Frequently Asked Questions for Academic Planning
- General Academic Questions
- How do I receive credit for GE requirements for courses taken abroad?
- If you go on a Summer or Quarter Abroad Program, you are taking UC Davis classes and you will receive GE credit, if it is already listed in the General Catalog. For EAP students, you will need to petition for GE credit upon return to UC Davis. Please review the information on our GE Web page for the step by step process.
- How do I receive credit in my Major for courses I take abroad?
- Summer and Quarter Abroad programs offer UC Davis classes. Simply look up the courses in the General Catalog to determine if they count towards your major. On EAP, you will need to demonstrate to your department why your host university class should count towards your major. Please visit the EAC Web site Petition for Major/Minor Credit.
- How can I meet senior residency requirements and study abroad my senior year?
- You may be able to participate in an EAC program during your last quarter/summer at UC Davis, provided you haven’t exceeded your 225 units (Engineering majors excluded). All college and major requirements must be fulfilled before you leave or during your year abroad. If you plan to study abroad during your last term(s), you MUST meet with an EAC advisor before applying for a program.
- How can I meet minimum progress and study abroad?
- If you go on a Summer Abroad program you will earn 8 UC Davis units over the summer, increasing your unit total as if you were taking Summer Sessions. If you go on a Quarter Abroad program, you will take 16-22 quarter units, so you can plan accordingly. If you go on an EAP program Fall Quarter, you will earn a semester’s worth of units, generally 18-24 UC Quarter Units. Keep in mind that EAP Spring Semester programs generally only grant 20-24 units.
- How can I avoid reaching my Unit Cap and still study abroad?
- All EAC programs are offered for UC credit, and count toward total unit count, but you may be able to plan for a program with fewer units than others. For example,
if you study abroad on an EAP Spring Semester program, you will be absent from the UCD campus for 2 quarters, but will only be receiving 20-24 units of credit for your semester abroad as opposed to an estimated 30 units if you were to stay in Davis for 2 quarters.
In some circumstances, EAC advisors may also be able to work with you and your College Dean’s office to find other alternatives that will be allowed.
- Do I have to take classes for my major while abroad?
- No, you do not have to take classes for your major on your study abroad program. However, you should ensure that the program you choose does not interfere with your degree (i.e. - graduation timeline, meeting minimum progress, unit caps, senior residency requirements, coursework for your major on campus, etc).
- Are there specific programs designed for my major?
- Yes, we have many programs designed for various majors on campus. Both the Summer and Quarter Abroad programs offer coursework in UC Davis campus departments and are subject focused. The EAP also has specific programs that have set coursework (EAP Special Focus Program) and/or are an immersion program for a certain discipline (i.e. Tohuku Engineering Program in Japan). Please visit our Major Advising Pages (MAPs) online to see if your department and the EAC have recommendations for your major.
- Can I take courses P/NP while abroad?
- Quarter Abroad - Yes, you can take courses P/NP on Quarter Abroad. However, you must follow all university policy related to P/NP courses. For example, such requests must be submitted and confirmed before the 25th day of instruction and a maximum of one third of the units completed in residence on the campus can be P/NP (Quarter Abroad counts as “in residence”). Please note that if you are taking language courses to fulfill a language requirement, they must be graded.
Summer Abroad - Yes, All Summer Abroad programs feature two courses: a core course and a 198 (directed group study). The 198 courses are offered on a mandatory P/NP basis. Students may elect to use the P/NP option for the core course. To do so, students must notify the program instructor before the second week of the program.
Education Abroad Program - Yes, on EAP, you can take a maximum of 1/3 (one third) of the total units per term on the P/NP basis. The P/NP option must be noted on the Study List at the time of enrollment or petitioned during the normal petition period. However, the P/NP is not allowed for:
• Intensive Language Program (ILP) curses taken by undergraduates, unless the courses are offered on the P/NP basis only
• Special study courses (independent study, research, or internships) when the particular program requires a letter grade
• The language instruction portion of short-term language and culture programs.
