Academic Planning & Policies

Education Abroad by definition includes an academic component. In order to have a successful time abroad, it’s important to understand the academic aspects of your upcoming experience and how they will integrate into your degree. Make sure that you're aware of the Education Abroad Academic Policies listed below and how the program you apply to may impact your academic experience.  Education Abroad programs can vary academically, so be sure you know:

  • How many credits you'll earn while abroad
  • What classes will be available to you during your term abroad
  • How these classes will come back to CU and help you complete your degree requirements
  • How the academic system may differ from CU's and how that will impact your workload & learning experience
  • What the grading system is on your program & if that will impact your CU GPA
 

Academic Accommodations

  • The level of academic accommodations provided on Education Abroad programs can vary widely. Some programs may provide accommodations that are similar to CU. Other programs will not provide the same level or type of academic arrangements as you may expect in the U.S. 
     
  • Sharing your accommodation needs in advance helps Education Abroad and your program best support you and to make necessary arrangements. 
     
  • If you have accommodations through the Office of Disability Services, start the accommodation request process early. As early as possible, access your accommodation letter within the Disability Services' Accommodate portal and share it with your program. If you need any assistance requesting these forms, you can reach out to your Access Coordinator within Disability Services.

Getting Academic Support Abroad

If you find yourself struggling with your courses while you're abroad, there may be resources and support available to you. Talk to your on-site staff about what support systems, such as tutoring, may be available to you. If you continue to find the academics of your program challenging after taking full advantage of these support resources, you should notify Education Abroad and your academic advisor as early as you can. Your Education Abroad program manager can discuss your options regarding your program course enrollment, and your academic advisor can work with you on adjusting your CU registration for the term you get back to CU as needed. 

Academic Policies

Coursework completed on a CU Boulder-approved education abroad program is considered "in residence" credit. Coursework counts towards the minimum number of credits taken on the Boulder campus needed to earn a degree from CU Boulder. (i.e. the college of Arts and Sciences requires a minimum of 45 hours on the Boulder campus).

There are three different grading systems depending on your program:

  • Coursework taught by CU Boulder faculty: For programs where CU Boulder acts as the school of record, including Faculty-led Global Seminars, Global Internships, and Global Intensives you will receive letter grades
     
  • CU in D.C.: CU in D.C. courses come back as challenge credit, which will appear as P/F or Credit/No Credit depending on the type of coursework completed. See the materials in your CU in D.C. application checklist for more details.
     
  • All other programs: The grades you earn abroad will be converted to Study Abroad Pass/Fail credit on your CU Boulder transcript. None of your pass/fail grades will be calculated into your CU GPA. CU Education Abroad pass/fail credit is exempt from the usual Boulder campus pass/fail limitations. As long as courses are approved by the relevant department, they may be used to fulfill major or degree requirements. 


Regardless of which grading policy applies, the following policies hold true:
 

  • Education abroad pass/fail courses posted with a passing grade may be used to fulfill various degree requirements towards major, minor, A&S Gen Ed, and other degree requirements. Courses must have formal approval from the relevant department, and coursework completed on Education Abroad programs are subject to the same grading policies as classes taken on Boulder campus (e.g. for students studying abroad in Fall 2024 or beyond, if your department requires a C- or better to complete a major requirement, you must have earned an SP+ abroad to complete that requirement).
     
  • Students cannot choose to have letter grades recorded instead of pass/fail (or vice/versa).
     
  • Even if your coursework comes back as pass/fail to CU Boulder, graduate/professional schools may request your transcripts from abroad and see the letter grades you earned on your program.
     

On programs where grades are converted to Study Abroad Pass/Fail, this will be done based on the following credit conversions.

