Location Selection
Q. How do I find out which N.U.in location is the best academic fit for me?
A. Your App Status Check Student Admissions portal will show you all of the N.U.in locations matched to your major and college. If you are not seeing a potential location listed in your portal, this means the courses you need for your major and college are not available as part of the curriculum offered with the partner school at that location.
Q. How is my academic compatibility determined?
A. Northeastern’s Global Experience Office’s Academic Integration & Planning team works closely with academic colleges and departments as well as our international partners to ensure the best possible slate of courses for students. Students participating in the N.U.in program take courses that meaningfully contribute to their academic progress at Northeastern during their N.U.in fall semester: classes that fulfill major, NUpath, and elective requirements.
Q. How does Northeastern decide which N.U.in locations I am eligible for?
A. Compatibility is based on your major, age, and visa restrictions. Only locations that offer courses that enable you to make progress in your chosen major are available for you to select.
Q. How will the courses appear on my transcript?
A. Your N.U.in program courses and letter grades will appear directly on your Northeastern University transcript and be factored into your GPA.
Q. What if I am considering pre-med?
A. Because Northeastern is a US-accredited institution and transcripts N.U.in courses directly, N.U.in coursework taken abroad should not pose any issue for medical school applications. Pre-med advising is an excellent resource as you plan ahead for medical school applications!
Q. What if I might change my major from the one I declared on my application?
A. No N.U.in location offers every major, but most locations provide a wide array of courses that can help fulfill major, NUpath, and elective requirements across a broad spectrum of colleges and majors. Some sites are STEM- or Business-focused, so if you decide to change your major after the deposit deadlines have passed, you may be committed to a site where courses in your new intended major are limited or unavailable.
Q: What if I am a student in the Explore Program for undeclared students? If you are in the Explore Program for undeclared students, you will have access to carefully selected sites offering a broad range of courses across academic disciplines. Please note that not every discipline is represented at every site, so you should do your best to choose a location that aligns with your areas of interest. Visit the N.U.in Site Selection Portal in your Application Status Check for more information on compatible sites. You may reach out to the Explore Program directly if you would like to speak to an advisor about your site selection
Q. What if I have three or more AP/IB exams or have three or more transfer classes from college-level work I have done as a high school student?
A. Because the N.U.in program is designed as a first-year, first-semester program, much of the curriculum is built around introductory courses students usually take early in their college education. These are also the types of classes for which you may be bringing in advanced or transfer credit!
If you expect to earn three or more classes worth of credit from coursework you’ve already completed, please pay close attention to the availability of second- and higher-level courses at the locations matched to your college and major. For example, University College Dublin, our partner school for N.U.in Ireland, offers Calculus III.
First, please take a look at the Northeastern academic catalog to review requirements of your major, including elective space, and note which NUpath requirements are not fulfilled by major courses. Then, look through the available courses at the N.U.in locations compatible with your major and identify class options at each location that would fulfill degree requirements for you while avoiding redundant coursework. You can compare your potential course selections for each of your eligible locations, taking the advanced credit you have earned or are expecting into account, to see which N.U.in program location offers the fall classes that appeal to you most.
Q. Is the N.U.in program pass/fail?
A. No. You will earn letter grades for the courses you take on the N.U.in program. Your N.U.in courses and grades will appear on your Northeastern transcript and be included in your GPA.
Course Selection and Registration
Q. How do I know which courses I should select?
A. Location-specific curricula will be available on the N.U.in Program website in the coming weeks to help guide your selection. If you are still not sure which class(es) to select after reviewing the curriculum, you should go ahead and pick the courses that you feel best align with your academic needs and interests. Remember that you will have the chance to consult with your Northeastern University academic advising office to finalize your course selections before your program launches.
Q. Why are some or most of my classes already selected for me?
A. Many first-year programs of study have a fairly prescribed curriculum. The N.U.in Program works closely with the colleges and academic departments at Northeastern to ensure that first year requirements can be met. The classes you see that have been pre-selected for you are based on academic requirements for your major.