Please see your EAP advisor for more questions.
* Don’t forget that GE courses must be taken for a letter grade.
- How do I register for classes before I return to UC Davis?
- Students studying abroad on EAP, Quarter Abroad or Summer Abroad Programs can register for classes before returning to UC Davis by using SISWEB. It is important that students monitor their UC Davis email account while abroad for information sent from the Registrar’s Office about registration dates and pass times. Students abroad can access SISWEB using the internet and register for classes as usual. Students should consult with their academic advisors before going abroad to plan the courses that they will take while abroad and also to plan their classes for their first quarter back at UC Davis as well.
- How will my time abroad be noted on my transcripts?
- EAP - Two notations will appear on your official transcripts to reflect your study abroad experience; one in the quarter you were participating in EAP and the other at the bottom of your transcript in the remarks section. Both notations will state that you participated in the Education Abroad Program, the country you studied, and the quarter/s you were participating. Your courses, units and grades will be listed on your transcript just like your UCD classes.
Quarter Abroad - Listed on the quarter you were abroad, there will be a line that notes where you studied abroad. If you received Transcript Notation for an internship, that will also be listed. Most courses taken abroad through Quarter Abroad are also designated with an S, to show they were taken abroad. Finally, there is a note in the comments section at the end of the transcript stating the program attended.
Summer Abroad courses will appear on your transcript just as regular UC Davis courses. There is nothing at this time that specifies the coursework was taken abroad. Students who need to demonstrate that a course was taken abroad can request a letter from Summer Abroad program staff.
- What affect will studying abroad have on my GPA?
- EAP - Your GPA will be matriculated just as if you were here on campus receiving grades. Your grades will be reflected in your quarter and overall UC cumulative GPA. All graded courses will be converted appropriately and grades will be posted on your transcript approximately 90 days after your program ends. These courses will remain part of your UCD academic record.
Summer and Quarter Abroad students will receive grades as if they were here on campus.
- Can grades received on a study abroad program be appealed like they can at Davis?
- Summer and Quarter Abroad students should follow the campus procedure for appeals. Students who have questions about a grade should first discuss their concerns with the instructor. Generally all grades except I or IP are final when filed by the instructor at the end of the quarter. Only clerical or procedural errors which can be documented are granted. If the instructor agrees that a clerical or procedural error has been made, the grade can be changed by means of a petition filed by the instructor. Requests to interchange P, NP, S, or U grades are automatically denied. For more information on grade grievances, please visit http://sja.ucdavis.edu/grade-grievances.html
EAP students will receive information on grades in their general guide, once accepted into the program. As with UC Davis courses, all grades are considered final at the time they are issued at the end of the term. Only documented clerical/procedural errors (i.e. typos, transpositions, wrong courses, etc.) will be considered for a grade change. EAP will not consider appeals based on comparison to other students, grades a student normally receives at UC Davis, or differences in assessment style from UC Davis. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with their professors throughout the term so they are not surprised by final grades. It is also important for students to familiarize themselves with the host institution’s grading system which may be very different from that of UC Davis.
- How can I access my academic records while abroad?
- You can access your academic records through SISWEB. To access the SISWEB system you will need your UC Davis LoginID and corresponding password, as well as your student identification number and PAC (Personal Access Code). The SISWEB system is normally available 24 hours a day, except from midnight Friday through 10 a.m. Saturday. Registration activity (enrolling in classes, or adding, or dropping, etc.) can only occur during times you are eligible.
- Can I still be on the Dean’s List while abroad?
- Students on Quarter Abroad and Summer Abroad must meet the same requirements for the Dean’s List as if you were here on campus. There is no delay and no need to request a retroactive notation.
