If you have any questions about obtaining academic credit from your semester abroad, do not hesitate to reach out to a UGE Adviser.
There are different Academic Credit Guidelines for Columbia-Led and Columbia-Approved programs, so please review the information below to learn more:
Columbia-Led Programs
If you attend a Columbia-Led Program, you receive Columbia University credit. The courses and grades appear on your academic transcript and impact your GPA.
During the semester or academic year, depending on the program and the course and with the appropriate permissions, you may be able to take one course pass/fail that can be uncovered at the end of the semester.
During the summer, students are not able to take classes as pass/fail.
Columbia-Approved Programs
If you attend a Columbia-Approved Program, you will receive general transfer credit. Course titles and grades for these programs do not appear on your Columbia transcript. Also, the grades are not factored into your Columbia GPA. But, your work abroad is considered part of your academic record at Columbia as it will add to the points that you need to graduate as long as you meet the minimum grades, as noted below.
To receive this credit, you must obtain a transcript from the host institution or official School of Record. The transcript must be from a degree-granting institution and must include the notation of earned credits and grades, whether in the U.S. or foreign credit system.
fall, spring, academic year, and summer program guidelines:
- Credit is not granted for courses in business, education, marketing, journalism, social work, law, or other subjects at Columbia that professional schools teach.
- Credit is not granted for online courses.
- Credit is not granted for internships or internship courses.
- Credit is not given for courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis. The minimum grade necessary for semester or summer general credit transfer is:
- Columbia College: C-
- Columbia Engineering: C
- School of General Studies: C
- If you are completing a research or independent study project abroad, please note that the project needs to align with Columbia curriculum, just as all other courses that you take abroad.
- As a Columbia College or Columbia Engineering student, your last two semesters before graduation must be at Columbia University or on a Columbia-Led program. For exceptions, you need to submit a Senior Petition to the Committee on Academic Standing.
- Semester and Academic Year Only: You must take a full course load while you are abroad, according to both Columbia and your program and/or host institution. For CC and SEAS students, a full course load is a minimum of 12 Columbia points. However, most students take, on average, 13-15 points while abroad. For GS, check with the GS Study Abroad Liaison for more information.
- You need to complete the academic program of your host institution and may not arrange alternate exams or papers to replace the scheduled exams.
- In order for a Global Core Requirement to be satisfied on a Columbia-Approved program, you need to submit this petition form with your CSA Advising Dean. It can only be satisfied if the petition is approved by the Global Core Committee. If you have any questions about whether or not a course has a chance of being approved, please contact your UGE Adviser, and they'll be able to provide you with additional information.
- Language courses taken abroad do not automatically satisfy the Columbia Foreign Language Requirement. Students are subject to the language placement exam upon arrival back to campus, and credit is determined based on the results of the exam.
- In order for credits from study abroad to be considered for general transfer credit, you must apply and receive study abroad approval by the deadlines noted on the Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement program webpages
- For students on Columbia-Approved programs, have your program send your transcript to:
Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement
Uris Hall, 8th Floor
3022 Broadway
MC: 5979
New York, NY 10027
Additional Summer Program Guidelines:
In addition to the guidelines above, please note the following for Summer study abroad guidelines:
- Courses taught in a foreign language can transfer for credit toward your Columbia degree. Students seeking to take the next level of language at Columbia and students looking to complete the Core language requirement abroad connect with the equivalent department at Columbia and may have to take a placement exam. For students on scholarship programs with the Germanic Languages department (German or Yiddish), please refer to the department for guidelines on academic credit and the continuation of language study at Columbia.
- Some programs have both a language course component and an English language culture component. In most cases, if you are a Columbia College or School of General Studies student, you will not get credit for the course taught in English. If you propose to take courses in English, each course must be approved by the department for major/concentration credit and also must be determined to be "in situ," meaning that the course offers a unique experience where the study abroad site functions as a constituent part of the course. Please review the SUMMER Petition | Columbia-Approved brochure page for more information.
- For Columbia Engineering students, you are eligible to get both technical and non-technical courses approved. In order to get credit, you will need to petition the program and fill out the Summer/Outside Credit Form with your CSA Advising Dean. Please start a SUMMER Petition | Columbia-Approved and then connect with the appropriate UGE Adviser listed at the bottom of the brochure page to discuss this process.
Major/Minor/Concentration Credit
General credit earned towards your undergraduate degree does not automatically fulfill the requirements for your major, minor, or concentration. Whether you study on a Columbia-Led or Columbia-Approved program, you need to work with your department to determine if you are able to receive credit towards your major, minor, or concentration.
You should have a discussion about the study abroad program with your Department's Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) or Departmental Advisors when you have descriptive information about courses before going abroad (i.e., syllabus, course description). If you do not know which courses you will be taking, discuss the program and your academic goals in general with your department before you leave.
Every department uses different criteria when assessing coursework taken abroad, so it will be important to understand what they expect of you before you go. This is especially important if you plan on studying abroad during your 4th Year. Most departments require that you bring all work (i.e., essays, tests) back to campus to demonstrate you have met their requirements. Please check with your department for more information if you are seeking major, minor, or concentration credits while abroad. Note: The minimum grades listed above for general transfer credit may vary by department in order to obtain major credit.