IFSA-Butler full courseload
Credit guidelines
Home institution regulations
Credit and grades
Completion of coursework
Early exams
Transcripts
Conversion of host university grades
Academic contract


IFSA-Butler full courseload
The Student Handbook that students receive during orientation outlines the number of credits they must take at their host university to equal a full IFSA-Butler courseload. A full IFSA-Butler courseload is generally 12 credits for the term, 15 to 16 credits for the semester and 30 to 32 credits for the year.

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Credit guidelines
Taking more than the equivalent of 16 credits in a semester can result in a surcharge by the host university. When this occurs, we send a bill to a student’s designated billing address.

U.S. federal law requires students who are receiving federal or state financial aid funds to earn at least 12 U.S. semester credit hours for a term or semester program and at least 24 credit hours for the year. Failure to comply with these guidelines can affect students’ future financial aid awards and eligibility, and may also lead to deportation. Students on any type of federal financial aid who fall below this number of credits may become immediately liable for all the money they owe to that date.

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Home institution regulations
Some U.S. institutions may impose on their students studying abroad the same academic regulations applicable on their home campus. In some cases, these regulations may conflict with IFSA-Butler policy. For example, if a student’s home institution requires that all students abroad enroll in four courses, that student may be overloaded or underloaded according to IFSA-Butler standards. Students should consult their IFSA-Butler advisor if this applies to them and their home institution. In addition, taking more than a typical courseload may result in a tuition surcharge (Tier 2 fee) from the university abroad. Students should check with their program advisor about tuition surcharges.

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Credit and grades
Students may not take a class for a pass/fail grade unless that is the only way the course is assessed for degree students in the host university. IFSA-Butler also does not permit students to audit. Only courses taken for a grade and credit count towards the full-load requirement.

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Completion of coursework
Students must complete all coursework before they leave their host institution.

IFSA-Butler may allow a student to withdraw in good standing from the program only in cases of severe medical or personal problems. Otherwise, IFSA-Butler does not report grades as incomplete. Incomplete or “absent” grades are reported on the Butler University transcript as a fail. Results from all courses will be reported to the student’s home institution.

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Early exams
Students may not reschedule an exam. IFSA-Butler will not conduct a grade query or academic follow-up on any class in which students have taken a rescheduled exam.

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Transcripts
Please see our transcripts page for full details about our transcript policies.

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Conversion of host university grades
We base grade translations on each host university's translation or on the recommendation of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). We translate the final grade according to these scales, which are printed in the Student Handbook and distributed during orientation abroad. Translations do not augment or reduce the grades; they are equivalent to the host university grade.

The grade report issued by the host university is considered a legal document and IFSA-Butler cannot alter the grades; the transcript must reflect the original document’s content. We can make a change in class title, grade level or credit only if we receive a revised grade report document from the host university registrar (or equivalent office). We will not change a grade if we receive a letter from a university official, a university professor or a student if it has not first gone through the registrar.

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Academic contract
During orientation we ask students to sign a contract in which they acknowledge their host university enrollment responsibilities.

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