For students studying abroad in Fall 2024 or later, grades will be converted to Study Abroad Pass+, Pass, No Credit, or Fail according to the following scale:

  • SP+ (Study Abroad Pass+): for grades equivalent to C- or better
  • SP (Study Abroad Pass): for grades equivalent to D+, D or D-
  • SF (Study Abroad Fail): for grades equivalent to F
  • SNC (Study Abroad No Credit): when a student completes a non-credit class

For students studying abroad in Summer 2024 or earlier, grades will be converted to Study Abroad Pass, No Credit, or Fail according to the following scale:

  • SP (Study Abroad Pass): for grades equivalent to C- or better
  • SNC (Study Abroad No Credit): for grades equivalent to D+, D or D- or when a student completes a non-credit class
  • SF (Study Abroad Fail): for grades equivalent to F

For programs where the grading systems don't align with U.S. academic system, students will get more information on grade conversions in their MyCUAbroad checklist upon acceptance to their program. For questions on grade conversions, please contact the relevant Ed Abroad Program Manager.

Incompletes: It is your responsibility to finish all coursework and to take all final exams before leaving your program site. Students who do not complete coursework during their program & have an Incomplete on their transcript will not receive credit for that class. In rare cases students are able to convert an Incomplete into a grade - in these cases it is the student's responsibility to request an updated transcript be issued to Education Abroad. 

You are responsible for following your program’s/host institution’s attendance policy for classes and program activities and for completing assigned work. Failure to participate fully in a program may constitute academic misconduct and result in dismissal from the program.

Exams must be taken onsite at the regularly scheduled times.

You must be enrolled as a full-time student on a CU Boulder program. Full-time is defined as at least the equivalent of 12 CU Boulder credit hours each semester or at least 24 credit hours per academic year. Some programs have higher required credit minimums. In such cases, students must abide by the program’s required credit minimum. Summer course load minimums vary by program, but you must be a full-time student for the length of your program.

  • CU online classes, Continuing Education classes, and/or online transfer coursework cannot substitute for your full-time course load abroad. Any CU courses you take while abroad will be additional credits on top of your minimum required course load abroad.
  • Non-credit classes and/or non-credit internships do not count as part of your required minimum load.
Consequences of under-enrollment

If you fall below full-time status on your education abroad program (generally 12 credits for semester programs; varies for summer programs), you may encounter the following consequences:
 

  • Your financial aid could be impacted and possibly revoked
  • You risk falling behind on your academic progress and may not graduate on time
  • You could violate the terms of your visa which could impact your standing on your ed abroad program and/or future opportunities to visit your host country
  • If you are an international student completing your degree at CU on a U.S. visa, you could jeopardize your U.S. immigration status.

If you are concerned that you may fall below full-time status on your program, please connect with your program manager to determine how this could impact you.

14-16 credit hours is a reasonable semester load. You may not take more than the equivalent of 21 CU Boulder credits in one term. If you exceed the 21-hour maximum, some of your credits will be converted to “no credit.” If you believe you will exceed this limit, consult with your Ed Abroad Program Manager.

You cannot obtain credit for a course abroad that has been determined to be a direct equivalent (exact match) with a CU course that you have already taken. For example, perhaps you place lower than you had hoped on your language placement exam on-site and end up taking a course abroad that has been determined to count/match with FREN 1010. If you have already taken FREN 1010 in Boulder, you will not receive credit for the course abroad. Your degree audit will be “cut back” and the course/credits will not count towards any portion of your CU degree. This may also result in less than full-time status for the semester, depending on how many other credits you took. You may also be able to take an extra course to make up for the credits that you won’t receive, but you'll need to plan for this in advance. 

You can help minimize the risk of getting a cutback in credit by taking the following actions:

  • Cross-check your final class enrollment and ensure that none of the classes you've registered for have an approval for a direct equivalent of a class you've already completed. You can find direct equivalency approvals on the Course Approvals List.
  • If you are taking language classes, study for your on-site language placement exam before your program begins

It is your responsibility to know how courses are approved at CU. If you have concerns about this, contact your Ed Abroad Program Manager.

The vast majority of courses on CU Boulder-approved programs are traditional academic subjects and will be accepted by CU Boulder as elective credit at the very least. However, a small number of courses on Ed Abroad programs are not eligible for CU credit. If a course is determined to be non-transferrable/not-for-credit, this means that this course will not count towards any degree requirements (including major or general elective credit) or hours towards graduation. If you still take the class, you will need to enroll in enough additional for-credit courses to maintain your status as a full-time student (meaning at least 12 credits in addition to this course). This course will appear as Not for Credit (NC) on your CU Boulder record.

