Transferring Credit from Study Abroad

Transcripts from abroad programs generally take 1–2 months to arrive at the Global Learning Office. Make sure that you’ve completed a program evaluation for GLO to have the transcript sent to the Registrar’s office so that the credits can be posted to your NU transcript.

Do I need to petition to have my study abroad credits count toward a specific requirement?

If you want only elective credits from your courses abroad, you need not take further action. The credits will post on your Northwestern record once the Registrar’s Office receives your study abroad transcript. They will appear as GEN_CRED 1XX.

If you want any of your abroad credits to count toward a major, minor, or other WCAS requirement follow the steps outlined below.

How to Request to Designate Credits as Something Other Than Electives

1. Verify that your study abroad credit has posted on your Northwestern transcript and obtain an unofficial copy of your study abroad transcript.

Note: You cannot submit your petition until your abroad credits have posted to your NU transcript. Check your unofficial NU transcript on CAESAR before taking the next steps. If your abroad credits have been posted to your NU transcript but you have not received a transcript from the abroad institution, please reach out to Laura Barron at l-barron@northwestern.edu to request a transcript. See GLO website for additional details on these processes.

2. Complete the appropriate petition for credit form, links below.

Submit a form for each individual course you would like to be considered for rearticulation to count toward a specific requirement. EXCEPTION: you may petition on one form for a course to fulfill both foundational discipline and perspective requirements (see directions below).

If you want one course to count towards multiple requirements, choose one option for now and follow up with your adviser(s) after your first form is fully evaluated for additional guidance.

For each course requested, you will need to attach:

a pdf copy of the official transcript from abroad;
the course description;
the abroad course syllabus;
the weekly schedule of topics;
the reading list.

Note:

If any of these items are not available, you must re-create them from your course materials.
If any of these items are not in English, you must also attach a short summary in English of the syllabus, course description, and weekly topic, and a translation of the primary titles on the reading list.

Failure to provide any of these materials or to complete any part of this process will delay your petition and may prevent its being accurately considered.

Petition Process for Major/Minor Credit

Initiate the form using this link. You will need to complete a separate form for each individual course that you would like to count toward a major/minor requirement.
Upload the supporting documentation outlined above.
Your major/minor adviser(s) will evaluate the petition(s). If there are any questions or concerns, the form will be sent back to you for revisions. Once the course has been evaluated, and any approved rearticulations are processed by the Office of the Registrar, you will receive an email with the entire form in a PDF.

Petition Process for Foundational Discipline/Perspective Credit

Initiate the form using this link.
Upload the supporting documentation outlined above.
If petitioning for a Foundational Discipline Requirement, select “Foundational Discipline Requirement” and indicate which area from the dropdown list that will appear.

If you would also like this course to count toward the US or Global Perspectives requirement, check the appropriate box. Otherwise, leave them blank.

If petitioning for just a US or Global Perspectives Requirement, select “Perspectives on Power, Justice, And Equity” and indicate either US or Global in the box labeled “If Other, Please Provide Details, Including What Specific Credit You are Seeking if Applicable.”
The dean's office will evaluate the petition. If there are any questions or concerns, the form will be sent back to you for revisions. Once the course has been evaluated, and any approved rearticulations are processed by the Office of the Registrar, you will receive an email with the entire form in a PDF.

Please allow three to four weeks for this processing.

Petition Process for Distribution Credit

Initiate the form using this link.
Upload the supporting documentation outlined above.
Select “Distribution Requirement” and choose the distribution requirement category in the dropdown list that will appear.
The dean's office will evaluate the petition. If there are any questions or concerns, the form will be sent back to you for revisions. Once the course has been evaluated, and any approved rearticulations are processed by the Office of the Registrar, you will receive an email with the entire form in a PDF.

Please allow three to four weeks for this processing.

2. Watch your Academic Requirements report on CAESAR to see that the changes post correctly.

Note for Participants of Northwestern-run Programs

If you were enrolled in Northwestern-SA courses while abroad, you do not need to go through this process, as your courses already count as NU work. Here's a list of NU programs with NU courses. Be aware that these courses are subject to the same rules and restrictions as the same numbered courses taught in Evanston.

If the particular course, when taught at NU, is a distribution course, Foundational Discipline and/or Perspectives course, it automatically will be so when taught abroad. If the course has not been approved by the College for this requirement credit, you cannot petition using the process above to have it count.
Any courses you wish to count toward a major or minor which do not automatically appear properly on your Academic Requirements on CAESAR can be slotted there by your department adviser when you petition to graduate.

Contact your College Adviser if you have questions about any part of these instructions.