Transfer Credit

Who Can Get Transfer Credit

Once registered at U.Va., students 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 Requesting Transfer Credit below). Transfer students may also transfer credits from their previous institution. 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. Students who wish to study abroad must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5, no exceptions.

Which and How Many Credits are Allowed

The University of Virginia grants transfer credit based on an analysis of the content, level, and comparability of the courses taken, the applicability of the courses to the student's intended major and degree program (see Fulfilling Degree Requirements below), the quality of the student's performance in the courses, and the accreditation of the institution at which the work was completed.

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. 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 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.)

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, and may receive fewer, than the number of credits earned at the host institutions.

Evaluating Course Credit Equivalencies

Use the U.Va. Domestic Transfer of Credit Analyzer in your first attempt to determine the credit equivalencies of credit earned from courses at other institutions and that for 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. It also lists courses previously approved for transfer from non-Virginian colleges and universities. It changes as the College adds new courses and revises previous evaluations. UVA course equivalencies listed in the database as 100T, 200T, etc. represent transferable credit for which the College has no precise equivalent.  Such courses may be used  for degree credit.

If the course you are interested in is not listed in the credit equivalencies database, contact Ms. Gloria Gates, , Transfer Credit Evaluator for the College, for elective credits and your undergraduate program director for major or minor credit.

Fulfilling Degree Requirements

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. In the College, the amount of transfer credit awarded and the number of full-time semesters previously completed determines class standing. 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. 

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

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 U.Va. or appear on your U.Va. transcript, the only exception being 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. Credit from institutions on a system other than the semester system is converted to semester credits.

Requesting Transfer Credit

Students must secure the permission of the College Dean prior to enrolling in courses at another institution and transferring academic credit back to the University to apply toward their degree program. Approval to take courses on a pass/fail basis must also be obtained prior to taking the courses. This is done by submitting a request for transfer of credit form prior to enrolling in courses for transfer. Immediately after completing transfer course work, students must have official transcripts from the institution in which the courses were taken sent to:

Gloria Gates
College of Arts and Sciences
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400133
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4133

DO NOT SEND TRANSCRIPTS TO THE OFFICE OF ADMISSION OR TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT

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. Obtaining departmental approval is not necessary to transfer elective credit if the course is listed in the database.  However, departmental approval is always needed for major or minor credit, even if the course is listed in the database.  This approval is obtained by having the undergraduate director of the appropriate department or program sign the transfer of credit form.

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.  If you wish major or minor credit, you must also obtain the approval of the undergraduate director in the appropriate department or program. 

If you have questions, contact your Association Dean or Ms. Gloria Gates, College Transfer Credit Evaluator, 211 C Garrett Hall. 

Study Abroad

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 is awarded for courses judged to have been completed at a C level or above. 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.

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

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

Transfer Students

Students seeking admission as a transfer student must get previous educational institutions of study and examination agencies, such as Education Testing Service for advanced placement credit, to directly send transcripts and test scores to the U.Va. undergraduate admission office at the earliest possible date as part of their admission application. Subject to policies outlined on this page about which and how many credits will be accepted and how credits can be applied toward fulfillment of degree requirements your credit equivalencies will then be evaluated and awarded.

For more information, see Evaluation of Transfer Credits in the New Transfer Student Guide.

Credit By Examination

The University of Virginia participates in the Advanced Placement Examinations 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, or the USAFI and DANTES programs of the United States Military Forces.