EAP students can still qualify for Dean’s List as long as you complete 12 graded units and meet the GPA cutoff. Because the EAP grades come in late and after we have run the end of term program for Deans’ List, you will need to request a retroactive Dean’s List notation from your Deans’ Office. They will send a record correction to the Registrar’s Office.
- How can I apply for graduate schools while I am studying abroad?
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If you need to apply to graduate or professional school programs while you are abroad, prepare yourself by allowing extra communication time for application documents and ensuring that you know what you need for your graduate school application. Application items may include transcripts, letters of recommendation and entrance examinations. Check with the Registrar’s office for official transcript delivery timelines and visit the Advising Services website to see more information about graduate school application time lines. For Law school application timelines, see the Pre-Law advising website and for Medical, dental, optometry, etc. professional school application information, see the Pre-Health professions advising website.
- How can I take the GRE’s while abroad?
- It is possible to take the GRE overseas. Refer to the GRE website regarding test centers.
- Education Abroad Program (EAP) FAQs
- Can I apply for more than one EAP program at a time?
- You can apply for ONLY one program at a given application period with the exception of back-to-back programs. For example, summer and fall/year programs application are due on the same date. In that case, you may and should submit applications for both if you are applying for summer program and fall program.
- If I did not get into the program I apply for, do I have any other options? If so, what are my options?
- If you met the minimum requirements but did not get into the program due to space limitation, your EAP advisor will present you with other options. These will vary depending on your situation and program availabilities. Please meet with your EAP advisor when the situation arises.
- I can only academically afford to miss one quarter, what are my EAP options?
- There are a number of programs that EAP offers during Fall Semester. Since these programs usually go from late August to mid-December, UCD students who need units, benefit from 2 quarters’ worth of credits while only missing one academic quarter at Davis. Search the EAP Program Wizard for Fall Semester/Quarter programs
- How can I find out what courses are available at my host university?
- Please visit the EAC Web page, Research EAP Courses for a step by step process on how to find out what courses will be offered at your host university.
- What happens if the courses I planned to take (written on my Academic Planning Form) are not offered at the host university while I am there? Will I be penalized?
- No. There are occasions when coursework you have originally chosen to enroll in and have received pre-approval for, will not be available once you arrive in the host country. Should this happen and you end up enrolling in alternate coursework not pre-approved by your department advisor/s as listed on the Academic Planning Form, you should contact your department advisor to receive advising on possible alternatives based on what is offered. In any event you must bring back all course documents including a syllabus, graded assignments, tests and papers, book titles, etc. Please see the EAC Web page Petition for Major/Minor Credit for detailed information.
Once you return to Davis, you will take these documents to the appropriate department and/or advisor for evaluation of equivalency and credit.
- Do I have to take the classes that I put on my Academic Planning Form?
- The classes on your Academic Planning Form are a preliminary list of the courses you would like to take or you may be able to take while you are abroad. The classes you enter on this form may not be offered or you may change your mind once you get to your host country. Under such circumstances, be sure to consult with your departmental advisor and bring back detailed course information and the syllabi of the courses you take abroad but which are not listed on your Academic Planning Form.
- If I take a course that is not on Coursefinder, will I still get credit for it?
- For most EAP host universities, the courses that appear in Coursefinder constitute only a fraction of the courses available for UC students. Additional available courses are listed in host university catalogs, many of which can be found through host university websites.
Once you register for your host university classes, you will submit your course information to the Study Center Director for your country. This UC faculty member will evaluate your course and determine the equivalency with UC courses (upper/lower division, number of units, etc.). This information will be entered in Coursefinder usually by the time you return to UC Davis. You will receive UC units for all the EAP courses you take abroad.
- If I am changing my major, but have not yet fulfilled the pre-requisites for the new major should I have my current advisor or new advisor sign the Academic Planning Form?
- If the coursework you are planning to take while abroad is going to help you fulfill requirements for the new major you are planning to start, you should have your APF signed by your new advisor, even if you haven’t fulfilled the pre-requisites for the new major.
