Academics

Exchange students may take classes at any level at BOKU, as long as they have the pre-requisites. Students are allowed to take any course of any program. BOKU Vienna offers more than 300 courses in English. It is easier to find Masters level classes in English (8 of the Master Programs are taught entirely in English). Many CALS students opt to take classes at the Masters level.

Studying at Austrian universities is very different from studying at Cornell. Students can also expect to take more courses at BOKU to reach their credit needs; however, you would not be taking all of your courses at one time. Some of the lower credit classes are only offered for 3 weeks sometimes. It will depend on the class.

Due to the academic calendar at BOKU, students may only study abroad for an academic year or for spring semester only at BOKU.

Fall Semester: late Sept. to Late Feb.

Spring Semester: late Feb./early March to late June

Course Selection & Enrollment

  • Course selection takes place in Vienna as course for upcoming semesters will only be online shortly prior to the start of the semester.
  • To find information on specific courses, visit BOKU's course catalog.
  • This program offers language and area studies courses as electives. Language study may be required by your college. Check your college requirements.
  • For assistance in selecting courses, see your faculty or college advisor. (Note: You may earn elective, distributional, minor or major credit depending on your major and college.)
  • You may need to look at courses from a previous semester (i.e.: the most recent spring semester if you want to select classes for a future spring abroad) 

Course Load & Credits

  • Study the language of the host country (or take a course in that language) when studying in a non-English speaking country for a semester or year
  • Take the equivalent of 15 Cornell credits (= 30 ECTS per semester at BOKU) for a full semester, even if it is possible to take fewer and still graduate on time
  • Decisions on the final allocation of credit are made upon successful completion of the course (must earn grade equivalent of a “C” or higher—all courses must award a letter grade).
  • For more information on courses and credits from abroad, including policies regarding start/end dates, refer to the Academic Policies page on the Education Abroad website. 

Transcript & Grades

  • Grades will appear on the Cornell transcript in the same format as they are recorded on the original transcript generated by the host institution. Grades are not factored into the Cornell GPA.
  • For information on how grades appear on the transcript and frequently asked questions, including transcript dates for graduating seniors, please refer to the Transcripts and Credits page on the Education Abroad website.

  • You must request your program to send the transcript to Cornell. Please refer to the instructions provided by BOKU.

    If possible, have them send the transcript via a secure means (password protected, Box/Dropbox, etc.) to abroad@cornell.edu . Do not use a default email address for Cornell University. 

    Alternatively, your program can mail your transcript to B50 Caldwell Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca NY, 14853.