For every course equivalency, the NU course credit amount will be determined by the credit conversion ratio for each specific international institution. You should maintain a full time status at the host institution to ensure that you receive full time credit at Northeastern. Courses that are deemed “no transfer” will not factor into this full time credit load. You should refer to the specific program and term for information on required credit loads and conversions.

If you take an overload of credits your billing will be updated accordingly. All courses that appear on your study abroad transcript must be transferred back to Northeastern.

Example 1: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

• The credit conversion ratio is 1:0.534 (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid: Northeastern)
• You need to take 30 ECTS credits per semester at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid to be full time
• Courses are typically 3 or 6 ECTS credits at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
• A 3 ECTS credit course will come in as 1.6 NU credits, and a 6 ECTS credit course will come in as 3.2 NU credits
• If takes 30 ECTS credits abroad, they will receive 16 NU credits

Example 2: University of Edinburgh

• The credit conversion ratio is 1:0.2667 (University of Edinburgh: Northeastern)
• You need to take 60 credits per semester at University of Edinburgh to be full time
• Courses are typically 10 or 20 credits at University of Edinburgh
• A 10 credit University of Edinburgh course will come is as 2.667 NU credits, and a 20 credit University of Edinburgh course will come in as 5.334 NU credits
• If a student takes 60 University of Edinburgh credits abroad, they will receive 16 NU credits

Research courses that you are interested in taking abroad, including multiple back-up courses, and confirm that they have been evaluated for Northeastern equivalents.

• Courses listed are not guaranteed to be offered during your desired term abroad. Please confer with the course catalogue from your host institution to see which courses are being offered during a specific semester.
• If a course is listed as “No Transfer,” this means that the course has already been reviewed by a Northeastern faculty evaluator and they have determined that the course will not transfer back to Northeastern for credit.
• If a course is not listed in the database, this means that it has not been evaluated yet and must be submitted to GEO for evaluation.

See the Course Restrictions Policy under the Eligibility and Policies section above.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your global experience courses are properly evaluated by Northeastern faculty and that you obtain the approval of your Academic Advisor. Failure to do so could mean that you do not receive credit for the courses you take.

To submit a course for evaluation you will need the following information, which can be found on the host institution website:

• A complete syllabus (PDF) including a complete reading list
• The number of credits (host institution credits, this is often listed on the syllabus)
• The department the course is taught in
• (Preferred) the number of contact hours

Once you have submitted a course, you will be alerted by email when the courses have been evaluated or if further information is needed. Typically, course evaluations take between six and eight weeks.

• Although GEO facilitates course evaluations, Northeastern faculty are in charge of course evaluations. GEO will keep you updated on the status of course evaluations, but please do not reach out to faculty directly.
• GEO cannot have a course re-evaluated in the database unless the course evaluation is older than 5 years or there is a new course syllabus.
• Specific NU equivalents cannot be requested.

If you feel strongly that an evaluated course abroad could fulfill a different major or minor degree requirement than what it is currently evaluated to fulfill, please speak with your Academic Advisor about the process for requesting a one-time exception or substitution in your specific department and/or College. Exceptions are at the sole discretion of the department/College, and are exceedingly rare in all cases. They are never granted for NU Path equivalencies, which are determined at the University level and must be met with a course that carries that specific attribute.

For questions or concerns regarding courses, credits, or grades, please reach out to your Global Experience Advisor or email us at [email protected]. If you are inquiring about the status of a course evaluation, please be sure to include the host university, course title, and course code in your email.

Study Abroad Course Selection

Students should carefully follow the course selection and approval instructions found in the GEO Application Portal. All students planning to study abroad must have the approval of their academic advisor prior to departure. Please contact your Study Abroad Advisor or [email protected] for any questions related to the study abroad course selection process.

Northeastern Registration

If you have been accepted to a study abroad program you will be issued an “ABRD” placeholder on your Northeastern Registration during your time abroad. This is a non-credit bearing Pass/Fail course.

If you have a hold on your account, it must be cleared prior to your ABRD registration and your departure. Failure to remove these holds prior to departure will result in withdrawal from your study abroad program at your own expense.

Your balance due can be located on your billing statement or in the account section of the Student Hub. Under “Resources” proceed to ‘Financial Services’ and then select the “Student Account, Payment, and E-bill Information.” To view your billing statement, select “View My Billing Statements.” You can also view your amount due on the landing page under “Your Balance.”

Once GEO receives your host institution transcript, the ABRD placeholder will be replaced with the converted courses, credits, and grades.

Host Institution Registration

You must register for courses at the host institution. Please note that this is a separate process from Study Abroad Course Selections and Northeastern’s ABRD course registration. Instructions for doing so will vary for each study abroad program, so it is important to connect with your Global Experience Advisor or with the host institution directly, depending on the program.

If you are intending on taking a course pass/ fail, please review the pass/fail policy, in the policy section. If you want to change courses upon arrival and registration at your host institution, you must get prior approval from your Academic Advisor and Global Experience Advisor. Any new course must be evaluated for credit.

