Congratulations! You are among a very small percentage of Cal State Fullerton students who study abroad. Living, studying and traveling in a different country/culture/language is no easy task and you should be proud of this accomplishment. You may be surprised to find that you are going through what is known as reverse culture shock. Going abroad you were probably made aware that you would go through an emotional adjustment period, but not many students are aware that you go through it again once back in California.
Looking for ways to hold onto your study abroad experience?
Working, going to school, even driving can seem like a foreign experience to you; it may have been months since you had to drive on the 57 freeway in rush hour traffic. Also, you may find that family and friends are not as eager to hear about your experience as you are to talk about it. The office of International Education and Exchange has several ways to help readjust to California living while still holding on to your experience from abroad.
- International Coffee Break
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Returnee Workshops
- CSUF Study Abroad Club (coming soon)
And you are always welcome to come by the Study Abroad Office to talk about your concerns and/or to talk about your experience (feel free to bring picture too).
What about transcripts and grades?
Each program will handle transcripts differently. Some come within a few weeks after the program; others can take months before they get to Cal State Fullerton. Also the type of program you went on can influence how credits are evaluated.
CSU IP
If you participated in the CSU IP program, the Chancellor's Office will process your transcripts and send them to the Registrar’s Office at Cal State Fullerton. The Study Abroad Office will also receive a copy of the transcripts and will notify you when we receive them. All coursework is credited to your transcripts as residence credit.
Please make sure the Study Abroad Office has your correct e-mail address on file, as e-mail will be the primary source of contact.
CSUF Exchange
If you participated on a CSUF Exchange program, the host university should send a transcript to the Study Abroad Office at Cal State Fullerton. Once it is received by the office, we will evaluate the transcripts based on the course approval form you completed prior to going abroad. All coursework is credited to your transcripts as residence credits.
If you have not done so already, make sure your transcripts go to the Study Abroad Office and not Admissions and Records.
You will be notified when your transcripts are received, you will also be contacted if a course take while abroad was not pre-approved and you will have an opportunity to get the course approved before the transcripts get sent to the Registrars Office. It is important that the Study Abroad Office have your correct e-mail address on file.
Non-CSUF
If you participated on a Non-CSUF or outside program, your program provider should send a copy of your transcripts to the Study Abroad Office. Once it is received by the office, we will evaluate the transcripts based on the course approval form you completed prior to going abroad. All coursework is credited to your transcripts as transfer credits.
If you have not done so already, make sure your transcripts go to the Study Abroad Office and not Admissions and Records.
You will be notified when your transcripts are received, you will also be contacted if a course take while abroad was not pre-approved and you will have an opportunity to get the course approved before the transcripts get sent to the Registrars Office. It is important that the Study Abroad Office have your correct e-mail address on file.
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