Transfer Process to Foreign Universities

One of the most pivotal aspects of the 2+2 program is the transfer process, where students move from Thakur College to a partner foreign university after successfully completing two years. This section details how that process works, ensuring it is smooth, well-organized, and that students transition seamlessly into the foreign university system. The transfer process involves preparing the students for application, ensuring credit transfer through articulation agreements, and conducting pre-departure activities.

Application to Partner Universities

During the second year (typically in the 3rd semester or early 4th semester of the program), students begin the formal process of applying to the partner universities. Thanks to the pre-existing MoUs, this process is largely streamlined:

• Choosing the Destination: By the start of Year 2, students, with guidance from faculty advisors and the program coordinator, will have a good idea of which partner university and program they wish to join. This decision is based on their academic interests, performance, and sometimes personal preference for country or campus. Students are encouraged to pick one primary transfer destination (though in some cases they might apply to two to keep options open, especially if programs differ).

• Meeting Requirements: Students must ensure they meet all academic requirements for the transfer. Generally, this includes:

  • Achieving the minimum required GPA (for instance, UFV requires a 2.5/4.0 GPA
    RRU requires a 3.0/4.33, which is roughly a “B” grade royalroads.ca
    Rider/Canberra will have their criteria). By the end of the third semester, advisors will alert any student in danger of not meeting the GPA threshold so they can improve in the fourth semester.

  • Obtaining the required English proficiency test score. Students should ideally attempt IELTS/TOEFL by the middle of the second year. The scores must meet the highest requirement among the partners they are considering (commonly IELTS 6.5 overall. If a student hasn’t achieved it yet, they are advised on one final attempt or an alternative (like some universities accept a letter if the medium of instruction is English or have their own English tests).

  • Completing all required courses. The articulation agreements list key courses that must be passed (e.g., RRU specified completion of Intro to Financial Accounts & Principles of Management for BMS pathway. Students must not have any backlog in those critical courses. A student who fails a required course in Semester 3 must reattempt in Semester 4 or in a summer term if possible to still be eligible.

• Application Documentation: Thakur’s International Program office compiles the necessary documents for each student:

  • Official transcripts for semesters completed (up to Semester 3 at the time of application, and a predictive or interim grade report if needed for Semester 4).

  • A Certificate of Enrollment and Recommendation – essentially a cover letter from Thakur College stating that the student is part of the articulated program and is recommended for transfer upon completion of ongoing coursework.

  • English test score report (IELTS/TOEFL).

  • Passport copies and other identification (since this is needed for international admission).

  • Statement of Purpose (SOP) or Essay: Some partners might waive essay requirements because of the structured nature of the program, but if required (for example, some US admissions ask for a personal statement), the students are guided to write one, highlighting their experience in the 2+2 program and their aspirations.

  • Letters of Recommendation: Usually, the fact that they are in an official twinning program means the formal recommendation is in the cover letter from the college. However, if needed, faculty can provide recommendation letters for each student, attesting to their academic performance and readiness.

• Application Submission: We coordinate closely with the international admissions offices of the partners. Often, a simplified application process is in place:

  • Batch Application: For instance, we might send a roster of eligible students to the partner university’s admission office. Each student might then just fill a basic online form referencing the Thakur partnership (to capture personal details and desired intake). The bulk of academic documentation goes via our office directly to a designated official, ensuring nothing gets lost and the evaluation is quick.

  • Some universities might provide an application fee waiver or use a partner-specific form to ease the process. (This can be negotiated in the MoU; if not, Thakur might even cover application fees as a gesture).

  • The timeline for applications is usually as follows: For Fall (Aug/Sept) intake abroad, applications would be submitted by around January-March of that year. Admission decisions can come by April-May, giving time for visa processing.

• Admission Decisions: Because of the articulation agreement, admissions are almost assured provided the student meets the criteria. The partner universities will issue conditional offer letters if the student is still finishing Semester 4. The condition typically being that the student must successfully complete the two-year program and maintain the required GPA. Once final grades are out, Thakur immediately sends final transcripts and the condition is lifted to finalize admission.

  • It’s rare for a student to be denied if they met all criteria, given the prior agreement. However, in exceptional cases (like if a program is full or a student just misses a requirement), alternatives are discussed: maybe the student could be admitted to a related program, or in the next available intake, etc.

  • Entrance to programs might be competitive if there are more applicants than spots (RRU’s note: “Entrance to all programs is on a competitive basis”. In practice, since our intake number is agreed upon, we manage so that not too many exceed the partner’s capacity. If interest in one partner exceeds expectations, we coordinate with the partner to possibly accommodate, or we distribute students to other partners as per their second preference.

• Student Confirmation: Students, upon getting offers, will decide and confirm which offer to accept (if they applied to more than one). Typically, by end of second year exams, each student has accepted an offer from, say, UFV or Rider etc. They then proceed with that university’s enrollment steps (tuition deposit, choosing housing, etc.), with our guidance.

