It's your responsibility to determine if your program will send your study abroad transcript to Education Abroad on your behalf or if you must request it. Check on the process before you return to the United States—and request your transcript, if necessary.
Don't send your transcript to your college!
Your study abroad transcript must be sent to the Education Abroad team in the Office of Global Learning—not directly to your college. Our office will forward your transcript for processing. If your college has a specific process for reviewing your courses or any questions, they will reach out to you.
We will accept official electronic transcripts when sent by secure means to abroad@cornell.edu. If you are using a transcript service, be sure to enter abroad@cornell.edu manually. Don't accept a default email address for Cornell University—transcripts sent to a Cornell default address will not reach us!
Transcripts may also be sent by mail or shipping service:
Office of Global Learning c/o Education Abroad Cornell University B50 Caldwell Hall Ithaca, NY 14853-2602 USA
Your Courses and Credits
Once your study abroad transcript is processed, your official transcript will show that you were enrolled in OVST 3000 Semester Study Abroad. A "Special Topic" line will note the name of your program/host institution. Your grade for the OVST course will be SX/UX. See the Transcript Notation section for details on how course titles, credits, and grades appear.
Transcript Notation
For students who studied abroad prior to 2026-27 all course titles and the grades earned in those courses will appear on the official Cornell transcript in their original (unconverted) format in a notes field below the OVST 3000 course title. If you earned fewer than 15 credits, the number of credits will be adjusted down. Abroad grades are not factored into the Cornell GPA.
For students studying in 2026-27 and beyond, an “Other Credits” section will appear below the OVST course title with the equivalent Cornell course title for each class you took abroad, the number of credits and an S or a U for each class, depending on the letter or number grade you received abroad. Actual course titles or grades from abroad will not appear on the Cornell transcript. Abroad grades are not factored into the Cornell GPA.
For Cornell winter, summer, or spring break programs, Cornell course titles and grades from Cornell classes will appear as regular Cornell courses on the Cornell transcript, and grades earned in these courses will factor into the Cornell GPA.
Grade Conversion
Cornell University does not convert international grades when noting them on the Cornell transcript. As a reference, Education Abroad uses the grade conversion scales produced byWorld Education Services when communicating the equivalence of a "C-" for passing/satisfactory credit.
It's your responsibility to plan for credits to return.
If you experienced a scheduling conflict or chose to take different classes than the ones on your approved course plan for any other reason, it was your responsibility to email your academic or college advisor for approval. If you failed to notify your advisor of major changes that affect your major or distributional credit, your credits may not return to Cornell as planned.
More transcript questions?
How long does it take to receive my study abroad transcript?
Programs vary greatly. Transcripts from programs run by study abroad providers typically take one to two months after the program is over. Transcripts from international universities often take two to three months. Grades from Cornell faculty-led programs are available within a month of completion.
I've received my transcript. Can I give it to you for processing?
Cornell University can't accept transcripts directly from students. The only exception is if there's an online transcript verification process. If in doubt, ask your Education Abroad advisor.
I can't see my study abroad grades online. How do I know if my transcript has been received?
Unofficial transcripts for semester study abroad prior to 2026-27 will not show individual courses and grades from abroad. You should see a SX/UX grade for your Cornell OVST Semester Study Abroad course once your transcript from abroad has been processed by your college. For study abroad in 2026-27 and beyond, individual course codes and grades from abroad with appear Cornell equivalent course titles and SX/UX grades in an “Other Credits” section at the end of the unofficial Cornell transcript. For Cornell winter, summer, or spring break programs, Cornell courses and grades will show on the unofficial as well as official transcript as soon as grades are posted.
Help! I've found an error on my transcript. What should I do?
All grades on the official transcript from abroad will appear on your Cornell transcript. These grades are final unless your study abroad program or institution sends a revised transcript. If you think there's a mistake, work with your program and/or the faculty member who taught the course to resolve the misunderstanding and get a revised transcript.
