All SUNY students on any SUNY program automatically get credit toward their degree for the work they do overseas. However, you still have to negotiate what your courses are equivalent to at your home campus. For an Albany student, this means that there are procedures that get the courses you have taken overseas to show up on your "audit."

The number of credits you register for overseas does not always translate into the same number of credits at Albany. Albany (or the administering SUNY campus) will determine the number of credits each overseas course will carry based on conversion rules that apply to your specific program. Be sure that you understand the conversion rules so that you do not drop below 12 credits per semester.

We repeat: the Albany credits will not necessarily equal the number assigned by the host university. Your transcript supplement will reflect the number of credits SUNY has assigned to each course. That means some may be the same, others may be more, and others may be less than the number given by the overseas university. This means you need to be sure to register overseas for the correct number of credits to equal a minimum of 12 Albany credits. Refer to your program specific materials for conversion rules for your site. If the overseas course carries a large number of SUNY credits, your adviser may divide the credits among several Albany courses when determining exact equivalents.

Non-SUNY students will automatically earn Albany credit for their work overseas but must get permission from their home campus to transfer these credits from Albany. Non-SUNY students and non-Albany students should follow the procedures of their home campus for determining equivalents.

Minimum Course Load

All participants in semester-length study abroad programs are required to register as full-time students at Albany (or their home SUNY campus). All students must also take a full-time load of courses overseas (minimum of 12 SUNY credits per semester). If you do not complete a full-time load each semester, your financial aid may be jeopardized. (To receive financial aid for a summer program, you must complete at least 6 credits.)

The number of courses that you will need to take to reach full time status varies from program to program. Consult the academic information provided for your particular program. The number of credits a course carries at the host university is subject to change by SUNY. Be sure you know if there is a ratio for converting host university credits to SUNY credits so that you are not under-enrolled.

Maximum Course Load

Albany allows students to take up to 38 credits overseas for the entire academic year (19 credits maximum per semester). In a few cases where a pre-session is involved, additional credits can be awarded. A decision to award over 19 credits can also be made by the Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Albany after your grades have been received.