Program Benefits
- Earn college credit
- Enjoy personal instruction from your college professor
- Gain in-depth insight in a field of interest
- Enhance your college applications
- Gain an official AU transcript
ý (AU) is proud to partner with the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) to offer participants the opportunity to earn college credit while exploring their areas of interest in greater depth.
Who Is Eligible?
All NSLC participants are eligible to enroll in the AU course associated with their program, regardless of the location or dates of the NSLC session they attend.
Course Format:
Each course is worth one credit and is delivered in an asynchronous online format, allowing students to complete coursework on their own schedule.
When to Complete Assignments:
Students are not required to complete assignments while participating in their NSLC program. However, all coursework must be completed by the last day of the class.
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to enhance your NSLC experience while earning college credit from AU!
Asynchronous Format. The AU credit course is taught online in a self-paced, asynchronous format, allowing flexibility in completing reading and writingassignments on your own schedule. Instructional content may include pre-recorded lectures, podcasts, documentaries, and faculty-led discussion boards.
Summer 2025 Course Dates. The AU onlinecourse runs from June 30 to August 8 and is designed to fit around your NSLC on-campus program, no matter when or where it takes place. You are not required to complete coursework during your time on anNSLC campus. However, you are required to communicate with the AU professor to make up any work you missed.
Course Start Date
The course is designed to allow flexibility for all NSLC campus participants, with ample time to complete assignments by their deadlines. Be sure to review your syllabus and plan ahead!
How to Register. To enroll in the AU credit option, log in to, scroll to the “Options” section, and select “College Credit.” You may also enroll by calling NSLC at (800) 994-NSLC (6752). Students may enroll only in the AU course associated with their NSLC program. NSLC will process your payment and confirm once registration is complete. The last date to enroll is June 25, 2025.
AU Account Set-Up. Following your enrollment, NSLC will send detailed instructions for creating your AU user account. Please allow up to two weeks to receive these instructions. You must create your AU user account promptly to avoid delays in accessing your course.
Access to AU’s Canvas Platform. In mid-June, you will receive anemail from NSLC with information on how to access AU’s Canvas platform. Your course will become “live” on June 16; classes begin onJune 30.
Academic Expectations. Students will be assigned reading and writingassignments appropriate for a one-credit college-level course. Working at times that suit your schedule, you are expected to complete assignments according to assigned deadlines, with final course completion byAugust 8.
Although the assignments will vary by instructor and topic, students may be expected to read the equivalent of three book chapters, participate in a discussion board, and submit deliverables, one of which may be a written assignment of up to four to six double-spaced pages. Students are expected to observe assignment deadlines and submit their work via AU’s Canvas platform. For a course outline, please email collegecredit@american.edu.
Instructor Access. Instructors are committed to your success. They will remain accessible throughout the entire course via email and/or office hours conducted via Zoom or Skype. Please contact your instructor for any course-related questions.
Course Materials. All readings and course materials will be available on AU’s Canvas platform. There are no additional fees required.
Questions? Please email collegecredit@american.edu for any questions you may have.
ý awards credit based on a minimum of 12.5 instructional hours and 25 hours of independent student work per credit.The AU credit option expands on instruction derived from the lectures, simulations, and other experiential learning gained through your NSLC program through a supplemental online course taught by AU faculty.
AU credit is transferable to many accredited colleges and universities; however, AU recommends that students verify transfer credit policies at institutions they wish to attend. Each college or university maintains its own policies regarding what transfer credit it will accept.
Students will earn a letter grade (A-F) upon completion of the course.Students do have the option of selecting a pass/fail option.To choose the pass/fail option, you must email the AU-NSLC college credit team at collegecredit@american.edu before the "withdrawal" date shown on the syllabus. Please note that a grade of Pass indicates performance of no less than a 2.0 on a conventional grading scale. Note that universities may be less inclined to accept transfer credit without a letter grade.
Please be advised that failure to complete assignments may result in failing the course which will be reflected on your permanent college transcript. If no assignments are completed, the student's incomplete status will default to a failed grade.
Students will be assigned reading and writingassignments appropriate for a one-credit college-level course. Working at times that suit your schedule, you are expected to complete assignments according to assigned deadlines, with a final course completion date of August 8, 2025. Although the assignments will vary by instructor and topic, students may be expected to read the equivalent of three book chapters, participate in a discussion board, and submit deliverables, one of which may be a written assignment of up to four to six double-spaced pages. Students are expected to observe assignment deadlines and submit their work via AU’s Canvas platform.
Sometimes students have trips or obligationsthat might interfere witha course deadline; in such cases, students may request an extension from their professor.Late assignments will not be accepted unless you receive written permission from your professor.Failure to complete assignments may result in failing the course, which will be reflected on your permanent college transcript.
Upon completing the course, students may obtain an official AU transcript documenting their academic credit.Students should the directions for "New User" through the .
Note: This process will involve creating an account and submitting a few pieces of information, such as your birthdate so that your record can be located. If you have questions, please email transcript_services@american.edu.
Please be aware that the Registrar will never send your transcript without your permission.
To honor the academic excellence and leadership qualities of students selected for the NSLC, ý is offering a special reduced tuition rate of $1,004 for the Summer of 2025.
Payments are made directly to the NSLC. Upon acceptance to your program, please log-in to and complete the "College Credit" form. For any payment-related questions, please contact NSLC at info@nslcleaders.org or call 1-800-994-NSLC (6752).
Tuition is refundable if NSLC receives notification of cancellation by June 1, 2025.If a student cancels registration after the cancellation deadline no refunds will be permitted. This policy is necessary to account for the program costs incurred with each enrollment.
Any changes to a registration must adhere to the following deadlines and will be subject to the refund policy. Changes made to your AU course before June 1, 2025, should be made directly to NSLC. Changes made after June 1, 2025,must be communicated to AU by emailing collegecredit@american.edu.