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Study Abroad Approval

Studying abroad should complement your academic curriculum at the University of Notre Dame by connecting courses offered in the off-campus program with your major(s)/minor(s) and by engaging you in learning opportunities outside the classroom.

Study abroad programs are available for a full academic year, fall, spring, and summer. For summer only, foreign language study abroad grants are available through the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures.

How to Select a Study Abroad Program

  1. Research the Notre Dame International (NDI) website for locations, programs, and language requirements.
  2. Consider the following:
    • Which language(s) do you speak? Do you have the preparation for programs in a foreign language?
    • How long do you want to be abroad? When would you like to go abroad? Check the duration of the program(s). Although many programs follow the U.S. calendar, several do not.
    • Plan your course of study. Check the NDI lists of courses abroad and the Registrar’s website for courses taught abroad.

Requesting Dean’s Approval

  1. Start the application.
    • Complete the pre-study abroad part of the Study Abroad ePortfolio. (For Arts and Letters Pre-Health and Neuroscience and Behavior pre-med students, complete that part in the Study Abroad section of your Pre-Health ePortfolio.)
    • Complete the Study Abroad Planning Chart. Keep in mind that the course selection may change from year to year and that if a course has not been specifically approved to fulfill a requirement, it will not fulfill the requirement.
  2. Meet with your departmental advisor(s) for approval.
  3. Meet with your Arts and Letters advising Dean for study abroad approval. Call 574.631.7098.

Guidelines for Course Approval

Study abroad courses taken through NDI-administered programs are usually accepted as Notre Dame credits and factored into the student’s GPA. Students are expected to take a minimum of 15 credits while abroad. In the case of ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) the translation will be 2 ECTS = 1 ND credit.

Course Approval Process

  1. Students must seek pre-approval for classes taken abroad from the appropriate departments.
  2. Departments assign course numbers with the exception of courses that have no departmental “home” (e.g., interdisciplinary classes).
  3. In cases where a department approves a course and assigns a number, the department will determine whether the course meets a major or minor requirement.
  4. If a student has not received pre-approval for a particular class, the student may or may not receive credit for the class. Acceptance of credit is not guaranteed.
  5. If a department does not assign a number for a course, the deans will decide whether to grant credit and assign a number. If credit is granted, the deans will also determine how much credit.

Study-Abroad Credit Conversion

Description: Many of the universities which Notre Dame students attend while studying abroad operate on a credit system different from our own. As a result, various conversion ratios are applied when transferring credits earned at foreign institutions onto the Notre Dame transcript.

Students should contact NDI regarding appropriate credit load at their chosen study abroad site.