13 Credit Policy

The University of Minnesota 13-credit policy applies when you study abroad. Information on the 13-credit policy is available through One Stop.

Study abroad programs through the Learning Abroad Center are full-time enrollment programs, with a typical credit load of 13 to 16 semester credits. The Learning Abroad Center encourages you to register for 13 to 16 credits, and many programs require it. Students are required to follow the credit guidelines of their program. In those cases where the program requires more than 13 credits, students must take the required amount. In a few cases, Learning Abroad Center programs offer a maximum of 12 credits. In those cases, you must request an exemption from the 13-credit policy via the One Stop website.

Please note that the maximum credit load at the University of Minnesota is 20 credits per semester. Students wishing to take more than 20 credits in a semester abroad must consult with the Learning Abroad Center and their college adviser in advance.

If applicable, discuss credit load requirements with your financial aid adviser or scholarship provider to determine how many credits you require to remain eligible for the funding.

Non-University of Minnesota student participants who attend colleges or universities not on the semester credit system should consult with their home institution regarding credit transfer and any requirements for minimum or maximum credit load.

Partial Credit/Early Departure

Program participants who depart early due to serious illness, injury, or personal emergency generally are not entitled to incompletes or partial credit. Exceptions may be made when a student departs very near to the end of the semester. In those cases, an incomplete may be granted with a written agreement of the timeframe for completing assignments (generally no more than a few weeks). Incompletes cannot be granted for experiential learning program components (e.g., internships). Partial credit for the semester does not normally exceed the portion of the program completed, and grading is based solely on assignments that were already submitted. Partial credit cannot usually be issued for individual courses.

Repeating Courses (Bracketing)
Students are expected to use study abroad to progress in their study of a particular discipline or language. In general, courses taken abroad cannot be used to repeat (and bracket the grade of) a course previously taken on campus, although the occasional exception has been made for students studying beginning or intermediate language on a Learning Abroad Center sponsored program. University of Minnesota system students who wish to consider repeating a course abroad should consult with the Learning Abroad Center and their college adviser before studying abroad.  Non-University of Minnesota system students should consult with their home university.

Transfer vs. Resident Credit
Learning Abroad Center programs award either resident or transfer credit. The type of credit for each program is typically indicated on the Learning Abroad Center program website.

Resident Credit

• Grades received are calculated into your University GPA.
• Individual courses appear on your transcript.
• Preferred credit option for many academic departments.
• Good option for students with many transfer credits or those restricted by the senior residency requirement.

Transfer Credit

• Grades received are not calculated into your University of Minnesota GPA. Credit appears on your transcript as a block of credit, without individual course names.
• Transfer credit is automatically evaluated for Liberal Education requirements, although academic departments may or may not accept transfer credit for major requirements.
• You may need to request transcripts from the host university in the future, which can be difficult.

Acceptance of Study Abroad Coursework for Credit
In order for individual study abroad courses to be accepted by the University of Minnesota for resident or transfer credit, they must meet University of Minnesota admissions and college guidelines. For additional detail, read the University's transfer credit review criteria and transfer credit policies.

If a course is denied credit, you may petition for the credit to be reevaluated through your college advising office. Even if the University of Minnesota accepts a course for credit, you may need to petition within your college or department to have a course accepted for a particular requirement.

Since you may need to petition courses, it is critical that you document your academic work while studying abroad. Keep course syllabi, term papers, graded exams, lecture and reading notes, and titles of books or readings.

Transfer Credit Limits
If you already have a significant number of pass/fail or transfer credits, if you plan to graduate within a year of studying abroad, or if you want to count transfer credits toward your major or minor, you should discuss these issues with your college and major/minor advisers and include their comments on your Academic Planning for Study Abroad form.

Distance Learning/Directed Study Coursework
Students who wish to supplement their study abroad coursework with independent distance learning (IDL) or Directed Study/Directed Research coursework must consult with the Learning Abroad Center prior to departure. In general, these courses are only allowed for students who would otherwise lose progress toward graduation while abroad.

Students who take IDL or Directed Study/Research coursework are responsible for the additional tuition owed to the University of Minnesota, as study abroad credits do not count toward the 13–20 credit tuition band. In addition, students must file the 13-credit exemption form via the One Stop Registration website in order to avoid being charged for a full 13 credits of on-campus tuition on top of their study abroad program fee.

Last modified on February 12, 2008