Q. What do I do if I have AP, IB, or other advanced or transfer credit for any courses I was pre-selected into?
A. Don’t worry! It is not uncommon for students to come in with advanced credits and pass out of certain academic program requirements. You should review your location’s curriculum on our website to start thinking about alternative courses that you will need or want in lieu of those that you placed out of. You do not need to email your home college advising office now—your home college advising office will be contacting you soon! You will discuss course alternatives and finalize these selections with your home college advising office this summer (mid-June through July).
Q. Once I choose my courses in the system, are my selections final?
A. No. You will have the opportunity to work with your home college academic advising office to make adjustments to your course selections over the summer (mid-June through July). You will be able to discuss your classes with an academic advisor, and any necessary adjustments will be made at that time. Courses are subject to change.
Q. What is NUpath? How do I know which ones to pick in my N.U.in fall semester?
A. Here is more information on the NU Core Curriculum. You should choose an elective course that carries any NUPath attributes that are not otherwise fulfilled by major course requirements in their major. You will speak with your home college advising office this summer to provide guidance on your fall N.U.in courses.
Academics during The N.U.in Program
Q. Will I be able to make any changes to my course selections and schedule once I arrive to my N.U.in program location?
A. Yes. Course changes during your N.U.in institution’s add/drop period are possible but not guaranteed. Students can make changes to their schedules during their host institutions add/drop period, which typically runs the first week of class. However, while students can request a change, they are strongly discouraged from doing so. Your courses were carefully reviewed and confirmed with your NU academic advising office over the summer. Any changes once you arrive on site may impact your academic progress. Please also keep in mind that requests are not guaranteed. Factors such as capacity, timetabling, and add/drop deadlines may not allow for a change to be made.
Q. When do I get my class schedule? What days and times will my classes be?
A. Your final schedule will be shared by the N.U.in Program partner institutions during on-site orientation. Dates, times, locations of classes, etc. will be shared by your N.U.in program institution once you arrive for the fall semester.
Q. Will there be academic support resources available?
A.Yes! Some N.U.in sites offer on-site tutoring in writing, math, STEM, and/or study skills, while others have more limited on-site tutoring support with more focus on students connecting directly with faculty for help. More information about the academic resources available at each N.U.in location appears in the site-specific academic handbooks.
No matter your location, you will have access to your most essential academic resource: your professors! Your faculty will offer office hours, at a designated time that will be listed on their syllabus and/or in individual appointments you can set up by emailing them.
Attending office hours is an opportunity to chat about your last assessment, any concerns about the course, and your professor’s recommendations for extra support. They might recommend a library resource or website with extra practice questions or ask if you are taking advantage of various tutoring services. Talking with your professor can give you a better idea of where you stand in the course and how they recommend you maximize your experience with the material or your location more generally. Stepping out of your comfort zone to attend office hours also helps you gain comfort engaging with faculty and practice forming meaningful mentorship relationships with professors, something you’ll want to do throughout your time at Northeastern.
Also available to students at any N.U.in location (and in Boston!) is Northeastern peer tutoring through the online platform Knack. Northeastern has partnered with Knack, a leading peer tutoring platform, to offer free peer tutoring to all Northeastern undergraduate students across its global network. All Northeastern peer tutors on the Knack platform are successful current upper-class undergraduate students, and a number of them are N.U.in alumni.
You can request a peer tutor for your courses on Knack by searching for the NU equivalent course title and/or course code. For questions about Northeastern Peer Tutoring on Knack, please reach out at [email protected].
Transitioning to Boston
Q. When will I get to select my Spring 2025 courses?
A. During the fall semester, generally in late October through the middle of November, you will again have the opportunity to work with your home college advising office to work through the course registration process for spring. In parallel with virtual advising appointments, many NU academic advising offices will be sending representatives to the N.U.in program locations this fall to meet with their students to discuss their academic plans for the spring semester. Finally, there will also be a spring orientation in January where you may have another chance to review your courses with your home college advising office and confirm your classes.
Q. When will I receive my final transcript from my Fall 2024 N.U.in semester?
A. Due to differing academic timelines at N.U.in partner institutions, your fall N.U.in program grades will not appear in your NU student records until after the start of the spring semester. Once your N.U.in program grades appear in your Northeastern degree audit (by March 1, 2025), you will be able to request an official transcript that includes your N.U.in program grades through our NU Registrar.
