Initial credit considerations for study abroad

How many courses/hours should I take while abroad?

You must enroll in a minimum of 12 UNC credits and can transfer back a maximum of 18 credit hours per semester abroad.

Summer enrollment may be 3 UNC credit hours or more depending on your program. (Note: 4 credit hours is considered ‘full time’ for summer). Search for your specific institution’s grading and conversion scale here.

Should I take courses abroad for a letter grade or Pass/Fail?

All courses must be taken for a letter grade at your host institution abroad but will transfer back on a Study Abroad Pass/Fail grading conversion. Courses will not be factored into your UNC GPA unless you receive a failing grade. Please refer back to the Credit Hour & Grade Scale Conversion Guide for your host institution’s specific grading requirements.

What type of credit can I earn abroad?

You can take courses towards your major/minor requirements as well as satisfy Gen Eds abroad. Courses taken abroad can be approved for a variety of options, including UNC equivalencies (HIST 226), departmental elective credit (HIST—-, HIST 2—), general education credit (GENR 180, FC-CREATE), or general elective credit (GENR—-). Courses that focus on alcohol (i.e. wine tasting) will be posted as GENR—- with a study abroad grading basis of ‘SN’ indicating no credit is being awarded.

If I take a course in another language, can I receive that language credit?

Courses are generally reviewed based on the content taught, not necessarily the language of instruction (i.e. Sociology course taught in Spanish). In some instances, those courses may be eligible for language credit, but it is up to the department.

All Asian-related language courses will automatically receive a decision with departmental elective credit (CHIN —-, JAPN —-, KOR —-, etc.). Students must work directly with the department to have the course manually adjusted in THT upon completion depending on their degree requirements.

Does my study abroad experience fulfill the High-Impact Experience (HI) requirement?

Yes! All UNC-Chapel Hill approved study abroad programs fulfill the High-Impact Experience requirement. This requirement is automatically fulfilled in your Tar Heel Tracker once your transfer credits have been posted at the end of your program.

Fall and Spring programs also fulfill the Campus Life Experience requirement. If you do not see this requirement satisfied at the end of your program, please contact tarheeltracker@unc.edu.

Can I take a course abroad that I have already taken the equivalent of at UNC?

You should first check the UNC Catalog. If the course is not labeled as repeatable then you cannot take the course abroad as it will return to your UNC record as a second attempt ineligible for any transfer credit. This could also impact any financial aid you are receiving.

Can I plan for a senior underload if I study abroad the term before my last semester?

Students planning to graduate in the Spring can study abroad during the prior Fall term but are not permitted to delay their graduation in order to study abroad. Due to the processing timeline for Study Abroad transfer credit, most underload requests are not able to be approved.

It is important to work with your Academic Advisor to plan for what courses you plan to take abroad to ensure you have met all university-wide and major/minor specific requirements. Refer to the Graduation and Seniors section on our website for additional information.

If I am studying abroad in the Summer, can I still take UNC courses for the term I’m not abroad?

Yes, however, you will need to work closely with Academic Advising and the Credit Team to plan your summer schedule accordingly.

Do I need to be an Honors student to participate in an Honors Study Abroad program?

No! Honors Carolina Study Abroad programs are open to all students as long as you have sophomore status or above and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. If you are a non-Honors student and participate on an Honors program, you will receive 3 Honors credits. For more information, visit https://honorscarolina.unc.edu/global-honors/.

I am studying abroad through the Kenan Flagler Business School. What’s the process for submitting non-business courses for credit?

All business courses should be submitted through your KFBS portal. For any non-business course requests, log into your Study Abroad Credit Portal and follow the steps outlined in our Credit Portal Flyer for updating your course list, including adding pre-approved courses or submitting a new course request.