Student Exchange FAQs

There are three ways for credit to be articulated in your program from courses studied while on exchange.

University elective (a “free elective”); Unspecified credit

• Strongly recommended - this is the preferred use of course credit gained on exchange.
• Counts as elective credit in your program.
• Will appear on your transcript as COMP/ENGN 199X, 299X, 399X etc., depending on the level (Unspecified non-college generic elective).
• Please check that your program allows electives, most FDD/double degree programs do not permit unspecified credit – therefore this is not an option.

Discipline elective; Unspecified credit

• Counts as college-specific elective credit in your program but is not attributed to a specific course.
• This is for courses where the content is related to your CECC discipline however the course is not a compulsory specified course in your degree or in a major/minor/specialisation you are attempting.
• Will appear on your transcript as COMP/ENGN 199X, 299X, 399X (Unspecified COMP/ENGN elective 1000 level, 2000 level or 3000 level).

Specified course credit (typically for a required course)

• Counts as a specific ANU course (e.g. to appear on your transcript as externally-awarded credit for an ANU course).
• This is where the specified course is listed within your program (typically in a major or a specialisation). For example,
  • a student completes a course on exchange called “Concurrent programs and systems”.
  • subject to formal approval, and dependent on the course having an equivalent credit load as one course at the ANU, the course may count as the ANU course “COMP 2310 – Systems, Networks and Concurrency”.
• This will only be approved in exceptional circumstances.
• Please note the content must be substantially (i.e.at least 85 per cent) equivalent to the ANU version of the course to be eligible for specified credit.

When researching and planning for your exchange, you are required to find as many alternatives or back up options as possible for your proposed exchange courses. This is so you have a plan B, C, D, and more, if any of your exchange courses change and you can no longer enrol in your first preferences.

Having your exchange courses assessed for credit can be a complex and lengthy processes that requires liaising between program conveners, student administration and the student. This is why we have a processing time of 20 business days. CECC cannot guarantee that we will be able to expedite this processing time to assess brand new courses at short notice. This is why it is your responsibility to ensure you have given yourself several “back-up” course options that meet your ANU program requirements. Providing as many back up options as you can on your ECCA form, reduces the need for resubmission and reassessments if courses change.

**CECC will only facilitate amendments or resubmissions of ECCA forms if there are exceptional circumstances. In all other instances you should be able to use your back-up options.

Please allow up to 20 working days for a response.

It is your responsibility to coordinate your enrolments in timeframes required by your host university.

We cannot guarantee that late submissions will be able to be assessed and processed in line with external deadlines so we strongly recommend getting your application with all course preferences provided as soon as possible.

Students are responsible for enrolling themselves at their exchange/host university. Ensure you are aware of the enrolment and procedural deadlines of the exchange/host university you plan to study at. Allow plenty of time to meet all deadlines.

Once you have received your Exchange Approval Letter from CECC (which outlines the credit you should receive on completion of your exchange) you must enrol in ANU exchange shell courses (COMP5920 or ENGNG5920) for the semester you will be on exchange.

Ensure you complete an Application for Enrolment Change SC - Enrolment Change - 2020 (PDF download) by the due date. Information regarding enrolment deadlines can be found at: ANU enrolment.

See the full list of exchange partner institutions for the ANU.

Have you written to the Department/Convener of the course you want to do overseas? Sometimes the latest outlines are not available online yet, but the Department/Convener can supply them. Please contact the exchange university.

We are unable to enrol you in COMP/ENGN5920 (exchange shell course) until we receive the final outlines.

As part of your Exchange Course Credit Assessment ECCA form you should have listed and received approval for as many back up options as possible. Are any of these back up options available? If so, you should be able to enrol in any of the options on your Exchange Approval Letter.

If the changes outweigh your back up options, please contact CECC Student Services and Global Programs as soon as possible to advise of your situation.

The grades that you receive at the host institution will not be transferred to your ANU transcript with the credit that you will receive. If you require these grades at a future date, then it is best that you ask for a copy of your transcript from the host institution. The credit you will receive on your ANU transcript is marked as “STE” which stands for “Status External” i.e. that you received External Credit.

On completion of your exchange, please ensure that all academic and administrative matters at your host institution are finalised, particularly unpaid fees or fines, which may cause your results to be withheld. The ANU is normally sent an official copy of your transcript, but you should get your own copy, especially if you want a record of the grades you achieved (see above ‘Why don’t my grades from my exchange courses show on my ANU transcript?”)

Upon your return to the ANU, you will be responsible for re-enrolment via ISIS. Check the University calendar for the appropriate dates for re-enrolment for the semester of your return to the ANU.