Throughout the application process, the International Program staff at Thakur provide individual assistance to each student, ensuring forms are correctly filled and deadlines are met. This hand-holding is important because this might be the students’ first time applying to a foreign institution.

Credit Transfer and Articulation Agreements

The backbone of the transfer process is the credit transfer and articulation agreements in place. These agreements legally and academically ensure that the courses completed at Thakur College are recognized by the partner universities, thus avoiding loss of time or repetition of coursework for the students.

• Articulation Agreements: For each partner university and program, a formal articulation agreement is signed. This typically includes an Appendix or Course Equivalency Chart mapping the Thakur courses to the partner’s courses. For example:

  • Thakur’s course “Database Systems (3 credits)” might correspond to UFV’s “CIS 230 Database Concepts (3 credits)” – thus UFV agrees to exempt the student from CIS 230 if they passed our Database Systems with the stipulated grade.

  • In some cases, a set of Thakur courses might fulfill a broader requirement abroad, like a combination of our humanities and social science electives might fulfill a “General Education elective block” at the partner.

• Block Transfer vs. Course-by-Course: Most of our agreements are for block transfer of credit. This means if a student completes the program with all required courses, the partner university grants a lump sum of transfer credits (usually 60) and admits the student to the third year rather than evaluating each course individually. For instance, Royal Roads University agrees to a full block transfer into Year 3 of the BBA program for graduates of Thakur’s first two years
  
  This approach simplifies the process significantly. However, the block is contingent on completing the whole package of courses. If, hypothetically, a student didn’t complete the full set (say they wanted to transfer early or failed a key course), then course-by-course evaluation would be done, which might result in fewer credits – but our program is structured to avoid this scenario.

• Credit Hours Transferred: Generally, up to 60 credits are transferred which equals about 50% of the degree requirements (in some cases slightly more if the foreign degree is less than 120 credits, or slightly less if foreign degree requires more credits). For example, University of the Fraser Valley explicitly states a maximum of 60 transfer credits will be awarded to TCSC students entering the CIS program

• This ensures students enter as true juniors and need only complete the remaining credits (typically another 60) to graduate.

• Academic Performance in Transfer: The agreements also often state the minimum grade for each course to be transferable. Generally, a passing grade is enough if overall GPA is met. But some critical courses might require a “C” or higher to count. We ensure students are aware: for instance, getting a marginal pass in a key subject might create difficulties, so the standard advised is to aim for solid grades in all courses.

• Residency Requirement: Almost all universities have a residency requirement – meaning a student must complete a certain number of credits at the degree-awarding institution (often around 50% or more of the credits). Our program inherently respects that: students will do the remaining ~60 credits (2 years) at the partner, which usually satisfies residency. (E.g., UFV requires at least 30 credits to be taken at UFV for a degree, which is no issue since our transfers will take ~60 there). We communicate to students that they cannot compress the remaining courses to graduate earlier than two years because they must meet these residency credits and also need time to adjust and possibly do internships.

• Articulation Maintenance: These agreements are dynamic documents. Every few years, or as needed, Thakur and the partner will review them. If Thakur updates any part of its curriculum or if the partner changes a course, the chart is updated. Both sides commit to notifying each other of curriculum changes. The governance includes a periodic review of articulation (for example, a curriculum conclave or meeting akin to updating any changes).

• Handling Exceptions: If a student for some reason does not exactly fit the mould (for instance, took an approved leave of absence and did the two-year program in three years or took an extra course out of interest), those cases are handled individually, but the agreements usually allow some flexibility. The MoU might say that students who don’t meet the standard transfer package will be assessed on an individual basis for credit
  This ensures no student is left without options – the partner will evaluate what credits they can take and advise what additional courses the student might need to catch up.

• Dual Enrollment (if any): Some programs might enroll students as dual students from the start (though typically not in this model). In our case, students are primarily Thakur College students for two years, then they become students of the foreign university. We maintain documentation such that partner universities may create student IDs for our students even before they arrive (for application and admission purposes).

• Transparency with Students: Students are given copies or summaries of the articulation agreement relevant to them. They know exactly which courses they must complete and what the foreign equivalencies are. This clarity helps them understand the importance of each part of their coursework. It also means they can confidently answer visa officers about how their credits work (in case asked in visa interview, they can explain they’ve done 2 years out of a 4-year accredited program and have confirmed acceptance to complete the rest).

In essence, the credit transfer mechanism ensures that academically, the student’s transition is frictionless. They step into the foreign university as a third-year student with credit on their transcript for the first two years (the foreign university will list transferred credits from “Thakur College/ Mumbai University (as applicable) – evaluated as equivalent courses”).

Pre-Departure Orientation

Before students embark on the next phase of their education abroad, Thakur College conducts a through Pre-Departure Orientation program. This is a critical component that addresses logistical, academic, and cultural aspects of the transition. The orientation typically occurs after students have received their visas, a few weeks before departure.

