1. Meet with an academic advisor from your Temple University school/college advising center to make sure you know the courses you need to complete in order to graduate from Temple, in addition to making sure you are not on academic or disciplinary probation and your current GPA is at least 2.5.
2. Obtain from the non-Temple study abroad program a brochure that contains the following information: the name of the accredited university providing a transcript at the end of the program, and course descriptions.
3. Bring the information above in #2, along with the Request for Approval to Study Abroad form (attached to these instructions) to a study abroad advisor in International Programs to discuss the program and obtain written approval from International Programs. Before meeting with a study abroad advisor, you must complete the top portion of the form and sign it.
4. After obtaining the approval of International Programs, seek Temple University course equivalencies from the appropriate faculty evaluator in all of the departments from which you wish to take courses abroad. For example, if you are planning to take Finance, History, and Spanish courses abroad, you must go to each of those departments and have the non-Temple program course descriptions reviewed by a faculty member who can determine whether you will receive major, minor, core, or elective, lower or upper level credit, etc. The evaluator should indicate the equivalency on the form and sign off on each course. We highly recommend that you get alternate courses approved for each course you plan to take, as this will give you some flexibility once you begin your non-Temple program in case you wish to drop/add courses.
5. Take the Request for Approval to Study Abroad form to your Temple University school/college advising center. The director of the advising center, or a designee of the director, will review your request and has the final say as to whether or not you have formal approval from Temple to participate in your non-Temple study abroad program. If approved, you should have the advising center keep a copy and collect the original.
6. Sign the bottom of the form agreeing to inform International Programs immediately if for any reason you decide not to participate on the study abroad program and return the completed form to International Programs along with a copy of your acceptance letter from your non-Temple study abroad program. You should also keep a copy of the completed form for your own records.
7. The deadlines for the completion of the above process are the following: for Spring semester study, December 15; Summer study, May 1; and Fall semester study, August 1.
8. Generally, most financial aid is transferable to another institution. In order to transfer aid, you must obtain a Consortium Agreement from Student Financial Services (you may download it from http://www.temple.edu/sfs/forms.htm). Instructions are included with the Consortium Agreement. This form must be filled out by you and completed by your non-Temple study abroad program. Once the form is completed, it must then be returned to Student Financial Services along with a copy of your completed Request for Approval to Study Abroad form.
9. Finally, at the end of your program, request that the non-Temple program send an official transcript to Temple University International Programs (address below).
Your Temple University transcript will reflect the number of credits transferred; grades and courses will not appear on your Temple University transcript. However, should you apply to graduate or professional school, you will need to supply a transcript with grades from your study abroad experience.
