Notes from Short-Term Non-Exchange Academic Credit Application Lecture

Overview

• You are watching a lecture on how to apply for academic approval for a short-term, non-exchange program.
• Important deadline note: apply early and complete everything before the deadline because applications that request academic approval after the deadline cannot be accepted.
• The screen shows an already opened short-term non-exchange application with some tasks started.

Credit and unit matching

• To receive credit for your short-term program, you need to select overseas units that fit in place of units you would have done at the University of Sydney (USYD).
• Example concept: if you are a business student and you have a course like Marketing Level 1000 here at USYD, you could match an overseas unit like Marketing 101 if the content matches.
• How to determine match: you must apply for academic approval.
• Process once you submit overseas units and desired credit:
  • The Faculty Services Mobility team assesses your application, consults with your academic advisers, and responds with either a confirmation that you can take those overseas units for the specified USYD unit, or a reason why credit cannot be granted.
• The aim is to know whether you can get credit before you go overseas, so research beforehand.

Eligibility and research steps

• First, read the eligibility requirements to determine if you are eligible to receive credit.
• If you’re going on an exchange program, you must get credit; for a non-exchange program (as in this example), credit is optional.
• Steps to follow:
  • Research and read the Academic Approval Guide.
  • Look at your handbook to determine which units you have left in your degree.
  • Look at the overseas host university to see what units they offer on their short-term program.
  • Consider implications if you’re in your final semester when choosing to study overseas for your final units.
  • Talk with your academic advisor about your specific situation.
• Important note: The University of Sydney Sydney Abroad team cannot offer academic advice because they are not academic advisers. Refer to your handbook and your academic advisor for specifics.
• If unsure who your advisor is, you can search for an advisor through USYD resources (e.g., Google "USYD academic advisors" or click the provided link).
• The guidance includes top tips, how many units to include, and where to see which units have previously been approved; there are specific notes for certain areas, so double-check.

Advisors and resources

• You should rely on your handbook and your academic advisor for degree-specific advice.
• The Sydney Abroad team cannot provide academic advice and may not know the specifics of your degree.

Application steps and tips

• After reading the guidance, you can begin the academic credit short-term questionnaire within the Sydney Abroad application.
• Mark the guidance as read before proceeding, then start the credit approval process.
• The questionnaire includes a check of whether you are in your final semester.
• In this example, the presenter uses a future semester for their degree, which does not impact their final semester or graduation.
• This part asks you to prepare and conduct your own research before submitting.

The short-term academic credit questionnaire

• It is crucial to complete the questionnaire with your research already done. Once you submit, you cannot change your answers.
• Example process in the questionnaire:
  • Confirm eligibility requirements for overseas programs.
  • Confirm you have completed $24$ credit points in your current degree.
  • Indicate that you have $4$ elective units remaining (this is an example; your actual electives may vary).
  • Enter the unit codes you want to get credit for. If you have only electives, you may write "elective"; specific unit codes may be used if applicable.
  • Specify the subject areas you intend to study (e.g., if you’re an art student, you might indicate visual art). Note that host universities may use slightly different names for similar fields (e.g., what’s called visual art at USYD might be labeled creative arts elsewhere).
  • Confirm that you want to request academic credit for this program by selecting yes. If you select no, the request cannot be assessed by Faculty Services Mobility.

Details and inputs before finalizing

• Before clicking done, review all answers to ensure you are happy with them.
• Example checks in the screenshot:
  • Eligibility indicated as satisfied.
  • Electives: $4$ remaining (not a strict requirement to have remaining electives, but the example shows this).
  • Unit codes: can be specific or generic (e.g., "elective").
  • Subject areas: specified (e.g., visual art).
  • Reaffirmation: you definitely want to request academic credit for this program.
• After review, click the "Done" finalization to proceed.

Mode of study

• Sydney Abroad is currently supporting in-person programs.
• When you reach the mode of study step, specify how you will attend the program (in person vs. virtually).
• The chosen mode may affect your request for academic approval.

Submission and after submission

• After completing the questionnaires and all other parts of the application, you must click the big "Submit your application" button.
• If you do not click submit, the application remains in pending status and may not be processed.
• After submission, the application is sent to the Mobility team for assessment of credit eligibility.
• If you are eligible for credit, the application is forwarded to Faculty Services Mobility, which will begin assessing the exact units and will contact you via email for further information.

Practical implications and workflow

• The process ensures you know in advance what credit you will receive for overseas study and helps avoid post-departure surprises.
• You should expect communication by email from Faculty Services Mobility if the credit is approved or if additional information is required.
• The sequence emphasizes thorough preparation, careful input of unit codes, and clear indication of the plan to receive credit.