What transferring credits means and when you need to do it
Transferring credits means moving coursework you completed at one college toward a degree at another college. When you transfer schools, you do not automatically get credit for classes you took elsewhere — you have to request it, and the new school decides whether to accept them.
You need to transfer credits if you are moving to a different institution and want those completed courses to count toward your new degree. Without a transfer, you might have to retake classes you already passed, which costs time and money. The new school's registrar office handles the decision about which credits transfer and how they count toward your specific major or degree program.
Credit transfer works differently depending on whether you are moving between public universities in the same state, moving to a private school, moving out of state, or moving from a community college to a four-year university. Each situation has different rules and different people involved in the decision.
Key Takeaways
- You must request a transcript from your previous school and submit it to the new school's registrar — credits do not transfer automatically.
- The new school's registrar office decides which credits transfer, and they may count differently than they did at your original school.
- Articulation agreements between schools make transfer easier and more predictable, especially between community colleges and four-year universities in the same state.
- Credits earned at accredited schools are more likely to transfer than credits from unaccredited institutions.
- You should request an official evaluation of your transcript before enrolling to know exactly which credits will count.
Getting your transcript and sending it to the new school
Your first step is to request an official transcript from the registrar office at the school you attended. An official transcript is a document signed and sealed by that school that lists every course you took, the grade you earned, and the credits awarded. You cannot use a copy you printed yourself — the new school needs the official version, usually sent directly from one registrar to another.
Contact your previous school's registrar office by phone, email, or through their website. Most schools let you order a transcript online through a student portal or a third-party service like National Student Clearinghouse. You will typically pay a small fee (usually between $5 and $15 per transcript) unless you are a current student, in which case it may be free. Request that the transcript be sent directly to the registrar office at your new school, not to you.
The process usually takes three to ten business days. If you are enrolling soon, order your transcript as early as possible. Some schools can send transcripts electronically the same day, while others mail paper copies that take longer to arrive.
Understanding articulation agreements and transfer pathways
An articulation agreement is a formal contract between two schools that spells out exactly which courses from School A will count as which courses at School B. If an agreement exists between your previous school and your new school, the transfer process is much simpler and more predictable — you know in advance which credits will transfer and how they will count.
Articulation agreements are most common between community colleges and four-year universities within the same state. For example, many states have agreements that let you complete the first two years of a bachelor's degree at a community college and transfer all your credits to a public university to finish the degree. These agreements often may provide that credits transfer and that you will not lose progress toward your degree.
You can find articulation agreements by asking the registrar office at your new school or by searching your state's higher education website. If an agreement exists, ask for a copy — it will show you exactly which of your courses transfer and what they count for at the new school. If no agreement exists, the new school will evaluate your transcript course by course.
How the new school evaluates your credits
When no articulation agreement exists, the registrar office at your new school reviews your transcript and decides which credits to accept. They look at the course content, the grade you earned, and whether the course is similar enough to courses they offer. A course that counts as a general education requirement at your old school might count as an elective at your new school, or it might not transfer at all.
The new school will not accept credits if the course is too different from what they teach, if you earned a grade below a certain threshold (often a C or D, depending on the school), or if the school you attended is not accredited. Accreditation means an outside organization has verified that the school meets certain educational standards. Credits from unaccredited schools rarely transfer.
This evaluation can take several weeks. Some schools offer a preliminary evaluation before you enroll so you know what to expect. Others do the evaluation after you submit your transcript and enroll. Ask the registrar office whether they can give you a preliminary evaluation — it helps you decide whether to enroll and plan your course schedule.
What happens to your GPA when you transfer
Your grade point average (GPA) from your previous school does not transfer. The new school calculates a new GPA based only on courses you take there. This is important because it means a low GPA at your old school does not follow you — you start fresh at the new school.
However, the grades you earned in transferred courses may still appear on your transcript at the new school, depending on the school's policy. Some schools show the original grade, some show only that the credit transferred, and some show both. Ask the registrar office what will appear on your transcript so you understand how your record will look to future employers or graduate schools.
If you are worried about your GPA, transferring can be an advantage. Your new school's GPA is what matters for graduation honors, scholarships, and graduate school applications — not your GPA from your previous school.
Transferring credits from community college to a four-year university
Community college credits transfer more easily to four-year universities than credits between four-year schools, especially if both schools are in the same state. Many states have formal transfer pathways that may provide community college credits will transfer and count toward a bachelor's degree.
Before you enroll at a community college, check whether it has an articulation agreement with the four-year university you plan to attend. If it does, you can choose courses that are may provide to transfer. If you are already enrolled at a community college, ask your academic advisor which courses transfer to the university you are considering.
Some universities have special admissions pathways for community college students, which can make the transfer process smoother. These programs often may provide that if you complete certain requirements at the community college, you will be admitted to the university and your credits will transfer. Ask both schools whether such a program exists.
Transferring credits from out-of-state schools
Credits from out-of-state schools are harder to transfer because there is no state-level agreement between the schools. Each school evaluates the transcript independently, and the new school may be more strict about which credits they accept.
The process is the same — you request your transcript and submit it to the new school's registrar — but the outcome is less predictable. The new school may accept fewer credits or count them differently than they would if you were transferring within the state. Ask the registrar office at your new school whether they have any agreements with schools in the state you are coming from.
If you are considering transferring from out of state, contact the new school's registrar office before you enroll to get a preliminary evaluation of your transcript. This tells you how many credits will transfer and how they will count, so you can make an informed decision.
What to do if credits are denied or counted differently than expected
If the new school denies some of your credits or counts them differently than you expected, you have options. First, ask the registrar office to explain their decision in writing. They should tell you why the credit was denied or recounted — for example, the course content did not match, the grade was too low, or the school was not accredited.
If you disagree with the decision, ask whether you can appeal. Some schools allow you to submit additional information about the course, such as the syllabus or course description, to show that it should transfer. You can also ask whether you can retake the course at the new school to satisfy the requirement, though this costs time and money.
In some cases, you may be able to take a placement test or complete additional coursework to demonstrate that you have the knowledge the new school requires. Ask the registrar office or your academic advisor what options are available to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to transfer all my credits, or can I choose which ones to transfer?
You cannot choose which credits to transfer — the new school decides based on their policies. However, you can ask the registrar office how credits will be counted and whether some might count as electives instead of toward your major. You cannot prevent a credit from transferring if the school accepts it.
What if I earned a D or F in a course — will it still transfer?
Most schools require a grade of C or higher to transfer a credit. If you earned a D or F, that credit probably will not transfer, and you may need to retake the course at the new school. Check the new school's policy before you enroll to know for sure.
How long does it take for credits to show up on my transcript at the new school?
After you submit your transcript, the registrar office usually takes two to four weeks to evaluate it and update your record. Some schools are faster, some slower. Ask the registrar office for a timeline so you know when to expect the credits to appear.
Can I transfer credits from an online school or a for-profit college?
It depends on whether the school is accredited. Credits from accredited online schools and for-profit colleges can transfer, but credits from unaccredited schools almost never transfer. Check whether your previous school is accredited before you assume your credits will transfer.
What if I took courses at multiple schools before transferring — do all of them transfer?
You can submit transcripts from multiple schools, and the new school will evaluate each one. Credits from all of them may transfer, or only some may, depending on each school's accreditation and the content of the courses. Submit transcripts from all schools you attended so the new school has a complete picture of your coursework.