Courses and Registration

Once approved to study abroad, students will be enrolled in courses at UNC Charlotte and/or abroad. The registration process will vary depending on the program type.

Registration at UNC Charlotte

Once students receive approval from EA for their study abroad program, students will need to be enrolled in credits at UNC Charlotte for the semester they will be abroad in order to remain an active at the university.

FRST Placeholder Course

Students participating on an exchange, affiliate provider, direct enrollment or freestanding faculty-led program will be enrolled in a placeholder course by EA for the semester of their program abroad. The placeholder course ensures students remain enrolled at the University for the duration of their program in order to access financial aid, scholarships, as well as to be awarded the credit from their study abroad program. This placeholder course will appear on a student’s UNC Charlotte transcript while they are abroad (FRST 3000 for undergraduate students and FRST 6000 for graduate students). This course will remain until their study abroad grades are processed in the months following their return from abroad and the actual credit and grades from abroad can be reported.

EA cannot enroll students in the FRST placeholder course if the student has:

  • Holds on their Student Account
  • Incomplete/Past Due Pre-Departure Requirements
  • Courses at UNC Charlotte on their registration for the term abroad

Embedded Faculty-Led Programs

Students participating on an Embedded Faculty-Led Program will enroll in the actual course credit tied to their program during the registration window for the term abroad. Once the program is confirmed to run, students will receive communication from the program’s Faculty Director with next steps on how and when to enroll in the UNC Charlotte course that corresponds with their study abroad program.

Registration abroad

Students on Faculty-Led Programs will generally only be registered at UNC Charlotte as the courses are set by the faculty member leading the program. For students participating on Exchange, Affiliate, or Direct Enrollment programs, registration will be very different than registering at UNC Charlotte. For some programs, the full list of courses may not be available until a few months before the program and registration will occur on-site. For other programs, the courses may be available upon approval and registration may occur prior to departure or may occur on-site upon arriving. Each site and host university is different, and students will need to pay attention to any communication sent from the host institution or Affiliate Provider in regard to course registration.

Students may or may not be able to choose the days and times of their class schedule. It is important that students do not plan any personal travel until they know what their final course schedule will be. Students also need to recognize that courses abroad are never guaranteed. Similar to UNC Charlotte, courses can close due to capacity or be canceled due to lack of enrollment. Students should always be prepared with alternative courses in the event that any of their first choices are not available abroad.

Language Courses

For students studying in non-English speaking countries, most programs will offer language courses to help students gain fluency or for those who need to learn some basic phrases. For those intending to focus on language, a placement test will be required to determine the student’s level in the language. This test may be administered online or given in-person upon arrival. Language courses are taught differently abroad, and often the level does not match the student’s level in the U.S. Students will need to consult with their academic advisors to determine what their options are if they place significantly lower or higher than expected.

Online Courses While Abroad

Students may be able to take an online course at UNC Charlotte while abroad on semester programs, however, UNC Charlotte Education Abroad generally does not recommend it.

If a student needs a specific course to stay on track with graduation requirements it may be possible, however, students will need to consult with EA and their Academic Advisor before doing so. Students need to keep in mind the following:

  • Students participating on Faculty-Led, Affiliate Provider or Direct Enrollment will be billed tuition and fees for the course in addition to their study abroad program fees.
  • Students may not have reliable access to internet at all times (and this may not be an approved excuse for a late assignment by the UNC Charlotte faculty member)
  • The online course should not conflict with the courses the student is taking abroad
  • There will be a time difference and students should account for that difference when reviewing meeting times, due dates, exam schedules, etc.
  • Learning and adapting to a new academic environment may increase your workload. As education systems differ abroad from the U.S., students need to be prepared for this adjustment, which may require more work and attention as you adjust. This may limit the amount of time to do coursework for an online course at UNC Charlotte.

Students participating on summer programs are not permitted to take an online course while studying abroad, however, they are permitted to pick up a course at UNC Charlotte during a summer term that is not during their study abroad program.