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Grades and Transcripts

Academic Records

Grades

Your education abroad program may use either letter grades or numbers to assess your academic progress. On your SUNY Transcript Supplement, your work will be recorded with letter grades only. You cannot select S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory or pass/fail) grading for courses graded on a letter or number basis overseas. However, you may enroll in courses that are graded only S/U by the host institution. If the host institution awards you a satisfactory grade in an S/U graded course, then that grade will appear on your Transcript Supplement.

Grades are not factored into your UAlbany Grade Point Average. However, whenever you request and send an official transcript, the Transcript Supplement will be included. The receiving entity (e.g. graduate schools, potential employers) may recalculate your GPA to include grades earned abroad. Therefore, the grades you earn abroad appear on your permanent record and may be a factor in an overall academic review.

All credits earned while you are enrolled in a SUNY-sponsored study abroad program (while you are registered at UAlbany for a GINS course number) will count toward the total number of credits needed for graduation. Only courses in which you earn grades of C or better will be allowed to count in the major or minor or as writing intensive in any subject area. If you earn a lower but still passing grade in any course, regardless of the equivalent originally determined, the course will be reclassified for as a generic 000 course in the subject area and the credits will count only toward overall credits. Courses approved as satisfying General Education requirements will still satisfy those requirements, except for the category of writing intensive. Students whose credits are not included in their major or minor because of this policy may request that specific courses be reevaluated by the major or minor department. The academic department has the authority to assign a different equivalent.

GRADE DESIGNATIONS

In addition to the “S” grades, the following grades might appear on your transcript:

Failing Grade (U)

If you fail any courses overseas and do not complete at least 12 credits with passing grades, you will have some credits with a grade of U on your transcript. They will appear on your Transcript Supplement with a grade of “U” as well. Completing fewer than 12 credits per semester will also negatively affect your financial aid, including the possibility that you may have to repay any aid awarded for that term.

Incomplete (I)

Most universities abroad do not give a grade of “I” (incomplete) for courses that you did not complete. However, if you are awarded such a grade, it will appear on your Official Transcript and on your Transcript Supplement as a GINS course with a grade of “I”. These grades will be changed when a new grade from abroad is received. If you have received any “I” grades, be sure to meet the deadlines you have been given by your professor and keep a copy of any materials you submit to your host university. You cannot graduate from UAlbany if you have any unresolved GINS “I” grades on your transcript.

Withdrawal (W)

If you drop courses in accordance with the rules and deadlines of your host university, you may have W credits when your grades are processed. If you are a UAlbany or a non-SUNY student who did not finish at least 12 credits with a grade of S, you will see another entry for education abroad on your transcript to bring your total credits for the semester to 12. These credits are for administrative purposes only and will not count as credits you have earned toward your degree. However, these credits will prevent you from obtaining a tuition refund. You must pay for the full tuition for your program, regardless of the number of credits you ultimately earn. Completing fewer than 12 credits per semester will also negatively affect your financial aid, including the possibility that you may have to repay any aid awarded for that term.

Not Recorded (NR)

Often students’ grade reports are sent out before the grades from abroad have been processed. If this happens, you will see a grade of NR (not recorded) for some number of credits, probably 15. Not to worry, NR grades and the number of credits change when your grades come in from abroad and are processed.

GRADE PROCESSING TIMELINE

While we are used to having our grades and updated transcripts here in the U.S. almost immediately after taking final exams, this is not the case for institutions abroad. Expect that it will take about 12 weeks after the program end for your grades to be fully processed. In many of our program locations, your grades will not arrive at the UAlbany Education Abroad office for up to 8 weeks after the program end date. It can take 7 to 14 business days for your record to be processed by the Education Abroad office and sent to the Registrar. Once we submit your grades to the Registrar’s Office, it can take 7 to 14 business days for the grades to be entered.

Although we cannot make any guarantees to provide your grades by a particular date, we do process grade reports as quickly as possible. Please be certain that you have completed any necessary authorizations to have your grades sent to UAlbany by the host university and that you have no “holds” (possibly due to unpaid charges or missing library books, etc.) at the overseas site before you return home.  Do not have the host university send your grades to your home campus!  They must be processed by UAlbany if UAlbany administered your program.

While we are awaiting your grades from overseas, the University at Albany may be issuing its official grade reports as the Registrar’s Office does so automatically. Therefore, if UAlbany or your home SUNY campus has not processed your grades from overseas, the grade report for the semester will show a grade of NR (not recorded) for the GINS course you have been registered for. This is normal and not a cause for alarm. There is no need to call us! This grade will be changed later. All students will know that their grades have been forwarded to their home campus when they receive their unofficial copy of the Transcript Supplement from UAlbany and an email from our automated application system.

