Study abroad credit will be accepted toward a University of Virginia College of Arts & Sciences degree only from UVA direct credit programs, or by transfer credit from accredited degree-granting colleges and universities or programs approved in advance by their major department, by the Dean's office in the College, and by the International Studies Office.
To study abroad, students must be in good academic standing; that is, not on academic warning or suspended.
Students on academic warning may not apply to study abroad without petitioning their association dean for approval. Students who incur an academic warning in the semester prior to the start of a fall or spring semester study abroad program may not earn degree credit abroad during the fall or spring semester.
To earn credit towards your degree while abroad, students must have a cumulative GPA at UVA of
Failure to have the minimum 2.5 GPA will prevent study abroad credit from transferring or counting direct study abroad credit.
Before leaving for study abroad, students must
Thus new students, either first-year or transfer, may apply for study abroad only after they have matriculated in a regular fall or spring semester at UVA.
Students planning to study abroad in their second semester should carefully consider the possibility that they might not achieve the required 2.5 GPA in their first term and might thus be ineligible to apply study abroad credit toward their degree.
These standards apply both to direct study programs and the traditional study abroad programs under auspices of another institution or organization. Participation in the University’s direct study programs is on a competitive basis; undergraduate program directors may establish additional criteria beyond minimum cumulative GPA for admission.
With approval of the student’s association dean and major advisor, students may study abroad in their seventh or even eighth semester.
Grades must be received by the College Registrar by the deadline (see academic calendar) in order to graduate on time. Students accept the risk of not graduating on time if their grades, for any reason, are not received by the deadline set by the College Registrar.
In UVA direct credit programs, students enroll in UVA courses, receive grades, and meet area requirements (and may to a limited degree, complete major requirements).
We encourage students to enroll in the University’s direct credit programs because of the close collaboration between the University and the host institution.
Courses from UVA direct credit programs are recorded on the UVA transcript with a specific identifier in the course’s mnemonic.
In transfer credit programs, students enroll in programs sponsored by other institutions. Grades do not transfer, although courses must be passed with a C or higher for credit to be considered.
Credit from transfer credit study abroad programs may NOT be used to fulfill College area or competency requirements, with the exception of the foreign language requirement, which may be fulfilled with approved course work in a country where the language is native.
Students must obtain permission from the department to transfer credit for the major or minor.
Study Abroad Programs: We strongly encourage students to select study abroad transfer-credit programs from those approved by their department and listed on the on-line database of programs maintained by the International Studies Office.
Students in the College may transfer elective credits from programs approved by the ISO and also listed at Transfer Credit Equivalencies for Select Study Abroad Programs without the need to seek approval for each course from departments.
Approval is required for accredited programs not on the Study Abroad Programs list of approved programs.
Students who select accredited programs not on the ISO list of approved programs must obtain approval of the program from
A maximum of 60 non-U.Va. credits from other universities, foreign study (the University’s direct study programs exempted), advanced placement, or dual enrollment may count toward the 120 credits needed for the B.A. or B.S. degree in the College.
Students should confer with their Association Dean in the College for more information.
Students enrolled in direct UVA credit programs are expected to meet the College’s longstanding criteria for good Academic Standing. Failure to do so will result in the academic sanctions of Academic Warning or Suspension.
Like their full time counterparts in Charlottesville, students participating in semester- or year-long direct UVA credit Study Abroad programs (not summer programs) are expected to complete at least 12.0 credits each semester in some combination of program and host-institution course work.
Whether on direct study programs or other approved programs, students who enroll in 12 or more credit hours in a semester use one of the eight semesters of full time study they are allotted (transfer students proportionally fewer than eight, as determined upon matriculation).