- International Students & Scholars
Course Equivalency Process
This page will provide an overview of the course equivalency process and what steps you need to take to have your courses (or internship) reviewed.
What is the Course Equivalency Process, and How Does It Work?
Before the Education Abroad office can post grades from your time abroad, we must have an equivalent Penn State course number established for each course you took. The course equivalency process is the manner by which we have your abroad courses reviewed for equivalent Penn State course numbers. It involves obtaining course information from you, the student, and having it evaluated by the appropriate Penn State academic department.
The course equivalency process must be completed through the Education Abroad office; it is not completed through Admissions in the same way as transfer credits from other institutions. Students are not able to graduate from Penn State until the course equivalency process is completed for all courses taken abroad.
You should begin this process while abroad and can expect to see your courses and grades within 2-4 months of receiving your transcript.
Note: if you are going abroad on a faculty-led program, any course that is taught by your Penn State professor abroad already has a Penn State course number assigned to it. There is no need to complete the course equivalency process for a course taught by a Penn State professor. However, if your faculty-led program also includes a course - or multiple courses - taught by international faculty at a host institution, the course equivalency process will be required for that particular course.
What is the Course Equivalency Process, and How Does It Work?
Before the Education Abroad office can post grades from your time abroad, we must have an equivalent Penn State course number established for each course you took. The course equivalency process is the manner by which we have your abroad courses reviewed for equivalent Penn State course numbers. It involves obtaining course information from you, the student, and having it evaluated by the appropriate Penn State academic department.
The course equivalency process must be completed through the Education Abroad office; it is not completed through Admissions in the same way as transfer credits from other institutions. Students are not able to graduate from Penn State until the course equivalency process is completed for all courses taken abroad.
You should begin this process while abroad and can expect to see your courses and grades within 2-4 months of receiving your transcript.
Note: if you are going abroad on a faculty-led program, any course that is taught by your Penn State professor abroad already has a Penn State course number assigned to it. There is no need to complete the course equivalency process for a course taught by a Penn State professor. However, if your faculty-led program also includes a course - or multiple courses - taught by international faculty at a host institution, the course equivalency process will be required for that particular course.
Step 1: Review the Historical Course List for Your Program
- Historical course lists are linked in the "Academics" section of each program brochure page.
- If a course you are taking abroad is already on the historical list, the course equivalency process is complete for that course and you do not need to submit a new request. Our office will post that course to your transcript as it appears on the historical course list.
- Courses that cover multiple academic disciplines can be reviewed for multiple course equivalencies. If a course is on the historical course list but you need to have it reviewed for a new equivalency, proceed to step 2.
- If the course you are taking abroad does not appear on your program's historical list, proceed to step 2.
Step 1: Review the Historical Course List for Your Program
- Historical course lists are linked in the "Academics" section of each program brochure page.
- If a course you are taking abroad is already on the historical list, the course equivalency process is complete for that course and you do not need to submit a new request. Our office will post that course to your transcript as it appears on the historical course list.
- Courses that cover multiple academic disciplines can be reviewed for multiple course equivalencies. If a course is on the historical course list but you need to have it reviewed for a new equivalency, proceed to step 2.
- If the course you are taking abroad does not appear on your program's historical list, proceed to step 2.
Step 2: Submit a Course Equivalency Request
- Complete your online Course Equivalency Request to provide the Education Abroad office with information about your abroad course. Do not forget to upload the course syllabus!
- All syllabi must be submitted in English unless a student is seeking language credit for the course.
- Once you have submitted your course equivalency request, the Education Abroad office will have your course reviewed by the appropriate Penn State academic department.
- The review process can take two to four months (from the time we receive your transcript) to complete, so please be patient.
- You will receive an email notification once your request has been evaluated and your course has been assigned a Penn State course number.
- For internship equivalency requests, please review the "Course Equivalency for Internships" section of this page.
Step 2: Submit a Course Equivalency Request
- Complete your online Course Equivalency Request to provide the Education Abroad office with information about your abroad course. Do not forget to upload the course syllabus!
- All syllabi must be submitted in English unless a student is seeking language credit for the course.
- Once you have submitted your course equivalency request, the Education Abroad office will have your course reviewed by the appropriate Penn State academic department.
- The review process can take two to four months (from the time we receive your transcript) to complete, so please be patient.