Again, regardless of how quickly UAlbany receives your grades from abroad, you should be aware that UAlbany will place “holds” on the records of any students who have not paid in full for their overseas program or who have incurred unresolved debts overseas. Please be sensitive to this fact and take care of any debts right away.

Attention Graduating Seniors

Students who will be graduating during the semester following their period of education abroad should contact UAlbany. We will do our best to obtain your grades so that there is sufficient time for you to be cleared for graduation on schedule. However, we can never guarantee that we will receive your grades from overseas in a timely manner. Patience is necessary. Please read the section for Graduating Seniors for more details.

 

Transcript

UALBANY STUDENTS

Grades earned abroad are recorded in two places:

Official Transcript

If you are registered at UAlbany for a SUNY education abroad program, you will find entries on your semester’s grade report for a GINS course. A GINS course designation is a placeholder that indicates participation an education abroad program. When we receive and process your grades, you will find an entry for the total number of credits you have earned with a grade of S. These grades will not be factored into your GPA.

Transcript Supplement

The courses you take abroad are listed on a Transcript Supplement in full detail, including course numbers used by the host university, credits awarded by UAlbany, and the actual letter grade (converted to the UAlbany system as necessary). Although all students who participate in a SUNY education abroad program will receive a Transcript Supplement prepared by the administering campus, each SUNY campus has its own rules about how the credits will appear. If you are a non-UAlbany student participating on a UAlbany program, check with the Education Abroad office at your home campus for details.

OTHER SUNY STUDENTS

If you are a student from another four-year SUNY school, as soon as we receive your grades from overseas, we will prepare a Transcript Supplement. Unless you have a hold on your account, we will automatically send it to the Education Abroad office of your home campus. The Transcript Supplement prepared by UAlbany will show the courses you took abroad in full detail, including course numbers used by the host university, SUNY credits determined by UAlbany, and the actual letter grade (converted to the UAlbany system as necessary). If you have any questions about the Transcript Supplement, contact the UAlbany Education Abroad office, as we are the department that is able to modify Transcript Supplements. Please check with the Education Abroad Office on your home campus to see how these grades will be incorporated into your official records as each SUNY campus makes its own rules.

NON-SUNY STUDENTS

Please read the section describing Transcripts and Transcript Supplements for UAlbany students, as your grades will be prepared in the same way. Your grades will be filed with the Registrar’s Office at UAlbany and you will receive an unofficial copy of your Transcript Supplement. If you have any questions about how your courses or grades appear on the Transcript Supplement, contact the Office of Education Abroad at UAlbany. You should also find out from your home campuses how they incorporate transfer credit into your records.

 

Authorizing and Issuing Transcripts

SENDING YOUR EDUCATION ABROAD TRANSCRIPT TO UALBANY

Many universities and programs abroad require your specific authorization before sending your grades to UAlbany. Check with the host program staff and review the information specific to your program for details. Be sure to specify that your grades are to be sent to the SUNY campus administering your education abroad program, not to your home campus! Only the SUNY campus administering your program can produce a Transcript Supplement for you and it slows things down if your grades are sent to the wrong school.

ALL students on UAlbany programs must have their grades from abroad sent to:

Center for International Education and Global Strategy
c/o Education Abroad
University at Albany
1400 Washington Ave
Albany, NY, USA 12222

UAlbany students on OTHER SUNY programs must have their grades sent to the education abroad office at the SUNY that sponsors the program. DO NOT have the grades sent to UAlbany.

Sending your UAlbany Education Abroad Transcript to Your Home Institution

By law, UAlbany cannot send your official transcript to anyone without your written authorization. This includes non-SUNY students who want us to send their transcript directly to their home campus. For Non-SUNY students, there is a box on the bottom of your application for admission as a non-matriculated student that you can complete to pre-authorize UAlbany to send your grades when available. Please sign in this box before you return the form to our office. UAlbany will issue one free official transcript for you for each semester that you are abroad. YOU MUST sign in the box or your transcript request will not be honored by the UAlbany Registrar’s Office.

SENDING YOUR UALBANY TRANSCRIPT  TO A GRADUATE SCHOOL OR EMPLOYER

Order your official transcripts using the Registrar’s on-line system. Please note, the Registrar’s Office will not release your grades if you have any holds.

Appeals

The Transcript Supplement is part of your permanent record, and its accuracy is important. We send you an unofficial copy of your Transcript Supplement to ensure that the courses and grades you receive are those you believe you should receive. After reviewing the unofficial Transcript Supplement, if you think your credits or grades are incorrect or unfair, you must discuss your situation with the administering SUNY campus that issued the Transcript Supplement. If you think the wrong equivalents have been assigned, discuss this with the department who allocated the equivalency. It is possible for mistakes to be corrected and changes will be made with valid reason.