Submit a Course Equivalency Request Form (CERF) in the CEMS portal.
Course Equivalencies
NEW MARCH 2026! CEMS: Course Equivalency Management System
CEMS: Course Equivalency Management System
If you participate on a partner, exchange, direct, or external petition program, you will earn transfer credit for your courses abroad.
To determine how your EA course credits will transfer back to UK, you must complete the course equivalency process in CEMS (Course Equivalency Management System).
You can use CEMS to:
- Review the UK EA Course Equivalency Database for EA courses already equated to UK credits
- Submit a CERF (Course Equivalency Request Form) to request an equivalency for an EA course not listed in the database
- Build your Course Cart to request Academic Advisor Review and confirm how your EA courses will apply to your UK degree plan
- Confirm your Schedule Abroad so that UK EA can process your EA course credits after your program
Find Pre-Equated Courses
Courses in CEMS are NOT guaranteed to be offered every term.
Check program pages for links to the current courses.
Important!
How to Use CEMS
1. Review the Course Equivalency Database
The UK EA Course Equivalency Database is a record of EA courses that have already been reviewed and confirmed for UK equivalent credit. If you don't see the course you found on your program's page, then skip ahead to the CERF section.
In CEMS, you can
- Search by keyword, course name, or program.
- Filter by EA program, UK credit, and UK Core
2. Add Pre-Equated Courses to Your Course Cart
If the course you want has already been reviewed for UK credit, it will be listed in CEMS. In that case, add the course to your Course Cart to start building your list of potential courses and programs.
- Your Course Cart is like your shopping cart for EA courses.
- You can use your Course Cart to add courses from multiple EA programs to compare programs and course options
- This is not your final schedule, but a planning tool to help you evaluate options.
- If you're requesting a new course through CERF, it will automatically be added to your Course Cart once it is reviewed.
Once you’ve added ALL desired courses, request Advisor Academic Review. This includes new equivalencies through CERF.
- Try to keep your Course Cart limited to the programs and courses you're actually considering. If you send 100 courses from 10 programs, your advisor may not be able to accurately give you feedback. Try to keep it to 1-3 programs, if possible.
3. Request Academic Advisor Review
Once you request Academic Advisor Review, your Academic Advisor will be notified to review your proposed course plans. Your Academic Advisor can:
- Confirm how/if you EA courses may apply to your UKY degree plan
- Provide feedback on your EA course selections
Once your Academic Advisor reviews your courses, your reviewed courses will automatically appear in My Schedule Abroad.
4. Confirm Your Schedule Abroad
After you receive feedback on your course plans, edit your course list to reflect the exact courses you will complete during your program.
After you confirm your course schedule, review the "Schedule Abroad" section in CEMS to:
- Delete courses you are no longer taking
- Add any new courses you are also taking
- Ensure it matches your schedule abroad exactly
Need a course not listed in CEMS?
1. Double check the course isn't listed in CEMS.
Take another look at CEMS to confirm the course you want isn't pre-equated on your program already. If it is, and you submit a CERF, we will decline your request.
Try other keywords or filter using the exact program name (as listed on our website).
2. Get the syllabus for your program course.
Some program websites will link the course syllabus and some will not. You need to get a pdf of the course syllabus before requesting an equivalency using CERF.
- If you can't get a syllabus for some reason, such as the university abroad doesn't share syllabi, then you need to get a course description that is as detailed as possible and let your UK EA Advisor know so we can try to help.
Colleges and departments won't be able to review your course equivalency request without a syllabus or extremely detailed course description.
3. Submit a CERF: Course Equivalency Request Form
Once you have the course syllabus, you will submit the following information to complete your CERF:
- EA Course Syllabus (as a PDF)
You may include a link to additional course information, if your program provides it (optional - EA Course Syllabus Link)
- EA Course Code
List the course code from the syllabus (if available).
- School of Record Code
If your program has a U.S. School of Record, include that course code.
- Language of Instruction
Select the language in which the course is taught.
- EA Course Credit
Enter the credit value listed on the syllabus (ex. 3 credit hours, 6 ECTS, 45 contact hours).
- Fulfillment Request
Select the UK course prefix and description that most closely aligns with the course.
Example: For a journalism-related course, select JOU – Journalism. If you are truly unsure which UK credit category aligns best, consult your Academic Advisor.
- Term and Year
Indicate when you plan to take (or took) the EA course.
Click submit!
4. Track your CERFs
Use the "My Equivalency Requests" section in CEMS to follow the status of your course equivalency request.
- Reviews typically take 2–3 weeks, so make sure to submit your requests before you register for your EA program courses.
- Once evaluated, you will receive an email notification about the review.
- Reviewed courses automatically move to your Course Cart. Based on the equivalency, you can keep the course in your Course Cart if you plan to take it abroad, or you can delete the course if it doesn't fit your academic goals.