If you’re starting your studies at an online college soon, you’ve likely already earned some college credits at another institution.
In some online programs, transfer students make up a majority of the student body. At the University of Arizona‘s Arizona Online program, for example, the “vast majority” of students enter with some college credits under their belt, says Caleb Simmons, the school’s executive director of online programs.
Arizona Online transfer students in fall 2023 had an average of about 67 credits upon matriculation. And at Southern New Hampshire University, 71% of incoming online bachelor’s students transferred in credit from another school during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Online bachelor’s programs typically have a transfer credit evaluation process to determine how your past learning experiences align with the degree you’re working toward. Simmons advises incoming students to consult an enrollment counselor to understand the transfer credit evaluation process.
“Start the conversation very early,” he says. “Ensure that you’re planning to reach out and request your transcripts in a timely manner, because it can be one of those things that delays admission and enrollment in classes.”
Credit evaluation processes differ among institutions. Experts say you should ask the following questions to understand how your past credits will apply to your online degree.
What are the grading requirements?
Online programs vary on the grades required for the courses they will allow to transfer.
At Southern New Hampshire University, for example, students must have earned at least a C-minus grade for courses they wish to transfer to an online bachelor’s from another institution, according to Chris Feibel, the school’s associate vice president of enrollment support services.
However, certain programs may have a slightly higher threshold. For example, a math student at SNHU would need at least a C in a prior course for it to count toward degree progress. In this case, a C-minus can still be transferred, Feibel says, but it wouldn’t satisfy any particular degree requirement.
Even if your grades from a previous institution are lower than the threshold needed to transfer credits, Feibel says you shouldn’t worry about it harming your academic record in your online program.
“We don’t bring over their GPA, we don’t bring over their Ds and Fs — we only are looking at transfer credit. And when we award it, it shows up as a ‘T,’ for transfer,” he says. “A lot of students really feel like their past academic struggles are following them to the next school, and that’s not the case at any school they transfer to.”
Can I transfer credits from several years ago?
If you’re returning to your studies after a long break from school, you may wonder if credits that you earned five, 10 or even 20 years ago can be applied to your online degree.
[How Transferring Colleges Can Affect Financial Aid]
Depending on your program, you’ll likely be able to transfer those credits — but there may be an added layer of scrutiny to the evaluation process, experts say. At the University of Arizona, transfer credit evaluators may send a student’s coursework to a student’s department for more thorough evaluation if credits are particularly old, Simmons says.
It is typically harder to transfer older credits in highly regulated or evolving majors like nursing or information technology, Feibel says.
“IT 25 years ago was not what IT is today. So you might have taken a networking course in 1997 — it’s probably not applicable to our networking course in 2024,” he says, adding that older credits can potentially be applied to the student’s online degree as electives.
How many credits can I transfer toward my degree?
It’s common for online bachelor’s programs to cap the credits you can transfer, experts say.
At Southern New Hampshire University, students can transfer up to 90 credits toward a bachelor’s degree and 45 credits toward an associate degree. At the University of Arizona, it varies depending on your current and previous program. Students transferring from regionally accredited four-year colleges can transfer unlimited credits, while students transferring from a two-year college can transfer a maximum of 64 units for most degrees.
Keep in mind that usually there’s a minimum requirement for credits that must be taken at your new college in order to graduate there. For example, even if you transfer 100 credits to the University of Arizona, Simmons says you’ll still have to earn 30 credits there — bringing your total credits to more than the 120 needed for a bachelor’s degree.
[READ: How to Balance Work and Online College Classes]
Can I receive credit for life, military or professional experiences?
Many online college programs allow students to gain credit through various military or professional experiences. Check if your institution allows you to directly translate experience into credits, or test out of classes in your areas of expertise through College Level Examination Program exams offered by the College Board.
Schools vary on evaluation processes for prior learning through military and professional experiences, experts say, so be sure to consult your adviser.
What documents do I need to provide to transfer credits?
To evaluate transfer credits, your online program will need transcripts from previous institutions. Those can typically be requested online.
If your program needs more documentation — such as syllabuses from your prior courses — they’ll let you know during the evaluation process.
Experts say if you feel that a course you tried to transfer was misevaluated and you were denied credit, you may be able to appeal by providing a detailed syllabus showing how it aligns with the requirements for your online degree.
More from U.S. News
Read 2 Transfer Student Essays That Worked
Transferring Colleges: 8 Frequently Asked Questions
5 Mistakes Online Students Make
Ask 5 Questions to Transfer Credits to Online Colleges originally appeared on usnews.com
