Undergraduate Transfer Credit

Course work earned at other institutions can often be brought to the University of Arizona. A course’s transferability refers to whether the course can be accepted as transfer credit. A course’s applicability refers to whether the transfer course will satisfy specific program requirements, such as General Education, major, or minor requirements. Course work that is transferable but not applicable to specific requirements may still be used as elective credit to reach the total units needed for graduation.

Transferring Credit from Other Institutions

The determination of acceptability of credit for course work completed at another institution of higher learning is made solely at the discretion of the University of Arizona. The evaluation of course work completed at another institution or exam credit from an approved organization requires submission of an official transcript from the offering institution or organization.

The credit accepted for transfer will not be calculated in the student’s GPA, cannot duplicate any previously awarded credit, and cannot be used to satisfy residency requirements (see Units in Residence).   

The Office of Transfer Credit & Articulation collaborates with appropriate University faculty on the evaluation of transfer credit and determination of transferable learning.

Credit Acceptability by Institution Type

Additional Sources of External Credit:

• Credit by Exam

• Credit for U.S. Military Service & Training

• Credit for Prior Learning

Limits on Transferrable Credit

• Undergraduate credit is not given for graduate-level course work taken as a graduate student at another institution.

• Credit is not given for grades lower than a "C".

• Physical education (PE) activity courses and Success Courses are accepted for general elective credit; however, no more than three (3) PE activity credits and three (3) Success Course credits will apply toward the student's degree.

• Independent study, internship, and practicum courses are subject to approval by the appropriate faculty at the University of Arizona and may be restricted both in number of transferable units and in degree applicability.

• The University of Arizona considers the credit recommendations from the American Council on Education (ACE). Remedial and personal development courses are not accepted for credit.

• Credit by Exam earned at another institution is non-transferable. 

• A syllabus may be required for evaluation of course applicability.

 Applicability of Transfer Credit toward Program Requirements

Courses completed over eight years ago may not apply to a student's current degree program unless otherwise approved by the major department (see the Time Limits policy).

General Education Applicability

The General Education curriculum described below applies to all students who matriculate in Spring 2022 or beyond. Students who matriculated in Fall 2021 or prior should consult the Fall 2021 Transfer Credit Policies.

Course work completed at another institution may be applied to University of Arizona General Education requirements. The type and number of General Education requirements that are satisfied by transfer courses is dependent on the type of institution and the specific courses taken.

Transferring a Completed General Education Curriculum

Students who have an earned Bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution may transfer a completed General Education curriculum.

Students transferring from an Arizona or California community college or state university may transfer a completed General Education curriculum by fulfilling the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC), the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education Pattern (CSU GE) prior to matriculation at the University of Arizona. The requirements to satisfy the AGEC are available through advising centers at Arizona community colleges and state universities; the requirements to satisfy the IGETC and CSU GE are available through advising centers at California community colleges and state universities.

The University reserves the right to verify that an AGEC, IGETC, or CSU GE certified by a community college conforms to state-approved policy before the curriculum is applied toward a University of Arizona degree.

Transferring Individual General Education Courses

For students who have not completed the AGEC, IGETC or CSU GE, transfer courses may be applied individually to General Education requirements as determined on a course-by-course basis by a University of Arizona academic advisor in the college of the student's primary major.

• Courses from Arizona community colleges will apply to the General Education Curriculum based on equivalencies in the Arizona Transfer Guides.

Additionally, the University of Arizona will accept courses as department elective credit toward Exploring Perspectives and Building Connections requirements in the following manner:

• Exploring Perspective requirements can be fulfilled by:

  • Arts & Humanities, Social & Behavioral Sciences, or Physical & Biological Science AGEC courses that align with each of the four categories: Artist, Humanist, Natural Scientist, and Social Scientist.

  • Other transfer courses that align with each of the four categories: Artist, Humanist, Natural Scientist, and Social Scientist.

• Building Connections courses can be fulfilled by:

  • Arts & Humanities, Social & Behavioral Sciences, or Physical & Biological Science AGEC courses whose content approaches a topic from multiple perspectives that will enhance conceptual thinking, problem solving, innovative design, critical analysis, evaluation of ideas, and creation of knowledge/products.

  • Any Liberal Arts or Science courses whose content approaches a topic from multiple perspectives that will enhance conceptual thinking, problem solving, innovative design, critical analysis, evaluation of ideas, and creation of knowledge/products.

When incorporating one or more transfer courses to satisfy General Education requirements, or when seeking a second Bachelor’s degree, students should seek advising at the University of Arizona.

Major/Minor Applicability

Course work completed at another institution may be applied to University of Arizona major and minor requirements as determined by the academic unit. Applicability to specific requirements is determined on a course by course basis. Courses that do not apply to specific program requirements may still be applied as departmental elective credit and count toward total unit requirements.

Students should seek advising at the University of Arizona to review how their transferred course work applies to major/minor program requirements, and which requirements will need to be satisfied by University of Arizona course work.

Related Guidelines & Links:

• Approval of Transfer Courses

• Credit for Prior Learning (Procedures)

• Non-Regionally Accredited Course Work (Procedures)

• Reporting a Transfer Evaluation Problem/ Appealing Transfer Credit

• Sending Transcripts to the University

• Transcript Evaluation Process

• Policy Amendment Memos:

  • Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policy Amendments Memo (12/2024)

  • Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policy Amendments Memo (11/2018)

  • Physical Education Activity Credit Maximum Memo (05/2012)

Related Policies:

• Acceptability of Graduate Transfer Credit

• Credit for Prior Learning

• Graduation Grade Averages & Credit Requirements

• Non-Regionally Accredited Course Work Transfer