. Explore your host institution’s website (find the link on the program’s My Study Abroad brochure page) to identify courses you can take abroad.
  2. Use the Course Approval Database to see which courses have already been approved and what Illinois equivalency has been awarded. Keep in mind:
    1. The database is not a complete list of available courses and you can request a new course for approval within the database. 
    2. The database does not show what term each course is offered or how many credits it is. Please verify those details on the host institution website.
  3. For courses not pre-approved in the database, you must follow the steps to request approval of a new course.
    1. If you need a specific course for graduation, it is best to get it approved before departure.
  4. Discuss your study abroad course selection with your academic advisor. Your advisor may need to approve your selection in the database.

While you are abroad

Follow steps 1 – 7 on the ACES Study Abroad Course Approval Step-by-Step Guide.

When you return from abroad

Ensure steps 1-7 are complete and then go through steps 8 – 15 on the ACES Study Abroad Course Approval Step-by-Step Guide to officially submit your courses to ACES Study Abroad and your Academic Advisors.

ACES Study Abroad Course Approval Submission Deadlines:

  • Academic Year, Spring, or Summer Students: September 1 after you return
  • Fall Semester: February 1 after you return 

NOTE: Please try to get everything in much sooner than the deadlines listed above. It can take weeks (if not months) for everything to be updated on your audit, so you don’t want to delay.

Study Abroad Course Policies

Minimum Enrollment Requirement

You must enroll in the equivalent of 12 Illinois credits during a semester abroad in order to maintain full-time status. Please consult the grade and credit equivalency chart for your host institution to ensure you are enrolled in enough credits. 

Note: It is Illinois policy that you must enroll in at least the equivalent of 12 Illinois credits. If your host institution requires you to enroll in more credits than that, you will be expected to adhere to their policy.  

Credit/No Credit Policy

As ACES students, you can take up to two semester or one summer study abroad course(s) for Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) as long as they are not being used to fulfill major, minor, or gen ed requirements. You can wait until after you see your host institution grades to decide which course(s) you want to take for CR/NC (if any). Please be sure your CR/NC selection is accurately reflected in your “My Registered Courses” tab of the study abroad course database. 

NOTE: This only applies to courses you take at your host institution, not LAS 292.

Grade and Credit Equivalencies

Remember that grades and credits are treated differently at each institution. Please consult the grade and credit equivalency for your host institution to ensure you are enrolled in at least the equivalent of 12 Illinois credits and know how your grades will transfer.

LAS 291/292 Global Perspectives Course Series

Please keep up with your LAS 291 and LAS 292 assignments and communicate with your TA if you are having trouble doing so. This courses are treated like normal Illinois courses and are for grades. If you would like to petition for LAS 291 or LAS 292 to be for CR/NC instead of a Grade, you must submit the petition by the campus CR/NC deadline. You cannot wait until after you get back like you can for your host institution courses.

NOTE: LAS 292 does not count towards your 12-credit minimum enrollment requirement at your host institution.