Academics

Some universities will expect you to enroll for classes before you arrive; other universities have a manual enrollment system and thus you will not be able to register until you are physically at your host institution.  Some universities will not publish the course catalog until a few weeks prior to the academic year starting, although you can generally check which courses were running the previous year on the host’s website.You may find that some courses you want to take are full, or have restrictions on them.  It is often worth going to talk to the department in person to see if they can fit you in to the already-full classroom or not.  To reduce the impact of a full class, you should ensure you have some backup choices, arranged with IIT’s Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, before you leave.

You may be pleasantly surprised or incredibly frustrated by the registration process, but in the majority of cases it will soon sort itself out and you will be able to settle down to your studies.  If you experience any significant problems with registering and choosing modules (for example if you are still having difficulties registering after the second week), you must contact the Study Abroad/International Office at you host university who should be able to help.  If they are, for some reason, unable to help, contact us and we’ll see what we can do.

You should also note the add/drop dates for courses; it is worthwhile finding out when these dates are in case you’re in two minds about a particular course.

Depending on your host country, you may encounter an academic system that is very different from the one you are accustomed to here at IIT.  For example, many European university classes are large in size and do not require students to attend all classes.  However, you could very well be responsible for learning all the material for a single test at the end of the term.  This could serve as the only assessment of the class.  Faculty may not be as accessible as they are here at IIT through office hours and personal meetings.  These differences can create significant challenges and, as such, you are encouraged to research the academic system of your host country and carefully consider if you are prepared for the academic environment at the host university.

Suggestions for succeeding in a new academic system:

• Get to know your peers; they will be able to tell you what to expect and share study tips.
• Make a plan and manage your time carefully.
• Research the writing style of your host country’s academic style.  If it is unfamiliar to you, take advantage of any writing classes that are offered.

If you need to change a course while you are abroad, please email the new course number and description to Greg Welter in the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs to make sure the credits are transferable.  It is also important not to drop below a certain number of credits, as you will lose your status as a full-time student and may be asked to leave the country or lose your financial aid!

Transfer credits will be awarded with a passing grade and your GPA will not be impacted by your academic performance while abroad.  However, it is important to keep in mind that should you decide to apply for graduate school, the admissions office will likely ask for a copy of your study abroad transcript.

Please make sure that you have arranged for an official transcript to be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs as soon as you have completed your coursework.  Failure to do so will result in a delay in transferring your credits.  Once the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs receives your transcript from the host university, and you have attended the re-entry session at IIT, the credits will be added to your IIT transcript.  For the majority of programs, the course description on your transcript will read, “exchange” or “study abroad program.”

Should you have any academic difficulties that might prevent the satisfactory completion of the placement, you should inform the Study Abroad Office and the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at IIT, as well as the host university, as soon as possible.

You are responsible for registering for all of your courses for the following term while you are abroad.  You can access the timetables and online registration through www.iit.edu.  Occasionally from universities abroad, the host server will block access to IIT’s system.  If this is the case, we recommend that you find a local Internet café, as there won’t be such firewall difficulties.