This section of our website has been recently revised. Please consider updating the link/bookmark that brought you to this page.
These resources are intended for currently enrolled students at UW–Madison. Some of the information may not apply to students who have not yet applied, been admitted, or started classes.
Taking Courses at Another Institution
If you plan to take a course elsewhere, you can use the online transfer equivalency database Transferology to identify appropriate coursework.
When completing coursework away from UW–Madison, it is your responsibility to:
- Consult with your academic advisor(s) to understand how transferable coursework will apply to degree, major, or certificate requirements.
- Be aware of policies in your school/college, such as how many total credits can be earned in a term.
- If you plan to take more than 18 total credits between UW–Madison and another institution during a fall or spring term — or 12 credits during a summer term — consult your academic advisor or dean’s office.If you are a student in the College of Letters & Science, you can request to exceed credit limits using the L&S Credit Overload Request Form.
Transferology: Find or Add an Equivalent
When planning to take courses away from UW–Madison, the equivalent listed in Transferology at the time of enrollment will be honored. If a course you’re interested in doesn’t have an equivalency listed, you can request the Credit Evaluation Services team review it and add the equivalent to Transferology.
Criteria for Adding an Equivalent to Transferology
To have a transfer equivalency created and added to Transferology:
- You must be a UW–Madison undergraduate student enrolled for the current term. Special students and prospective students are not eligible to use this service.
- The course you are requesting we review must be from a U.S. institution. Courses from non-approved study abroad programs or from international institutions cannot be equated before the course is taken.
- The course must not already have a “match” or a “miss” on Transferology using the “Will My Courses Transfer?” search. Existing matches are valid and will not be re-reviewed; misses are not eligible for credit.
- You must obtain a syllabus for the course from the past academic year that includes (at a minimum) information about the textbook used, the assignments/exams required, and a weekly schedule of topics covered. If the course contains a lab, the syllabus must also include a schedule of experiments performed.
Steps
- Submit an equivalent using the form linked below.
- Assuming the equivalent you’ve requested is not already on Transferology (using the “Will My Courses Transfer?” search), Credit Evaluation Services will send your syllabus to the department(s) for review.
- While CES and the applicable department(s) review the course, it will show up in Transferology as a match with the “AdminUse TBD” equivalent when you use the “Will My Courses Transfer?” search. This is just a placeholder to let you know that your course is in the process of being reviewed.
- Note: The AdminUse TBD equivalent will NOT appear in the “Find a Replacement Course” search for either courses or requirement categories.
- When the equivalent decision is made by the department(s) (within six weeks of the time of submission), we will update our system to reflect the actual course equivalent you will receive. Transferology will be updated with the actual equivalent the next Saturday.
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
Notes
- Each form submission can be used for only one course. While you may submit more than one form, this service is meant to be used for courses a student truly intends to take. Submitting a large number of requests for courses you are not really intending to take just to see how they transfer will result in delayed processing time for everyone using the service. We reserve the right to deny excessive requests.
- All student-submitted syllabi are subject to verification by the external institution, must represent the actual coursework and learning outcomes completed at the external institution, and may not be modified, altered, or revised by the student. Students who submit course syllabi that are forged or falsified may be investigated for and subject to sanctions under UW–Madison’s Academic Misconduct policy.
Non-Approved Study Abroad Programs
If you have enrolled in a study abroad program that is not approved by UW–Madison or you plan to leave UW-Madison for a fall or spring semester to take courses elsewhere (either at a U.S. or foreign institution), please see the below steps that you will need to take.
- Submit a reentry application prior to returning to UW-Madison. Note that students who study abroad through UW-Madison-approved programs do not need to apply for reentry.
- Send an official transcript when the course work is completed. Electronic transcripts must be sent through a secure document sending service to etranscripts@admissions.wisc.edu. Transcripts sent through email as an attachment will not be accepted as official. Paper transcripts sent to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment must bear an official school seal or be printed on the school’s custom watermarked/security paper. In order to receive transfer credit, the non-approved study abroad program must issue an official transcript from an accredited tertiary-level, degree-granting institution. If you are participating in a program through a study abroad provider (CIEE, CEA, IES, etc.), you must obtain an official transcript from the provider’s “School of Record.” Note that some schools of record charge an additional fee to issue an official transcript. You will need to confirm with the host institution or study abroad program that they will provide a transcript that meets these standards.
You must also review the responsibilities for students intending to transfer credit on a non-approved international program (NAP).
FAQs
Adding Equivalents to Transferology
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
How long is the equivalent I see on Transferology good for?
For currently enrolled undergraduates, we will generally honor equivalents visible on Transferology at the time of enrollment in the transfer course. If you are planning to take a course more than one term in the future, we recommend re-checking Transferology the term before you plan to take it to be sure you know the current equivalent.
I submitted the form and I never got an email from CES with my equivalent. Why not?
