Transcripts and Grades

Academic credits earned on USAC programs will be reflected on transcripts and/or grade reports and may be dependent upon the program model and university of enrollment for the program.

Credit

Students receive university academic credit for all courses taken abroad (unless you audit). USAC Specialty programs will be graded on an A-F academic scale and USAC Partnership programs will be graded on the partner universities’ academic scale. The USAC Enrollment Department will provide an official transcript from the host university and suggest grade/credit conversions for Partnership programs. Some universities only accept transfer credit (host university transcripts or USAC Affiliate University transcripts) on a pass/fail scale, so check with your home university to see how USAC study abroad credits are processed and awarded.

USAC Specialty program students will receive a transcript from one of USAC's schools of record or the USAC Grade Report, depending on the home institution’s agreement with USAC. School of record transcripts may utilize different course numbering systems, titles, levels, or grade reporting methods than USAC. As such, universities should consider the USAC syllabus and Grade Report as the primary source when determining course and credit equivalents.

Transcripts

Transcripts and/or grade reports will be generated for USAC programs dependent upon the program model and university of enrollment for the program. Please email the USAC Enrollment Department for assistance clarifying the information provided below.

Specialty Programs

USAC grade reports will automatically be mailed to study abroad offices at USAC Affiliate Universities at the conclusion of each semester. If you are not enrolled through your home university or if you are from a non-affiliate university, official transcripts must be requested directly from the USAC Affiliate University through which you were enrolled. Information and instructions on how to do this will be posted on your Gateway account.

Partnership Programs

Transcripts are generated directly from the host university abroad which will be sent to the USAC office and then forwarded to the address indicated on the Transcript Authorization Form, if it was submitted. This form can be found on your Gateway account.

If you attend an Affiliate University your host university transcript will be forwarded to your study abroad office automatically. It is not uncommon for grades from Partnership programs to take several months to arrive to the US and then post to your home university record.

If you are studying abroad during the semester you plan to graduate, it is possible this process could delay your graduation so be sure to discuss with your academic and study abroad advisor.

All Programs

Once you have completed your program and your grades are posted to your USAC Gateway Account, it is important to check with your Study Abroad Office and/or your academic advisor at your home university to make sure that your study abroad credits were transferred. The simple action of doing so can catch any mistake that may have occurred and save time and aggravation later on in your academic career.

In order for transcripts to be official they must be sent directly to your home university and not to your personal address. If you request a transcript to be sent to your home address, it will most likely be stamped "Issued to Student" and will not be accepted by your school for credit transfer. If you would like an additional transcript to be sent to your home address, please request additional copies for an additional fee.

You should look over your transcripts/grade reports and alert the USAC Central Office of any discrepancies. The sooner we are aware of any problems, the easier they are to solve. To inquire about the status of a transcript or grade report, contact the USAC Enrollment Department at enrollment@usac.edu.