Transfer Credit Policy
Submitting Transcripts
Students must disclose all colleges and universities in which they have enrolled, including concurrent or dual enrollment, and submit official transcripts from each institution.
Failure to disclose enrollment or falsifying required admission information may result in immediate suspension and loss of all credit earned at BYU.
Guiding Framework
BYU’s transfer-credit policy is designed in conformity with the Joint Statement on the Transfer and Award of Credit, developed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, the American Council on Education, and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
The Joint Statement provides guidance for evaluating transfer credit and recognizing learning while preserving each institution’s responsibility to establish its own policies and practices.
How BYU Evaluates Transfer Credits
BYU evaluates transfer credit based on:
- the quality of the learning experience;
- the comparability of its content, level, and learning outcomes to BYU coursework; and
- its applicability to the student’s educational program and graduation requirements.
Accreditation is an important consideration, but it does not by itself determine whether credit will be accepted or how it will apply. BYU also considers course content, academic level, learning outcomes, assessment information, and the applicability of the coursework to the student’s educational goals.
Depending on the source and type of credit, BYU may review official transcripts, course descriptions, syllabi, learning outcomes, assessment information, and recommendations from faculty or recognized evaluators.
The mode of delivery—such as in-person, online, or another instructional format—does not by itself determine whether credit may transfer.
Institutionally Accredited College Credit
BYU accepts college-level credit from institutions accredited by recognized institutional accreditors. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC-CIHE)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS-COC)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC-ACSCU)
BYU also accepts credit from institutions accredited by other recognized institutional accreditors. If an institution’s accreditor is not represented in BYU’s transfer resources, the credit may require additional review.
BYU may require a syllabus or other documentation for each course submitted for review. Documentation should be sent to transfer@byu.edu.
Faculty or the appropriate BYU academic department determine course equivalency. Course equivalency determinations are final.
How Transfer Credits May Apply
Credit accepted by BYU may apply in one of the following ways:
- Elective Credit – Counts toward the total credit hours needed for graduation.
- General Education Requirement – Equivalent to a BYU course and satisfies a general education requirement.
- Major Requirement – Equivalent to a BYU course and satisfies a major requirement.
Credit accepted on a BYU transcript may not necessarily apply to a specific degree requirement. Students should work with their college advisement center to determine how transfer credit applies to their academic program.
Courses with grades of C- or higher are eligible to receive BYU course equivalency. Courses with grades below C- receive elective credit but do not receive BYU course equivalency.
Transfer Credit Details
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Toggle ItemAP/IBBYU only accepts its own approved AP/IB exam equivalencies-not credit awarded by other institutions.
Visit our Exam Guides website for more details. -
Toggle ItemAppealsIf you have questions about how your credits were transferred to fulfill general education requirements, please contact Transfer Evaluation Services. Your college advisement center is responsible for evaluating transfer credits that may apply to major requirements.
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Toggle ItemAssociate DegreesWhen a student completes all of the general education requirements at their school (e.g. Associate Degree, Certificate of Completion, Letter of Completion, etc.), most of the BYU general education requirements will be waived, with the exception of :
- American Heritage
- Advanced Written and Oral Communication
- Languages of Learning
- BYU religion hours
If a course within a waived requirement is a prerequisite to another course, the course must still be taken (the GE requirement is waived, but not the class).
Note: Because an Applied Associate degree doesn't have a broad general education focus, these degrees are not recognized as satisfying BYU's general education requirements.
Note: If AP credit is used as part of an associate degree from another school, the degree may still be honored if it meets the criteria listed above, but AP scores will need to be submitted as well. Please refer to the Exam Guides page. -
Toggle ItemCLEPWe do not accept CLEP Exams. If CLEP credit is used as part of an associate degree from another school, the degree may still be honored if it meets the criteria listed above, but the CLEP credit hours will not be recognized.
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Toggle ItemConcurrent Enrollment (CE)BYU accepts concurrent enrollment (college credit earned during high school) credit from accredited colleges and universities. The credit earned must show on an official college/university transcript.
Note: College classes may be referred to as concurrent enrollment, dual credit, running start, etc. -
Toggle ItemInstitute of ReligionFor information on transferring your Institute of Religion credits, see Transferring Religion Credit for more details.
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Toggle ItemInternational CreditIf you would like to transfer international credit, see Evaluating International Credit.
Cambridge AICE and GCE (A Level) exam scores are considered international credit. All secondary education and college work that is considered international must be evaluated by an international credential evaluation agency at the applicant’s expense. Once a student is admitted, credit will be awarded according to BYU faculty recommendation:A Level Exam BYU Equivalency Accounting No Equivalency Biology BIO 130 or PDBIO 120 Chemistry CHEM 105 Economics ECON 110 (if grade of A is earned) English Language WRTG 150 (if grade of A or B is earned) Language & Literature WRTG 150 (if grade of A or B is earned) Literature in English No Equivalency Math See department for challenge exam Physics PHSCS 105 & 106 Psychology Social Science GE area Sociology Social Science GE area -
Toggle ItemMilitary CreditMilitary courses using ACE recommendation from the Joint Services transcript may be reviewed by the College or Department according to the standards above to determine if an equivalency can be granted.
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Toggle ItemOld CreditCredit earned more than eight years before admission or readmission (including transfer credit) may be used to complete general education and university graduation requirements, as well as major requirements at the discretion of the university.
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Toggle ItemQuarter to Semester Credit ConversionQuarter credits/units convert to semester credits. (Ex: 36 quarter credits = 24.01 semester credits)
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Toggle ItemVocational CreditOnly credit completed at an institution with regional accreditation will be accepted. All other types of vocational or technical credit or experiences are non-transferable.