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International Transient Study

International Transient Study is a transient study opportunity for Emory College or Oxford College international students (on F-1 or J-1 visa status) who seek to return to their country of origin ("home country") during the summer following their freshman year to study at an accredited university in their home country and receive credit toward their Emory degree for this experience.

Eligibility

To apply for International Transient Study, students must meet ALL of the following eligibility criteria:

  • Be on F-1 or J-1 visa status in the USA (and can provide a copy of their I-20 or DS 2019 form)*
  • Have completed their freshman year at Emory and will be returning to Emory complete their sophomore year
  • Be enrolled full-time at Emory in the semester prior to and following their ITS studies
  • Have fewer than 18 transfer credit hours on their Emory transcript (including the hours you plan to take during your ITS summer studies)
  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
  • Be in good academic standing
  • Plan to enroll at an accredited university or institution in their home country** 

International Transient Study applications for the current year closed April 30. The next cycle for newly accepted students in Fall 2024 will being in February 2025.

*If you are not studying at Emory on an F-1 or J-1 visa, you have the option to submit an appeal as you complete the application. If you decide to submit an appeal, Emory College – Records & Enrollment Team  will review your appeal to determine if you are eligible for an exception to the F-1/J-1 visa status requirement.

**In cases where students have lived in multiple locations abroad, 'home country' or 'country of origin' is defined as the country where the student completed their high school education.

Application Process

  • The International Transient Application is generally available from February to April. For questions about the eligibility requirements and/or the application process, please contact transientstudy@emory.edu.
  • To begin an online application, click the above International Transient Application link.
  • Complete all items in the application checklist.  As part of the application process, students will pay a $100 application fee and submit requests for their intended ITS courses to be reviewed for Emory equivalencies.  Please note that course approval requests will not be reviewed for students who have not started the ITS online application.
  • Once you have completed the application and submitted your course approval requests, you will receive an email with a decision letter that will indicate whether or not your courses have been approved.
  • Students eligible for ITS are also responsible for applying separately to the host institution in their home country.  The Emory online ITS application does not replace the application process for the host institution in your home country.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What types courses can I take through International Transient Study?

    • Students may take 100- or 200-level courses.
    • ITS courses may be approved for elective credit or for the following General Education Requirement (GER) areas:
      • Quantitative Reasoning
      • Natural Science
      • Social Science
      • Humanities & Arts
    • ITS courses are generally not approved for major/minor requirements.

  • How many courses/credits may I take during International Transient Study?

    • Emory College students may transfer up to 10 credit hours per summer session.
      • Please note that you are permitted a maximum of 18 transfer credit hours on your Emory transcript; this includes the credits you plan to take during ITS, any AP or IB credit, or any other transfer credit.
    • Oxford College students may transfer up to 7 credit hours.
    • Courses can still satisfy a GER if the number of credits from your host institution differs from the number of credits for the Emory equivalent course.

  • What is the grading policy for International Transient Study?

    International Transient Study coursework only includes the transfer of credits; grades are not calculated into your Emory College GPA.  You must take all ITS courses for a letter grade and receive a grade of 'C' or better to receive credit on your Emory transcript.

  • After completing International Transient Study, what steps do I need to take to transfer my credit to Emory?

    • Request an official transcript from your host institution to be mailed directly to this address:
      • Office for Undergraduate Education
        Candler Library, Suite 200
        550 Asbury Circle
        Atlanta, GA 30322
      • Official electronic transcripts may be sent to transientstudy@emory.edu. 
      • Please note that transcripts mailed or emailed from students cannot be accepted as official.
    • Please note the following deadlines for ITS transcript receipt:
      • Oxford College students: must be received by November 1st following your ITS
      • Emory College students: must be received by the end of the academic semester following your ITS
    • Once your transcript has been received, it can take 2-4 weeks for your transcript to be processed and your ITS coursework to be posted to your Emory record.  Please request your ITS transcript as soon as possible after your studies to allow adequate time for receipt and processing.
    • If you need an additional copy(ies) of your ITS transcript for graduate school or job applications, please request these directly from your ITS host institution.