Most transfer credit is initially evaluated as “undistributed” or UN-100. Undistributed credits count towards your total number of credits required for graduation, but they do not fulfill any specific course requirements. Some courses have already been approved to fulfill specific requirements at IU. These courses will appear in the Credit Transfer Service. If you take one of these exact courses while abroad, you will automatically receive the pre-approved credit as stated in the CTS.

However, if the course you want to take abroad is not listed in the CTS, or you would like it to count toward a different course requirement at IU than what is listed in the CTS, you must contact the relevant IU department and ask for the course to be evaluated. For example, if you would like a foreign course to count as a 300-level Psychology elective, you would contact the Psychology department and follow their procedures to have the course evaluated.

The department may ask you to provide a syllabus, or other information regarding the content of the foreign course. You may be able to find this information on the program’s website, or you may be able to request it from the program provider. If you submit the required information and the IU department approves your request, your Credit Transfer Agreement will be updated with the approved credit distribution.

In some cases, the IU department may require you to complete the foreign course, then submit all course information and assignments upon your return to IU.