Transfer Credit Policies

The Advanced Placement (AP) Program offers college-level courses and exams that students can take in high school. Students should have their official score report sent from College Board to the Undergraduate Admissions Office for evaluation.  These credits may count towards the overall 120 credit minimum required for a degree in one of three ways:

• Major course credit.
• General Education (LEP) credit.
• Elective credit (i.e. course numbers such as 0100 and 0200 are generally elective credits).　

Credit will not be awarded for any AP exam that covers material from a college course for which the student has already received credit. A minimum score of 3 is required to earn credits, and each course is awarded 3 credits, unless a different score or credit value is specified below.

AP Capstone Exams

AP Arts Exams

AP English Exams

AP History and Social Sciences Exams

AP Math and Computer Science Exams

AP Sciences Exams

AP World Languages and Cultures Exams

SCSU has entered into additional transfer agreements with the colleges and universities listed below.  Each agreement outlines a pathway and commitment between institutions for certain academic programs, as well as eligibility criteria for students interested in applying. 

• Connecticut State Community College - Transfer Ticket Programs
• Eastern Connecticut State University - Nursing
• Gateway Community College - Social Work
• Gateway Community College - Liberal Arts & Science
• Housatonic Community College - Liberal Arts & Science in Humanities/Behavioral and Social Science
• Housatonic Community College - Healthcare Studies 
• Manchester Community College - Therapeutic Recreation
• Naugatuck Community College - Liberal Arts & Science
• Norwalk Community College - Liberal Arts & Science in Transfer Program/Mathematics and Science
  
• Tunxis Community College - Liberal Arts & Science

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) provides an opportunity for students to obtain academic credit by obtaining a satisfactory score on nationally standardized examinations prepared by the Educational Testing Service.  Students should have their official results sent to the Undergraduate Admissions Office for evaluation. These credits may count towards the overall 120 credit minimum required for a degree in one of three ways:

• Major course credit.
• General Education (LEP) credit.
• Elective credit (i.e. course numbers such as 0100 and 0200 are generally elective credits).　

Credit will not be awarded for any CLEP exam that covers material from a college course for which the student has already received credit. A minimum score of 50 is required to earn credits, and each course is awarded 3 credits, unless a different score or credit value is specified below.

Note: The SCSU Code for CLEP exam registration is 3662.

CLEP Business Exams

CLEP Composition and Literature Exams

CLEP History and Social Sciences Exams

CLEP Science and Mathematics Exams

CLEP World Languages Exams

For each of the world languages, there is only one exam, and it covers both Level 1 and 2 content.  SCSU awards 6 semester hours of credit for mastery of Level 1 content (a score of 50) and 9 semester hours of credit for mastery of both Levels 1 and 2 (a score of 59 on French Language, 60 on German Language, and 63 on Spanish Language.)

Any matriculated full-time student enrolled at a public institution of higher education in Connecticut who has paid tuition at his or her college or university will be admitted on a space available basis without further charge to any course offered by a university within the Connecticut State University System provided the course is not offered at the student’s college or university and the student’s admission to such course(s) is recommended by the president or appropriate academic officer from his/her college or university. No student will be permitted to carry more than two courses in any semester without consent of the president of the host campus.  

This credit by exam program offers students the opportunity to use their knowledge acquired outside of the classroom to accomplish their educational goals. While the exams are funded for active-duty military, DSST exams are not just for those in the military. Adult learners, homeschooled students, and military veterans are also eligible to earn college credits through DSST.  Students can visit DSST exams to review offered exams, test prep, and locate a test center. 

Students should have their official results sent to the Transfer Admissions & Services Office for evaluation. These credits may count towards the overall 120 credit minimum required for a degree in one of three ways:

• Major course credit.
• General Education (LEP) credit.
• Elective credit (i.e. course numbers such as 0100 and 0200 are generally elective credits).　

Credit will not be awarded for any DSST exam that covers material from a college course for which the student has already received credit. A minimum score of 400 is required to earn credits, and each course is awarded 3 credits, unless a different score or credit value is specified below.

DSST Exams

The General Education (LEP) Director of Advisement will assess each transfer credit to determine if it satisfies any General Education (LEP) Foundations or Explorations requirements upon transfer. 

LEP Foundations: First-Year Experience
Students transferring to Southern for the first time with 15 or more credits, or students who readmit or transfer with an *associate degree or higher, will be exempt from this requirement.

LEP Foundations: Written Communication Prerequisite
At the LEP director’s discretion, students transferring to Southern for the first time with 30 or more credits, who have 3 or more college courses where they can be expected to have done ample amounts of argumentative writing, or experience that demonstrates that they have done ample amounts of argumentative writing, will be exempt from this requirement.

LEP Foundations: Written Communication and Multilingual Communication
Students transferring to Southern for the first time with 60 or more credits, or students who readmit or transfer with an *associate degree or higher, will be exempt from this requirement.

