For academic advisors

As an academic advisor, you play a crucial role in helping students incorporate study abroad into their academic plans. Every student has different goals when it comes to an international experience, and early planning is key to ensuring students find the programs that best meet their needs. You can help a student determine the best timing for a study abroad experience and what they need to accomplish while abroad. Refer students to our office by emailing studyabroad@mst.edu or through the S&T Connect referral system for assistance with program selection, applications and other study abroad questions. 

Course approvals 

The application for credit is the form used for a program where the student will take courses at another institution and transfer them back to S&T. Students may need to meet with you while still deciding on a program so that they have a better understanding of their own academic plan. Each student is required to obtain current approval. 

As soon as a student starts an application with our office, they receive both the application for credit form and instruction on how to complete it: 

  1. Meet with their academic advisor to identify remaining degree requirements. 
  2. Identify courses offered on the program(s) that are of interest to see if there could be potential equivalencies for those remaining degree requirements. Students can contact their study abroad advisor if they need assistance locating course lists.
  3. Gather the course information for their potential courses, including the syllabuses. 
  4. Work with the discipline-specific evaluator from the relevant department for each course and/or from their academic advisor for general credit to complete the application for credit form to show the approved equivalencies. 
  5. Submit the completed form to S&T Study Abroad prior to their program start date. 

Students are not required to complete the application for credit to submit their program application or to be accepted for the program. However, the student is provided with the application for credit form and instruction in case it impacts program choice. Students can fill out more than one copy if they need more courses, as well as update the form while abroad if needed. 

The credit transfer process can take several months after the completion of the program. Keep this in mind when helping students the best timing for their study abroad experience.