To ensure that all of your credits are accepted by CU, check the Course Approvals List for your program and avoid any courses already listed as NON-TRANSFER. As you explore new courses, use the following criteria as guidelines for what to watch out for that may also be determined to be non-transferrable:

  • Wine, cooking, and food appreciation courses
  • Physical education courses (e.g. yoga, recreational dancing, sports)
  • Outdoor leadership and related courses through Outward Bound, NOLS or similar programs
  • Tourism studies courses
  • Vocational-technical courses that are offered at two-year and proprietary institution
  • Credits earned for work experience (including some internships, see below)
  • Courses in religion that constitute specialized religious training or that are doctrinal in nature
  • English-language proficiency courses (courses designed for non-native English speakers)
  • Applied medical courses
  • Courses or programs identified as college orientation
  • Courses identified by CU Boulder as remedial, i.e. necessary to correct academic deficiencies, such as remedial English, mathematics, science, etc.
  • In addition, some Business classes may not be eligible for any CU Boulder credit for Business & non-Business majors alike. Business majors should work closely with their advisors to get all Business courses pre-approved.


Worried a class might not count for credit? Submit the A&S Gen Ed Evaluation Request Form if you are considering taking a class that looks like it might not be eligible for CU credit.

You may enroll in an online class while abroad, such as an online CU course, an online Continuing Education course, or a special Independent Study course arranged directly with a department. Before choosing this option, carefully consider the following financial and workload implications:

  • CU courses cannot substitute for your full-time course load abroad. Any CU courses you take while abroad will be additional credits on top of your minimum required course load abroad.
  • The cost of tuition and fees for any CU courses will be added to your bill for the relevant term (on top of your education abroad program costs). The cost of taking a CU course is not included in the cost of your education abroad tuition/fees. see Continuing Education Tuition & Fees for more details (note that a single rate is charged regardless of a student’s in-state or out-of-state classification).
  • Keep in mind issues such as the time difference and managing your overall workload.

Course Registration

Course Registration at CU

For the term you're abroad, you will be registered at CU for either a placeholder course (STDY1001/5001), or if you are participating in a Global Seminar, Global Intensive, Global Internship, or CU in D.C., you'll be registered for the actual courses you're taking abroad. Education Abroad will complete this registration process on students' behalf for all programs exception Global Intensives, where students will register themselves. This registration process follows these general timelines:

  • Spring and Winter programs: November
  • Summer programs: March - April
  • Fall and Academic Year programs: April

Make sure you have no holds or “Service Indicators” on your account during this registration period - you can check this in your Buff Portal account. Most stops or Service Indicators on your CU Boulder record will prevent registration. If you have any questions or concerns about holds on your account, email abroad@colorado.edu. 

Registration through your Program

What is the STDY1001/5001 placeholder?
  • The CU placeholder course (STDY1001/5001) is generic credit that holds your place at CU while you're abroad and is a way of notifying campus of your status as a study abroad student.
  • The amount of credits earned abroad may differ from the amount indicated on the study abroad placeholder course. The actual credit amounts will be updated upon receipt of the abroad transcript.
  • This temporary course will be replaced with your actual coursework when Education Abroad (EA) receives your grades after your program ends.
  • It can take months for EA to receive grades from some programs, and occasionally students need to submit a transcript request before their transcripts will be issued - see the Transcripts & Post-Program Academics page for more details.

If you are participating in an exchange, direct partnership, or a program run by a study abroad organization (e.g. CIEE, CEA CAPA, ISA, etc.), you must register for classes through your program. The CU placeholder course (STDY1001/5001) is generic credit and does not register you for the individual classes you plan to take on your program. Programs' registration processes can vary - get more details on what your registration process will look like in your MyCUAbroad checklist and/or from your program. Note that the registration timelines through your program will likely be different from those at CU. It's common for many registration timelines to take place 1-2 months before the start of your program. On some programs, students will not formally register for their classes until they are on-site. 