LEP Foundations and Explorations: All Requirements
Students meeting either of the following criteria will be exempt from all LEP Foundations and Explorations requirements: (1) students transferring or readmitting to Southern with a bachelor’s degree, or (2) students transferring or readmitting to Southern with an *associate degree, or students transferring to Southern for the first time with 60 or more credits, which includes all the following:

• 3 credits in MAT 103, 106, 107, 108, 120 or higher
• 3 credits in ENG 112 or 120
• 3 credits in Sciences (BIO, CHE, ESC, ENV, MAR, PHY)
• 3 credits in Social Sciences (ANT, COM, ECO, GEO, JRN, PSC, PSY, SOC)
• 3 credits in Arts & Humanities (ART, ENG, HIS, JST, LIT, MDS, MUS, PHI, THR, WGS, WLL) excluding ENG 110, 112, 119, 120
• 24 additional credits in any of the above disciplines, CSC, and/or a world language above the 100 level (SPA, ITA, GER, FRE, LAT, CHI, JPN) excluding ENG 110, 112, 119, 120 and MAT 100, 100P, 102.

W-Course Requirements

Students transferring to Southern for the first time with 60 or more credits will be exempt from one writing course requirement; students transferring for the first time with 90 or more credits will be exempt from two writing course requirements; students who readmit or transfer with an associate degree will be exempt from one writing course requirement; and, students who readmit or transfer with a bachelor's degree will be exempt from all three writing course requirements.

Note: Associate degrees earned by current Southern students through the Reverse Transfer program (i.e. using credits earned at Southern to be awarded the transfer degree from CT State) are not evaluated for LEP exemptions.

Connecticut State Community College (CT State) General Education Alignment

Students transferring any of the CT State General Education competency areas below will receive transfer credit towards the Southern LEP degree requirement outlined:

*Students taking ESL or World Language Level 1 courses for Arts & Humanities credit at CT State will receive free elective credit instead of credit towards LEP Foundations or Explorations at Southern.

Students who completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme or took individual International Baccalaureate (IB) exams at the Higher Level (HL) at their high school/secondary school should submit official score reports to the First Year Admissions Office for evaluation.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

Students who completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme with a total score of 30 or higher and a score of 4 or higher on each exam will have the following Liberal Education Program (general education) requirements waived:

• Multilingual Communication
• Written Communication Pre-requisite
• Written Communication
• Cultural Expression

In addition, students will be awarded up to 30 credits for scores of 4 or higher on Higher Level exams as outlined below.

Individual International Baccalaureate (IB) exams

Students will be awarded up to 18 credits for individual International Baccalaureate (IB) exams taken at the Higher Level (HL) with a score of 4 or higher. These credits may count towards the overall 120 credit minimum required for a degree in one of three ways:

• Major course credit.
• General Education (LEP) credit.
• Elective credit (i.e. course numbers such as 0100 and 0200 are generally elective credits).　

Credit will not be awarded for any IB exam that covers material from a college course for which the student has already received credit. A minimum score of 4 is required to earn credits, and each course is awarded 3 credits, unless a different score or credit value is specified below.

Charter Oak State College has been designated as a Portfolio Assessment Center for State institutions that do not have internal portfolio assessment processes. Many SCSU departments and programs accept credits based on Portfolio Assessment awarded by Charter Oak State College and other regionally accredited colleges and universities when such credits are applicable to the student's degree program. Matriculated students may obtain further information about the Charter Oak State College Program from the Academic Advisement Center, located in Buley Library 102.

Credit for military experience is determined according to American Council on Education (ACE) guidelines. These credit recommendations appear on the service member’s Joint Services Transcript.  Students with military experience should have their official transcript sent to the Transfer Admissions & Services Office for evaluation. 

Many businesses, industries, and other non-accredited institutions provide formal training opportunities for which some academic credit may be awarded. Application of credit as it relates to the student's degree requirements is determined by the Transfer Admissions & Services Office in conjunction with the student's major department in accordance with American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations as published in the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs. Official transcripts, diplomas or certificates are required. SCSU also accepts credits for programs conducted by non-collegiate organizations not evaluated by ACE in accordance with specific local agreements which comply with regulations of the Connecticut Board of Regents (BOR) for Higher Education.

Students may earn a commission in the United States Air Force or in the United States Army by completing requirements of the Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) program as part of their studies at the University.

Air Force

The AFROTC program is available to Southern Connecticut State University students at Yale University's main campus in New Haven. Through the AFROTC program, Southern Connecticut State University students, without paying extra tuition, can pursue a commission as an officer in the United States Air Force. The freshman and sophomore courses carry no military obligation and are open to all students. Scholarships are also available for qualified students. These scholarships pay up to full tuition and fees, as well as money for books and a monthly tax-free stipend.

Students enroll in a four-year or three-year (if joining in their sophomore year) AFROTC sequence. Students commute to New Haven for AFROTC-specific classes and events. Up to 18 credits may be transferred to Southern and counted toward degree requirements as free electives. Qualified students should contact the AFROTC office at (203) 432-9431 or visit our website at AFROTC.yalecollege.yale.edu/.

Army

The University of New Haven Army ROTC Program welcomes and challenges students to join "The UNH Corps of Cadets." Students will learn the foundational skills of overall leadership and management, while potentially earning benefits through tuition assistance and monthly stipends based on their performance. The instructors teach dynamic tactical environments or civilian careers.

