Course Approval Checklist

• For General Education (GE) Requirements

  The Office of Undergraduate Education (UE) approves study abroad coursework to meet lower division General Education (GE), upper division GE (SJSU Studies), American Institutions (US1-3), 100W (GWAR), or Physical Education (PE) requirements. 

  Course Equivalency Database (CED):  Start by searching the CED for abroad courses that have been approved to fulfill GE requirements. Go Now

  Submit Approval Request: Visit the UE website for their simple instructions on how to get abroad courses to fulfill GE requirements.Go Now 

• For All Major, Minor, and Elective Requirements

  All major and minors must complete the Academic Approval Form (AAF) Docusign to get approvals from their major or minor faculty academic advisors or course coordinators for business students. Please carefully read the 3-step checklist below before filling out the Academic Approval Form (AAF) Docusign form.

  STEP 1: Gather Relevant Information

  • Review your MyProgress for the outstanding degree requirements that you could fulfill abroad? Write down the course numbers and course titles for the SJSU requirements you wish to fulfill abroad.
  • Search the Course Equivalency Database (CED) for abroad courses that have already been pre-approved for major, minor, GE, or university elective requirements. You will still submit your own Academic Approval Form (AAF), but the CED provides a good overview of pre-approved courses.
  • Visit your host university's course offerings to review and download the course number, course title, and course syllabus which you will need to submit to the faculty advisor. 
  • Review the Credit Conversion chart for your host university. 
  • Be sure to know the name and email address for your major or minor faculty advisor (or the Course Coordinator if you're a business student)

  Attention Business Students: All AAFs must be submitted to the appropriate Course Coordinator listed on this directory.

  STEP 2: Fill Out the Academic Approval Form (AAF) Docusign

  Click here for the Docusign Powerform and follow the instructions below. 

  Pro-Tips: You will need the following to submit on your AAF docusign form. 

  • Name and email address of your major or minor advior IF you are requesting major or minor requirement approval.
  • Course code, titles, credit, and syllabus from your Host University.
  • Equivalent SJSU course code, titles, syllabus and credits (view credit conversion chart here) for each of the Host University courses.  

  Final Process: Once your AAF has been approved and signed, you will receive a PDF copy of it via Docusign. SAVE YOUR COPY FOR YOUR RECORD and upload a copy to your account on the Spartans Abroad Portal to help the Registrar's Office to process your host university's transcript when it arrives at SJSU at the end of your term abroad.

• For University Electives Only

  Students can also take abroad courses as General University Electives only which are guaranteed approval. Although university electives are guaranteed, students still need to complete the AAF for those courses. You must follow the same instructions above without adding the name and email address for your major, minor, or course coordinator on the form as all elective approvals are automatically routed to the Study Abroad & Away office for approval. 

  Final Process: Once your AAF has been approved and signed, you will receive a PDF copy of it via Docusign. SAVE YOUR COPY FOR YOUR RECORD and upload a copy to your account on the Spartans Abroad Portal to help the Registrar's Office to process your host university's transcript when it arrives at SJSU at the end of your term abroad.