- You will receive an email notification once your request has been evaluated and your course has been assigned a Penn State course number.
- For internship equivalency requests, please review the "Course Equivalency for Internships" section of this page.
Additional Information for Special Cases
Please review this additional information for completing the course equivalency process in special cases.
- If an abroad course has been assigned multiple Penn State course numbers on the historical course list (i.e., ANTH 111 and SOC 112), students should complete the online Course Equivalency Request to indicate their preferred course number.
- The course equivalency request form allows students to request that a particular academic department evaluate the course. This is not a guarantee that the requested department will approve it.
If you do not have a syllabus, please supply the following information about the course:
- A detailed summary/description of the course including weekly topics covered and the course format (i.e. lecture, discussion, internship).
- Total number of contact hours with the professor/adviser.
- Number of hours per day or week spent working on this specific course.
- All assignments and/or exams.
- All required reading.
- Must be formatted into a single document (doc./docx./PDF only)
Additional Information for Special Cases
Please review this additional information for completing the course equivalency process in special cases.
- If an abroad course has been assigned multiple Penn State course numbers on the historical course list (i.e., ANTH 111 and SOC 112), students should complete the online Course Equivalency Request to indicate their preferred course number.
- The course equivalency request form allows students to request that a particular academic department evaluate the course. This is not a guarantee that the requested department will approve it.
If you do not have a syllabus, please supply the following information about the course:
- A detailed summary/description of the course including weekly topics covered and the course format (i.e. lecture, discussion, internship).
- Total number of contact hours with the professor/adviser.
- Number of hours per day or week spent working on this specific course.
- All assignments and/or exams.
- All required reading.
- Must be formatted into a single document (doc./docx./PDF only)
Course Equivalency for Internships
Because each internship placement is unique, all internships completed abroad require a course equivalency request; there is no historical course list for internships. When you submit your equivalency form for your internship, please also upload a description of your internship that includes:
- Syllabus from the institution (if available)
- A detailed summary of the work you did on the internship
- Internship location
- Number of hours worked
- Language in which the majority of the work was completed
- Daily duties
- Special tasks and projects
- Must be formatted into a single document (doc./docx./PDF only)
The academic portion of the abroad internship often requires a final paper that covers the required information. It is acceptable to submit this final paper as the summary for the course equivalency request if the required information is included in the paper.
Course Equivalency for Internships
Because each internship placement is unique, all internships completed abroad require a course equivalency request; there is no historical course list for internships. When you submit your equivalency form for your internship, please also upload a description of your internship that includes:
- Syllabus from the institution (if available)
- A detailed summary of the work you did on the internship
- Internship location
- Number of hours worked
- Language in which the majority of the work was completed
- Daily duties
- Special tasks and projects
- Must be formatted into a single document (doc./docx./PDF only)
The academic portion of the abroad internship often requires a final paper that covers the required information. It is acceptable to submit this final paper as the summary for the course equivalency request if the required information is included in the paper.
Course Substitution Process
If a course they took abroad did not transfer as a desired Penn State course number, the student is expected to complete the course substitution process. This is not facilitated by the Education Abroad office; instead, it requires student action and permission from the respective college dean’s office.
- When working on their academic plans, students should discuss the possibility of a substitution with their adviser. Ideally, permission for a substitution should be obtained before they enroll in the course they wish to substitute.
- Schedule the course to be substituted. After scheduling it, the student should obtain pertinent forms and directions in the appropriate college dean's office to request the substitution. A course must be scheduled or completed before the substitution can be officially approved and entered on a student's degree audit.
- When a substitution is approved, students should check their degree audit to verify that the substitution has been made.
Course Substitution Process
If a course they took abroad did not transfer as a desired Penn State course number, the student is expected to complete the course substitution process. This is not facilitated by the Education Abroad office; instead, it requires student action and permission from the respective college dean’s office.
- When working on their academic plans, students should discuss the possibility of a substitution with their adviser. Ideally, permission for a substitution should be obtained before they enroll in the course they wish to substitute.
- Schedule the course to be substituted. After scheduling it, the student should obtain pertinent forms and directions in the appropriate college dean's office to request the substitution. A course must be scheduled or completed before the substitution can be officially approved and entered on a student's degree audit.
- When a substitution is approved, students should check their degree audit to verify that the substitution has been made.
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