Utah State University awards transfer credit for academic work completed at other regionally accredited academic institutions. Evaluations for specific course equivalencies at Utah State University are at the discretion of each department’s faculty or faculty designee. Acceptance of credit should not be confused with its application. Any transfer credit accepted does not expire but may or may not apply to the graduation requirements of Utah State University, regardless of the number of credits transferred. Applicability of transfer credit to specific programs, degrees, or certificates are determined by the department of the student’s major.
In order to transfer credit to Utah State University, official transcripts of credit must be submitted to the Admissions Office. Submitted transcripts become the property of Utah State University, and will not be returned. Transcripts from all institutions previously attended are required.
Credit Transfer Policy
At its discretion, the university may accept transfer credit from accredited and nonaccredited institutions and miscellaneous sources. These may include:
- domestic regionally accredited institutions,
- foreign universities,
- U.S. military credit for approved educational experience on a Joint Service Transcript (JST) or DD214 form if a JST is not available,
- credit by examination, and
- miscellaneous sources, such as internships and nontraditional learning experiences, and certificates from technical colleges.
Further details about these sources are shown below.
The following evaluation criteria for acceptance will be used:
- accreditation status of the institution,
- recognized national standards published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and by the American Council on Education,
- guidelines given by the State Board of Regents (including guidelines for CLEP, DSST, IBO, NEWL and AP credit), and
- recommendations given by various University units having appropriate academic competence, including the Faculty Senate, as well as college and departmental curriculum committees.
Utah State University may award credit for academic work completed at institutions that are not regionally accredited if the courses:
- articulate to University Studies or General Education requirements at USU,
- correspond to recognized standards published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) and the American Council on Education (ACE), and
- are approved by the department and college in which the subject matter is taught as well as the Office of Provost & Chief Academic Officer.
Utah State University does not accept transfer credit from nonregional-accredited institutions in those cases where USU lacks an academic unit to evaluate such transfer credit.
USU accepts credit from any of the following Regional Accrediting Organizations:
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education (MSA)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACS)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities (WASC-ACSCU)
Transfer of General Education
- Students who have an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree from a regionally accredited institution may be deemed as having satisfied the General Education portion of the University Studies requirements at Utah State University.
- Students who have a General Education Certificate of Completion from a regionally accredited institution may satisfy the General Education portion of the University Studies requirements at Utah State University.
- Students who have a Letter of General Education Completion from a regionally accredited institution may be deemed as having satisfied the General Education portion of the University Studies requirements at USU.
- USU will require students to satisfy the following if an equivalent has not been completed as part of the transfer General Education: Breadth American Institutions (BAI), Communications Literacy (CL1 and CL2), and Quantitative Literacy (QL).
- In order to graduate with a bachelor’s degree, the Depth Education requirements must still be completed.
- Students who transfer to USU without either an Associate Degree, or a General Education Certificate of Completion, or a Letter of General Education Completion will have courses evaluated by the appropriate USU department. Equivalent General Education courses taken at a regionally accredited institution may be accepted toward satisfying General Education requirements at USU.
- Schools within the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE)* maintain an agreement allowing General Education courses to be transferred within the system.
*Utah System of Higher Education (USHE)
Guidelines for Transferable Credit
Sub college-level courses which are developmental, remedial, or preparatory will be accepted by USU as non-college credit courses. The grades which may be transferred and recorded for transfer students shall include A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, and F, as well as P (Pass).
Vocational/Technical Credit
Vocational-technical courses are generally not transferable. Exceptions may be made by individual departments if the coursework is pertinent to the student’s major.
International Credit
Credit may be transferred from recognized international universities. Transcripts or documented evidence (translated into English) must be presented, indicating successful completion of coursework. Courses must be consistent in level, duration, and content with courses offered at American universities. For further information about the transferability of international credit, contact the Office of Global Engagement.
Credit by Exam
Subject to evaluation by Utah State University, to ensure credit is granted in accordance with USU policies, credit may be earned through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST), International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) examinations, Advanced Placement (AP) examinations or the National Examinations in World Languages (NEWL) examinations, while a student is in high school. See the Registrar’s Office website for more information.
Students who receive an ACT Math score of 26 or higher, or an SAT Math score equivalent will be awarded 3 credits. This is effective for students who took the ACT exam September 2016 or later. This will be posted as transfer credit with a CR grade and would be listed as ACTM 1XXX (QL) on the transcript. The credits will count toward the 120 credits needed for graduation, but will not count toward the 30 credits in residency at USU.
Students who have served in the armed forces may be able to receive Military Credit.
Transfer Website
Registrar’s Office - Transfer Credit
Click here to find course-by-course equivalencies
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