University of Virginia Transfer Credit from Other Institutions

Who can earn transfer credit
Current students registered at UVA may take academic courses at another institution in the United States, provided they have prior permission from the Dean's Office in the College (see Transfer Credit After Matriculation). Current students registered at UVA may also take academic courses at another institution outside of the United States and apply study abroad credit, provided they request transfer credit from the Dean's Office in the College.

Restrictions
Permission to transfer credit is not granted to students whose grade point average is less than 2.0, who withdrew from the College within the last ten days of the prior semester, or who are currently under suspension. A 2.5 cumulative GPA is required for study abroad.

What credits are allowed
Criteria
The University of Virginia grants transfer credit based on
• content, level, and comparability of the courses taken
• applicability of the courses to fulfilling degree requirements of the student's intended major
• performance quality of the student in the courses
• accreditation of the institution at which the work was completed

Credits from a U.S. College or University
For credits transferred from an American college or university, the College will consider only courses completed at a degree-granting institution of higher education that has been fully accredited by one of the six regional accrediting agencies (e.g., the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools), or from a program approved prior to study by the Committee on Educational Policy and Curriculum.

Credits from Foreign Institutions
For credits transferred from a foreign institution, the University of Virginia grants credit for courses taken at recognized foreign tertiary-level educational institutions. Foreign educational institutions that are chartered and authorized by their respective national governments (generally through the Ministries of Education) are considered "recognized."

Credit By Examination
The University of Virginia participates in the Advanced Placement Examinations (AP Exam) Program of the Educational Testing Service and the International Baccalaureate Examination Program. Students who receive grades deemed satisfactory by the academic unit to which they seek admission may receive academic credit.

The University does not participate in the College Level Examination Program, the College Proficiency Exam, nor the USAFI and DANTES programs of the United States Military Forces.

Minimum Grades to Transfer Credit
Credit is allowed only for those courses in which a grade of C or better has been earned. Some programs may require a grade of B or better. Approval to take courses on a pass/fail basis must also be obtained prior to taking the courses. Courses in which "pass" or "credit" (CR) grades are received must be certified as equivalent to a grade of C or higher to be accepted.

Courses applied toward the major may not be transferred to the University from another institution without special permission of the department (see Fulfilling Degree Requirements below.)

Number of Credits that can be Transferred
Students may transfer a maximum of 60 non-UVa. credits to the University from a combination of testing programs and academic institutions. Those with fewer non-UVA credits must earn correspondingly more UVA credits. Students receive no more than the number of credits earned at the host institutions, and may receive fewer credits.

Acceptance of Credits vs. Grades
Only credits are accepted in transfer. Grades do not transfer and do not affect the student’s cumulative grade point average at UVA or appear on your UVA transcript. The only exceptions are courses taken at the University of Virginia’s Northern Virginia Center and UVA direct-credit study abroad programs. Grades from these courses are figured into the student’s cumulative grade point average.

Credits from institutions on a system other than the semester system are converted to semester credits.

Evaluate course credit equivalencies
U.Va. Domestic Transfer of Credit Analyzer

This transfer credit database lists most of the courses offered at Virginia community colleges and courses at numerous colleges and universities in the U.S.

Use the U.Va. Domestic Transfer of Credit Analyzer for help in determining the credit equivalencies of credit you have earned from courses at other institutions and the corresponding U.Va. courses. This transfer credit database lists:

• Most of the courses offered at Virginia community colleges and many of the courses at Virginia four-year colleges and universities.

• Courses previously approved for transfer from non-Virginia colleges and universities.

The database is updated as the College adds new courses and revises previous evaluations.

UVA College of Arts & Sciences course equivalencies listed in the database as 1000T, 2000T, etc. represent transferable credit for which the College has no precise equivalent. Such courses may be used for degree credit.

Transfer Credit Evaluator for the College
If you are not able to find certain courses in the credit equivalencies database, contact Ms. Meredith Burke, mlb3ta@virginia.edu, Transfer Credit Evaluator for the College, for elective credits. Contact your Undergraduate Program Director for major or minor credit.

Fulfilling degree requirements with transfer credit
Transfer credit is evaluated only for the degree program to which students are admitted, and the amount of credit awarded is subject to change if students change degree programs. Courses applied toward the major may not be transferred to the University from another institution without special permission of the department.

Degree requirements
Only 60 credits of transfer from other universities, foreign study, advanced placement, or dual enrollment may count toward the 120 credits needed for the B.A. or B.S. degree in the College. Subject to these restrictions, the credits completed elsewhere with a grade of C or better and approved as described above will be transferred toward the degree. In the College, the amount of transfer credit awarded and the number of full-time semesters previously completed determines academic level.

Area and Competency Requirements
Credits earned before matriculation to the University may be used for fulfilling area and competency requirements. Students in the College must take the second writing requirement in the College and earn a grade of at least C-; no transfer credit is accepted for this requirement. Dual enrollment credit may not be used to fulfill competency requirements. After matriculation, no College area or competency requirements may be fulfilled by transfer credit.

Major and Minor Requirements
Departmental approval is always needed for major or minor credit, even if the course is listed in the database. The DIrector of the Undergraduate Program of the department or program must sign the transfer of credit form.

Elective Credit
If you find a course already listed in the transfer credit equivalencies database, you may transfer the course for elective credit by simply completing a Request for Transfer of Credit Form. If the course is listed in the database, you do not have to obtain departmental approval to transfer elective credit.

If you don't find the course in the transfer credit equivalencies database, you must obtain approval to transfer elective credit from the College Dean's Office by completing a Request for Transfer of Credit Form and by submitting a course description.

Transfer Credit After Matriculation
After you begin your enrollment at UVA, you may count towards your degree courses at another institution only if you have not already transferred the maximum 60 non-UVa credit-hours. All College area and compentency requirements must be completed in the College, not by additional transfer credit once you enroll at UVA.

Request To Take Courses for Credit from Another Institution
Prior to enrolling in courses at another institution, students must secure the permission of the College Dean. Approval to take courses on a pass/fail basis must also be obtained prior to taking the courses.

To request to transfer credit:
• Submit the Request for Transfer of Credit Form
• Send official transcripts immediately after completing transfer course work to:

Meredith Burke
College of Arts and Sciences
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400133
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4133
NOTE: Do not send transcripts to the Office of Admission or to another department.

Study Abroad Credit
Students who wish to study abroad must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5, no exceptions.

The amount of credit granted does not exceed that given for the comparable University course. The University of Virginia applies the general guidelines for awarding credit given by the National Council on the Evaluation of Foreign Student Credentials and the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs.

The University of Virginia grants credit for courses taken at recognized foreign tertiary-level educational institutions. Foreign educational institutions that are chartered and authorized by their respective national governments (generally through the Ministries of Education) are considered "recognized."

Requests for transfer credit from international students returning to their home country to study in the summer will be treated like those from U.S. students who will be studying at U.S. institutions for transfer credit. Such students do not need to complete the standard study abroad process at the International Studies Office.

For more information, see the Study Abroad page and the Office of International Studies , Minor Hall, second floor.