Registration and Language Placement Exams

On many programs you will register for your classes on-site and not in advance of your program start. There are opportunities and pitfalls that come with doing this so soon after you arrive on-site. These could include:

  • Language classes & placement exams: if you place too low, you risk not earning credit for the course you enroll in if it's determined to be a direct equivalent to a course you already took at CU.
  • Deviating from your original course plan: refer to your Ed Abroad course evaluation forms and academic planning worksheets that you developed with your academic advisor when you register for your classes. If you discover new and exciting classes that might be a better match for your schedule and/or academic interests, keep in mind that they may not be approved to fulfill the degree requirements you need to take during your program in order to stay on track with your degree. Be sure to communicate this change to your academic advisor, and submit additional course evaluation forms as needed.
Registering for CU Boulder Classes as a Backup

In general, students don’t need to enroll in Boulder campus classes as a backup for the term they plan on being abroad, however, there may be reasons that you wish to remain in one or more of these courses:

  1. You intend to take an online course (one maximum) for the time you are abroad (see below for more details & considerations).
  2. You were accepted with a condition (see below for more details & considerations).
  3. You are still uncertain about going abroad.
  4. Other reasons for wanting to remain in the Boulder campus courses for the time being.

If you have been accepted with a condition, you are encouraged to register for regular CU Boulder campus courses in addition to being enrolled in the placeholder course. If/when you are fully accepted into your program, you should drop the Boulder campus courses and will remain enrolled only in the Education Abroad course. 

Students who enroll in CU Boulder classes as a backup for the term they plan on being abroad are responsible for dropping those classes in time to avoid any negative financial repercussions. Students are subject to the standard withdrawal fees and drop/add timelines for any CU Boulder classes in which they are enrolled. As a best practice, students should drop any CU Boulder backup classes by the first day of the start of the CU Boulder term. See the Registrars' Withdrawal Calendars page for more details. Note that Education Abroad students are exempt from paying the $200 withdrawal fee, provided that they stay enrolled in their Education Abroad program.   

Working with your Academic Advisor

As you plan for studying abroad, your Academic Advisor and Education Abroad advisors will both help you along the way. Here is a general overview of when to work with your Academic Advisor versus Education Abroad:

Pro-Tip

Confirm your final class enrollment with your academic advisor when you're abroad. This helps them advise you on what CU classes to register for in the term you get back (which you are often doing while abroad).

Your Academic Advisor can...

  • Help you understand how the courses you take abroad fit into your CU degree plan
  • Provide guidance on what degree requirements are best to complete abroad v. at CU
  • Facilitate course evaluation requests
  • Map out CU classes to take when you get back 

Education Abroad can...

  • Advise on programs that meet your academic needs
  • Share academic details of your program like academic systems, credit conversions, and upper/ lower division credits
  • Help you navigate your program’s class search & advise on your program's registration process
  • Access and complete EA course planning forms including finding course syllabi

Registering for CU Classes While Abroad

For students on semester or year-long programs, you will register for the CU Boulder classes you'll take when you get back to the U.S. while you're abroad. Your registration window and processes will match what you are used to in Boulder, which may fall during odd times when you're in different time zones.

  • The Office of the Registrar will email you with specific registration instructions and detailed enrollment dates as you approach your registration window. Be sure to keep an eye on your @colorado.edu email account while you're abroad so that you don't miss this email.
    • Spring and Academic Year students will register for fall classes while abroad; you'll be able to see your enrollment dates in Buff Portal typically beginning in early March.
    • Fall students will register for spring classes while abroad; you'll be able to see your enrollment dates in Buff Portal typically beginning in early to mid-October.
  • Neither Education Abroad nor your Academic Advisor can register you for your CU classes while you are abroad. Make sure you have access to the internet and clear your schedule for your registration window.
  • Check for holds and get them removed in advance of your time assignment. Even though you'll be abroad, you may still be flagged with an advising stop/service indicator. Check for holds as soon as you receive your registration instructions, and get them cleared before your registration window opens.
  • Connect with your academic advisor well in advance of your registration window (preferably before you go abroad) about what CU classes you should register for. Keep your academic advisor up-to-date on your final course enrollment on your program.