If you are unsure if you are actually going to change your major please speak with both major advisors.
- If my major is undeclared, who do I have sign my academic planning form?
- You should have the advisor for the major you intend to declare review your academic plan and sign the form.
- What do I need to bring back to UCD in order to obtain credit (Major/Minor/GE) for the courses I took abroad on EAP?
- All the information you will need to petition for Major/Minor/GE credit is outlined on the downloadable, 2 sided Student Course Information Form (SCIF). In addition, please see the EAC Web site Petition for Major/Minor Credit
- How is coursework in a foreign language evaluated for Major/Minor credit?
- In many cases, you may find course descriptions in English available on Coursefinder, in your program guide, or directly on host institution websites. You and your major/minor advisor can use these course descriptions to evaluate the content of the course and to determine what, if any, equivalent that course has at UC Davis. If your information is not in English please meet with your major advisor-they may ask you to directly translate the information or request that you locate another individual to do so.
- How do I sign up for classes at my host university?
- This process varies by country and host institution, but in most instances you will be sent course registration information after you’ve been accepted into the program. You may be asked to send the host institution a study plan, which they will use to enroll you in courses. In other cases, you may enroll directly online or via a formal registration process.
- When will I get my grades from my EAP host university?
- Grades for EAP are usually reported to the registrars’ office within 3-4 months of the end of an EAP program.
- How will my EAP classes appear on my transcript?
- Coursework taken abroad will appear itemized on your transcript with course title, unit value (converted to the quarter system), letter grade, term GPA, and an internal EAP course code. Courses will appear in the term blocks for the quarters you were gone, and each quarter will be footnoted with comment to indicate you were studying abroad on EAP for that quarter.
- How do I obtain transcripts from my EAP host university?
- You will not receive transcripts from your host institution because the courses you take abroad are considered UC courses, not transfer credit. The courses you take abroad are reviewed by the EAP Study Center in-country and then translated to UC courses (with units, grades, etc.).
- How many units am I expected to take per semester on an EAP program?
- Both EAP and the home UC campus require that students study full time and make normal progress toward their degrees while on EAP. UC campus regulations vary with respect to normal progress but is generally 21-24 UC quarter units per semester or 14-16 UC quarter units per quarter.
- How are foreign grading systems converted to the UC Davis system?
- Most universities grade on some form of a numbered scale (e.g. 0-20) which does not correlate with the letter/percentage system of UC. In other words, a 14/20 may not be the same as 70% at UC. Each EAP Study Center abroad will review courses with a grading formula that equates the host grades to UC grades in a fair and consistent manner. Using this formula, the Study Center will issue UC grades. However, these grades will be based on the grading criteria used by the host institution. For example, it is not uncommon for host institutions to base 90% of a final grade based on a single final paper or exam; attendance/participation may be required or may not factor into a final grade; students may be required to give an oral final exam; etc. UC students will be expected to abide by these grading criteria, however different they may seem from UC practices.
- Can graduate students participate on EAP?
- Yes, graduate students can participate on EAP. You can go on regular immersion programs and take graduate-level courses abroad for UC credit. There are some specific EAP programs for graduate students as well. Please visit the EAP Web site for more information regarding programs and application procedures. Note that prior to applying for EAP, you will need to read the Graduate Student Information Sheet and submit a Graduate Preliminary Enquiry Form to the appropriate EAP advisor at the Education Abroad Center at UC Davis.
- Can Transfer students participate on EAP?
- YES! Transfer students to UC Davis can submit your EAP application along with your application to attend UC Davis and study abroad your first quarter/year! You will need to file your “Intent to Enroll” with UC Davis and meet with your UC Davis academic advisor in your department (major) to fill in the necessary paperwork and obtain signatures. You can also go abroad at any time during your time at UC Davis as long as you meet the Residency requirements for your College and have your plan reviewed by your Major advisor.