Once you complete your term abroad, a copy of the host institution transcript will be sent directly to the Global Experience Office (GEO) to be processed and posted to your Northeastern records. Transcripts from host institutions are typically received by GEO 1-3 months after the completion of the term and are sent at the discretion of the host institution. Once the host institution transcript is received by GEO, processing and posting on your records will take between 2-4 weeks to be completed. Transcripts are kept on file permanently with GEO. Once processed you will be able to view your grades via the Student Hub.

To avoid any delays in receiving study abroad credit, verify the following:

• Every course that appears on your transcript from a host institution must be evaluated in the Course Equivalency Database prior to studying abroad.
• All required fees have been paid to the host institution.

GEO cannot accept the following information regarding transcripts:

• Supplemental documentation listing courses not printed on the official transcript
• Supplemental documentation for grade changes not printed on the official transcript
• Transcripts directly from students, unless sent through a secure digital platform such as eQuals or Parchment.

If evaluated and approved, global experience courses will transfer back to Northeastern with a letter grade and will be factored into your GPA.

If you would like to take a course pass/fail, you must adhere to the program partner’s course policies and make any pass/fail requests through the host institution. Any course taken for a pass/fail grade abroad and represented as such on an official partner institution transcript will transfer into Northeastern as a pass (S) or fail (U) grade. If you take a course pass/fail, it will not fulfill major, minor, concentration, or NUPath requirements.

Your Northeastern college may have additional restrictions on the number of Pass/Fail courses you can take during the semester. If permitted at your host institution, you must also adhere to the Pass/Fail course policies set by your home college at Northeastern.

If you would like to withdraw from a course while abroad, you must adhere to the program partner’s course policies and make any withdrawal requests through the host institution.

Each grade received from the host institution will be converted into a Northeastern letter grade.

NU does not permit you to take an incomplete while abroad. All coursework must be completed before your departure unless specifically required by the program or professor abroad.

Review your vaccination history with a travel clinic prior to departure. There may be vaccinations recommended by the CDC and the U.S. Department of State, or required by your host country for entrance. For more information, you can also contact your local county health department.

There are multiple travel clinics located in the Boston area. Appointments should be scheduled for at least one month before traveling abroad, and you should first contact your insurance company to find out if these services will be covered. If you are not in the Boston area, check with your local hospital or doctor’s office to find the nearest travel clinic.

Travelers with pre-existing conditions (including food or medication allergies) should:

• Create a wellness plan with their personal doctor(s)
• Identify the appropriate healthcare resources in your destination.
• Carry a doctor’s letter describing the condition and any instructions for emergency care.
• Check your personal health insurance’s coverage abroad

We suggest that you discuss your condition and appropriate emergency procedures with GEO, the on-site program director or advisor, the host institution, trusted roommates, and/or travel companions.

Northeastern members traveling abroad should bring enough medication, prescriptions, and emergency medical supplies with you for the duration of your program.  The rules and regulations vary by country regarding the type of medication and amount you can bring. To avoid complications while carrying medicines, you should:

• Carry prescriptions in their original labeled container;
• Have a doctor’s note for all medications;
• Store all medications in carry-on luggage.

The NUPD Global Safety Office (GSO) provides guidance, logistics assistance, and information to enhance traveler safety and security awareness. The GSO also monitors global events, assesses the potential impact to Northeastern travelers, and responds to international emergencies.

Travelers can obtain assistance by calling:

• Global Safety &  Support Network (GSSN):  +1.857.214.5332
• NUPD 24/7 dispatch center: +1.617.373.3333 (emergency) or 2121 (non-emergency)

Northeastern also suggests members that you consult with GSO about health, safety, and security concerns prior to departure.  The GSO can review itineraries, create custom maps, identify key services in your destination, and develop emergency and communication plans.

If you find yourself in legal difficulty, contact Travel Support Network immediately. They cannot serve as your legal counsel, but they can provide you resources to move forward.

If you have an emergency situation while traveling abroad, please follow the below protocol:

1. Contact the appropriate local emergency response services.
2. Contact your onsite health and safety coordinator or program director. Always contact your in-country contact first, as they are the ones who will be able to provide immediate assistance. If on co-op, contact your employer/supervisor.
3. Contact the Global Safety and Support Network (GSSN) to alert them to the situation and to access services that they have available. WorldAware will notify the Northeastern University Police Department and GEO of the issue.

U.S. Embassies and Consulates are your advocates while you are abroad and provide assistance in emergencies. GEO advises you to register at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate at your destination. This will make it easier if someone at home needs to locate you urgently or if you need to be evacuated in the unlikely event of an emergency. This is especially true if you are traveling independently, outside of a school-sponsored trip.

If your passport is lost or stolen, you will need to report this to the nearest embassy. If you are already registered with them, it will make the process a little bit smoother.

Should you become ill or injured, the Embassy or Consulate can usually supply you with a list of local physicians and medical facilities.

If you get arrested, ask that your home country’s consular officials be notified.