We are not able to contact each student with the results of the equivalencies they requested. Once the equivalent has been evaluated by the appropriate department, it will be visible on Transferology. Please remember this can take up to six weeks from the date of submission. Transferology is updated weekly on Saturday mornings.
I checked Transferology last week and my equivalent wasn't there. Why not?
It can take up to six weeks for the relevant department(s) to evaluate a course equivalency. Transferology is updated weekly on Saturday mornings. Please check Transferology on a weekly basis for your course. Make sure you are using the “Will My Courses Transfer?” search to look for your course; the “Find a Replacement Course” search will pull only direct equivalents or courses that correspond to particular breadth/general education requirements.
If it has been more than six weeks since you submitted your request and the equivalent is not on Transferology, email us at crediteval@registrar.wisc.edu. Please provide your name, campus ID number, the name of the institution offering the course, and the course department, number, and title.
I checked Transferology and my course is a "match" but says "AdminUse TBD." What does this mean?
“AdminUse TBD” is a temporary designation we use to show that we have already received a request for this course to be evaluated and are working with the corresponding department to assign an appropriate equivalent. Once the department has indicated how it should transfer, the equivalent will be updated and will reflect how the course will transfer. You will never see the AdminUse TBD equivalent on your credit evaluation as it is only used to indicate on Transferology that an evaluation is pending. Please note that the AdminUse TBD equivalent will not show up if you use any of the “Find a Replacement Course searches” as it is not considered a direct equivalent and it satisfies no breadth or general education requirements.
Can you evaluate a course if I am not able to get a syllabus that includes all of the required information?
No. In order to properly evaluate a course, our faculty need the information we have specified in our requirements. We will reach out to you to let you know what is missing and close your request. You will then have the opportunity to obtain that information and submit a new request once you have it. Without all the information requested, we will be unable to evaluate your course properly and it will not be added to Transferology.
Can you evaluate a course if the only syllabus posted online for the course is from several years ago?
No. In order to properly evaluate a course, our faculty need the syllabus to be reflective of the way the course is currently offered, so we require that it be from the past academic year. If we receive an older syllabus, we will be unable to confidently judge that it is the same content offered today, and your course will not be evaluated or added to Transferology. If you are not able to find a recent syllabus posted online, we recommend reaching out directly to the department that teaches the course.
I am a prospective student. Can I request that an equivalent be added to Transferology?
No. We are not able to accept requests from prospective or recently admitted students. If the equivalent you are looking for is not on Transferology, please check our Transfer Credit Policy to understand how your courses might transfer.
What happens if the other institution is not offering the course for the term I have specified on Transferology?
Search results in Transferology are based on an institution’s course catalog and curriculum, not the registration system. It is your responsibility to verify with the other institution that the course listed in the search results is being offered during the term in which you intend to take it. If you are not able to find a course that satisfies the course or requirement you are searching for, we recommend speaking with your academic advisor for guidance or adjustments to your course schedule or degree plan.
Study Abroad
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
What if I study abroad before enrolling at UW–Madison?
If you study abroad prior to enrolling at UW–Madison, you must submit your official transcript for that work to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment as part of your application to the university. It will be processed along with any other transfer credit you have.
What if I study abroad through a non-UW–Madison study abroad program or take courses at a foreign institution?
You must submit your official final transcript from the university at which you studied abroad to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. The Credit Evaluation Services team will evaluate your transcript and transfer any eligible credits to your student record.
Please note that summer and short winter courses taken at Chinese universities are not eligible for transfer credit.
How will the credit I earn while studying abroad transfer to UW–Madison?
If you study abroad through a non-UW–Madison program, coursework will generally transfer as long as it is a university-level course similar in content to courses offered at UW–Madison. The courses must be taken at an accredited, recognized institution. Recognition of institutions varies depending upon the governmental policies of a given country. We will convert foreign credits/hours to U.S. semester credits; you should not assume that your foreign credits/hours will transfer at face value. Grades earned at non-UW–Madison study abroad programs will not transfer; instead, courses will generally transfer as elective or direct equivalent course credits. However, you should not expect to satisfy specific requirements, especially in the areas of non-English language, liberal arts, and general education requirements.
If you study abroad through a UW–Madison program, you will earn “residence” credit and can even graduate abroad. The courses, grades, and credits you earn abroad will be recorded on your transcript as UW–Madison study abroad work.
Before studying abroad, we highly recommend that you consult with your academic advisor to develop an academic plan appropriate for your major and study abroad program.
Please note that summer and short winter courses taken at Chinese universities are not eligible for transfer credit.
If I participate in a study abroad program through another institution, will I receive the transfer credits listed on the UW–Madison Study Abroad website?
If you choose to participate in a study abroad program through an institution other than UW–Madison, please be aware that you are not guaranteed to receive the transfer equivalent listed on the UW–Madison Study Abroad website.