Key elements of the pre-departure orientation include:

• Academic Expectations Abroad: Students are briefed on the academic environment they will encounter. Even though our curriculum and teaching methods have prepared them, it is useful to highlight differences such as class formats (seminars, large lectures, labs), professor-student interactions, the expectation of self-study and research, and the grading system at the foreign university. We emphasize integrity and plagiarism rules abroad, which tend to be strictly enforced. For example, how to cite sources in assignments and the serious consequences of plagiarism or cheating in foreign universities (to ensure they carry forward the good practices taught here).

• Cultural Adjustment and Life Skills: We conduct interactive sessions on living in a new country. Topics include:

  • Cultural norms and etiquette in the USA, Canada, or Australia (like communication styles, classroom etiquette, societal values, laws one should be aware of).

  • Managing daily life: using public transportation, managing finances (opening a bank account, currency differences), cooking (for those not used to living alone – perhaps a basic cooking workshop or recipe sharing to prepare them for self-catering), and healthcare systems (how health insurance works, what to do if they fall ill, etc.).

  • Climate and clothing: Many students will experience different weather (Canadian winters, etc.), so guidance on clothing to carry, how to adapt, and not be discouraged by initial weather shock.

  • Homesickness and mental health: Tips on dealing with homesickness, making new friends, and utilizing campus support services (counselors, international student offices) if they feel overwhelmed. Often, we invite Indian students currently studying at those universities (virtually) to share their experiences and coping strategies.

• Logistics and Travel:

  • Travel Planning: Assistance with booking flights (we sometimes coordinate so groups of students traveling to the same city can book the same flight). Information on baggage allowances, what to pack (and what not to pack, e.g., documents, maybe some initial food, but not too much), and travel safety.

  • Arrival Arrangements: Ensure each student has an airport pickup plan. Many partner universities have airport pickup for international students on certain dates – we help students sign up for those. If not, we encourage them to travel together or arrange pickups via acquaintances. Dorm check-in dates are noted; for those living off-campus, temporary accommodation is discussed if needed. We basically want to ensure no one is left stranded on arrival.

  • Documentation Carrying: Remind students to carry important documents in hand luggage: passport with visa, admission letter from the university, Thakur transcripts and certificates, immunization records if needed, etc. We provide a checklist of documents to carry. Also, advise multiple copies and soft scans stored safely.

• Financial Planning: A session is dedicated to managing finances abroad. Topics:

  • Opening a bank account and transferring money from India (what documents they need, like passport, I-20 or offer letter, etc., to open account).

  • Using credit/debit cards from India initially, and importance of having some local currency cash.

  • Budgeting tips: an estimate of monthly living costs in that city, how to budget for rent, food, transport, plus textbooks or supplies.

  • Understanding work regulations: Many will be allowed part-time work on student visas (20 hours/week typical). We inform them about how to find on-campus jobs and also caution them to balance work with studies.

• Orientation from Partner Universities: We often coordinate with partner universities to have their international office or a representative join our pre-departure orientation (virtually or send materials). For example, a representative from University of Canberra might give a short presentation on support services at UC and what to do in the first week there. Similarly, partners send welcome kits or guides, which we distribute to students.

• Interaction with Alumni/Current Students: Perhaps the most impactful – we arrange Q&A sessions with students who have already transferred in the previous year(s). If the program is new, we might invite alumni from similar programs or even alumni from the partner universities who are from India. They share real-life experiences: “At Rider University, this is how classes are, professors expect you to...”, “In Victoria (RRU) this is how I found my apartment…”. Such firsthand accounts prepare students and also reassure them that others have succeeded. It builds confidence.

• Parents’ Session: We often include a segment specifically for parents (since they may have different concerns). We assure them about the safety measures, the support their child will get abroad (university services, any contacts we have), and how they can stay in touch. We also clarify how our relationship continues – e.g., if needed, they can still contact Thakur’s office for any guidance even after the student is abroad.

• Emergency Protocols: We give students information on what to do in emergencies (lost passport, health emergency, etc.). Contact numbers of Indian embassies in the host countries, and local emergency numbers (911 in US/Canada, 000 in Australia) are shared. We also collect next-of-kin contact details and give them a card with important phone numbers.

• Farewell and Motivation: Finally, the orientation often ends on a celebratory note – it’s both a farewell from Thakur College and a motivating send-off. The Principal or Program Director addresses the students, congratulating them on reaching this milestone and reminding them that they carry the reputation of Thakur College with them. We encourage them to be ambassadors of our program and to excel in their new environment, perhaps sharing inspiring success stories of past transfer students.

By the end of the pre-departure orientation, students typically feel well-prepared and supported for their journey. This reduces the anxiety of moving to a new academic system and culture. As a result, they can hit the ground running and do well from the outset at the foreign university – which is beneficial for their personal success and upholds the track record of our program in the eyes of the partner universities.