Prior service and veteran students are particularly welcome in the UNH Corps of Cadets. The experience gained through service is priceless. It will only further develop peers in the ROTC program while refocusing knowledge through the prism of leadership. The UNH Corps of Cadets strongly supports the Yellow Ribbon Program, as well. For questions call (203) 931-2930 or visit: https://www.newhaven.edu/lee-college/undergraduate-programs/rotc/index.php.

Students who are awarded the Seal of Biliteracy and provide proof of certificate will transfer in 6 credits for 101-level and 200-level foreign language, which satisfies both the Multilingual Communication and Cultural Expression requirement for the general education program.

The University is thrilled to offer a diverse range of study abroad opportunities, including semester and year-long programs, as well as short-term faculty-led programs available during summer, spring recess, and winter session.

Students participating in semester or year-long programs have the option to waive up to two Explorations general education requirements. However, departmental degree requirements cannot be waived unless authorized by the department, and students cannot waive both Natural World science requirements.

Our University has established numerous exchange partnerships worldwide, allowing students to enroll in foreign universities while paying SCSU tuition and associated fees. For more details, students are encouraged to contact the Office of International Education at EN A-220, by phone at (203) 392-6756, or visit the website: www.SouthernCT.edu/oie.

Under any study abroad consortium agreement, all courses must receive pre-approval from both the Office of International Education and the Office of Financial Aid to ensure continued financial aid eligibility. Therefore, adequate preparation time, typically several months before departure, is necessary.

Grades earned abroad are evaluated according to World Education Services guidelines and are recorded as transfer credits on the Southern transcript: A+ thru C recorded as ‘T1’, C- recorded as ‘T2’, D+ thru recorded as ‘T3’, and F recorded as ‘T4’. These transfer credits do not affect the grade point average; however, the corresponding transfer grade will be noted on the student's transcript as attempted credit to evaluate satisfactory academic progress. It is the student's responsibility to provide an official transcript of grades earned abroad to Southern's Office of International Education within 30 days of the subsequent semester; failure to do so will result in a failing grade being issued.

New Transfer Students

Southern evaluates transfer credit from regionally accredited institutions and issues an official transfer credit evaluation at the time of acceptance.  Southern accepts transfer credit for prior courses with grades of "C- "or better. Remedial and/or developmental credits are non-transferable. 

Where credit was earned in a pass-fail or credit-no credit grade option, transfer credit will be awarded according to the definitions on the transferring institution’s transcript key as meeting the minimum grade equivalent of T1 (Transfer grade of C or better) or T2 (Transfer grade of C-). For students who previously completed an associate degree at one of the Connecticut public community colleges or taken courses prior to admission from Eastern, Western, and Central Connecticut State University transfer credit may be awarded for minimum grade equivalent of T3 (Transfer grade of D+, D, D-) for pass-fail or credit-no credit grade option. Transfer grades are not included in Southern's calculation of grade point average (GPA).  Transfer credits are subject to course-by-course evaluation towards program requirements or they may be applied towards free electives in the program.

Students will be admitted with either freshmen, sophomore, junior or senior level standing based on the overall number of transfer credits and must meet all graduation requirements in order to earn an undergraduate degree from Southern. This includes completing a minimum of 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree and taking at least 30 credits at Southern.   For more information on any transfer credit policy or procedures, please contact Transfer Admissions & Services.

Students who previously completed an associate degree at one of the Connecticut public community colleges will be accepted with a minimum of 60 credits in transfer, including credit for passing grades of ‘D-‘ or higher, subject to course-by-course evaluation towards SCSU program requirements.  SCSU also accepts passing grades of ‘D-’ or higher for courses taken prior to admission from Eastern, Western, and Central Connecticut State University.

Current Students

Current degree-seeking students, who plan to take courses at another institution, must complete a Transfer Credit Request, be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 2.0, and receive prior approval to apply the transfer credit(s) towards their program requirements at Southern.  Students who will not be concurrently registered for any courses at Southern must also submit a Leave of Absence form to maintain matriculation status while attending another institution.

Only courses completed at regionally accredited colleges or universities with grades of "C-" or better can be transferred. Upon completion, students must submit an official transcript to the Transfer Admissions & Services Office showing proof of completion.  Students will not receive duplicate credit for any course in which they have already earned credit.  Transfer grades are not included in Southern's calculation of grade point average (GPA); therefore, transfer courses may also not be used for grade placement.  Students may search our database of transferable courses for pre-approved course equivalents.  

Southern Connecticut State University offers guaranteed admission to students who are planning to enroll upon completion of their Transfer Ticket associate degree, with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA, from a Connecticut Community College.  Specific academic and professional programs may have additional admission requirements.

Students will be accepted to SCSU with a minimum of 60 credits transferred to meet specific general education and degree requirements, will be admitted with junior-level standing, and will not have to complete more than 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree in the same Transfer Ticket discipline.

Review the Transfer Ticket Programs and admission requirements.