Study Abroad
Study Abroad UC San Diego has been developing more online resources to better assist our students remotely. The Study Abroad Office now offers recorded advising webinars targeting both disciplines and locations and hosts weekly live First Steps info sessions as well. Visit their Advising Services page for more information on these resources.
How to request a Study Abroad Course to fulfill a Rady Program Requirement
Prior to Meeting with a Rady Advisor
- Meet with an advisor at the Study Abroad Office at UC San Diego
- Research where and when you will go
- Review the information pertaining to your major and minor programs
- Review the UCEAP Course Catalog and the website of your host university and look at course offerings
- Begin your Academic Planning Form and collect course syllabi for the courses that you are planning to take.
- If you are studying abroad through OAP instead of UCEAP, meet with your major advisor. Your OAP study abroad form must have your major advisor’s signature before a Rady Advisor will review the form. Business Economics majors should first have their form reviewed by the Economics Department.
Obtain Pre-approval
- It is in a student’s best interest to obtain pre-approval for a course that will be taken abroad. Rady Advising will approve your Study Abroad Academic Planning Form (APF). However, please note that approval of the form does not constitute pre-approval of coursework for MGT courses or for Rady majors and minors. All courses taken abroad that you would like to request MGT equivalency for or courses you would like to use for your Rady major or minor MUST be pre-approved and petitioned through the Rady School of Management, even if you found the course through the UCEAP website or UCSD Study Abroad Office. To petition for preapproval or final approval, use Rady’s online petition form. Your petition MUST include the course syllabus from the institution you are taking the course at. If you do not have the syllabus, ask the institution for one. Rady faculty will review the course and determine if the course can be pre-approved to fulfill Rady program credit.
- Pre-approval is preliminary approval and does not guarantee the course will be accepted upon the student's return. Pre-approval allows for expedited review once the student has returned and has formally submitted a student petition for review.
- To request preapproval for ECON/MGT 4 equivalency, please send a VAC message to the Economics Department.
Travel Abroad
- Make sure you take the class for a letter grade, unless the course is for the Business Economics minor (not major).
- Contact us if the class is required as a prerequisite for another class.
- Make sure you request it transferred to your UC San Diego Academic History as soon as you finish your quarter.
Final Approval
- Make sure your grades appear on your UC San Diego academic history with a passing letter grade.
- Make sure that you have declared the Rady minor.
- Submit a Rady petition with the course syllabus attached and which requirements you would like fulfilled. If your course obtained pre-approval, please notate this in the student petition.
- Please allow two weeks for your petition to be approved. Final approval is contingent on the class transfer and the expectations of pre-approval.
Important Reminders
- Students can apply take a maximum of two courses outside of UCSD for their Rady minor. This includes study abroad courses. For the Business Economics major, a maximum of one upper-division MGT course and one upper-division ECON course can be taken outside of UCSD. For the Business Psychology major, contact your Psychology advisors. For the International Studies – International Business major, contact your International Studies Program advisors.
- Core courses taken abroad for a Rady minor or a collaborative major must be found directly equivalent to UC San Diego courses.
- Elective courses taken abroad do not need to be identical to courses offered at Rady but may not be introductory in nature.
- Courses must transfer to UC San Diego as upper division with a minimum of four quarter units and taken for a letter grade.
Study Abroad Opportunities
Rady students can greatly benefit from study abroad opportunities. There are many options available to UC San Diego students, from summer study to year-long programs.
University of California’s Education Abroad Program (EAP) — a UC-run study abroad program, with programs in over 40 countries. You remain an active UC San Diego student and earn UC credits. Each course is transferred back to UC San Diego and appears on your academic history, and letter grades are calculated in your UC San Diego GPA. All financial aid and scholarships transfer.
Opportunities Abroad Program (OAP) — this is a partner program within UC Study Abroad office that utilizes an independent study abroad provider. OAP also provides internship, work and teaching opportunities for students. Students are not enrolled at UC San Diego while abroad, however, students may still earn transfer credit for courses taken abroad, but grades are not calculated in the UC San Diego GPA. Not all OAP programs give letter grades, so students pursuing minor credit should research if the institution issuing the transcript will report P/ NP or letter grades. Federal and state financial aid transfer, but campus-based aid does not. Some scholarships are available from study–abroad providers.
Global Seminars (GS) — five-week summer programs led by UC San Diego faculty in different locations around the world. You register for two, four-unit UC San Diego classes taught in English and receive UC credit.
Find more information and a calendar of upcoming events on the UC San Diego Study Abroad website.
Can I afford to study abroad?
UC San Diego students receive approximately $650,000 annually in study–abroad scholarships. The Study Abroad UC San Diego office provides extensive information on funding and can assist you in applying for scholarships.
Learn more about Financing Your Experience.
How do I get started?
Visit the UC San Diego Study Abroad website and follow the First Steps guide.