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Transfer Credit Approval Process

 STEPS FOR COURSE SELECTION AND APPROVAL – ALL STUDENTS

1. Determine which courses you will need to take while abroad in order to remain on track for graduation.  Note that no more than 8 credit hours may be transferred toward the HASS Core Requirement, and that the Communication Intensive Requirement cannot be fulfilled abroad.  Make sure to check your academic program template for any additional restrictions on the transfer of credit towards major requirements.

2. Familiarize yourself with the offerings at the overseas institution and confirm that sufficient courses are offered so that your academic progress will not be delayed. Pay attention to the semester timetables, as not all courses are offered each semester. Links to the course catalogues and timetables of all affiliated programs are available on each program brochure. 

3. You will not receive more credit for a Rensselaer course than it is worth at Rensselaer.  Credit conversions can be found in each program brochure. 

4. Check the Transfer Course Guide in SIS to determine if any of the courses you wish to take have already been evaluated.  Remember that pre-approved courses will not necessarily be offered each semester.  You must review the timetable of the host institution to determine what is available during your semester abroad.  All courses taken abroad must be evaluated and approved even if they are listed in the Transfer Course Guide.

5. Complete as many Study Abroad Transfer Credit Approval Forms as you need to have the necessary number of courses approved.  Note that there are different forms for SoE/non-SoE students (link below).
  •  Include the name, course number and number of credits (according to the overseas credit system) of each study abroad course that you would like to have approved. 
  • If a study abroad course is listed in the Transfer Course Guide, check the appropriate box on the approval form and write in the complete details of the Rensselaer course (course name, number and number of credits). 
  • For course approval, provide the appropriate Study Abroad Transfer Credit Approval Evaluator with a link to course content, and indicate how you would like credit to be transferred.  The evaluator will review the course content and determine how to grant credit.  For HASS Courses - leave the equivalency space blank and the evaluator will complete; for SoE, Lally, SoS Courses - you may include details of the Rensselaer course equivalent for which you would like to receive credit. 
  •  For all departments, course equivalencies are determined by the department evaluators.  
6. ​A completed and signed Study Abroad Transfer Credit Approval Form should accompany your study abroad application, although it is understood that you will not necessarily enroll in all of the courses that appear on your form, and that you may need to seek additional approvals based on actual course offerings abroad.  Course approval does not guarantee that a course will be available, it simply indicates how it will transfer back.  Students can continue to submit transfer credit approval forms even after Rensselaer's application deadline.

7.  The transfer of credit does not occur until an official transcript is received from the host institution.


ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR NON-AFFILIATED PROGRAM APPLICANTS

  1. No more than two science courses (max of 8 credits total) from non-affiliated study abroad can be used to meet the Science Core Requirement.
  2. A maximum of 16 of the total 32 allowable transfer credits can be used from non-affiliated study abroad.
  3. The last 30 credits of the Rensselaer degree may not be completed on non-affiliated study abroad.  ALAC is able to approve an exception of 2 courses/8 credits
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Click below for Study Abroad Transfer Credit Approval Forms and list of evaluators

Study Abroad Transfer Credit Approval Form