Transfer Student Status | Transfer Credit Evaluation Process | Minimum Requirements for Transfer Eligibility | Eligibility for Core Credit | Eligibility for Departmental Credit | Semester Conversion Units | Total Unit Limits | Residency Requirements | Quarters of Enrollment | Enrollment Holds

Transfer Student Status

In order to be governed by the transfer credit policies and procedures articulated below, a student must have completed at least one term as a full-time student in a bachelor's degree-seeking program at another college or university prior to matriculating at the University of Chicago. 

Transfer Credit for Non-Transfer Students

Current students in the College who wish to take courses elsewhere and transfer the credit back to their UChicago degree program should instead refer to the College’s transfer credit policies for non-transfer students. 

Transfer Credit Evaluation Process

The College Academic and Student Services Office will evaluate the prior coursework of all incoming transfer students for transfer credit in two phases: preliminary and final. Preliminary transfer credit evaluations are conducted following extension of an offer of admission. Final transfer credit evaluations are conducted following acceptance of the offer of admission. Transfer credit evaluations are not available prior to these phases of the admissions process.

If approved, transfer credit is listed on the student’s University of Chicago transcript only as the number of credits approved to transfer. The grades do not appear on the University of Chicago transcript, nor do they count toward the University of Chicago GPA. 

Submission of Required Materials

The Office of College Admissions provides information to incoming transfer students about how to submit the materials necessary for an evaluation of previous college coursework for the awarding of transfer credit at UChicago. These materials include final official transcripts sent directly from all institutions previously attended following the awarding of the student’s high school diploma or GED. Final official transcripts must include final grades for all courses through the final semester or quarter of the student’s enrollment at the previous institution(s).

Course syllabi from the original college or university may also be required to determine whether a course is eligible for transfer credit. Course syllabi must include the following information:

  • Subject code, course number, and course title
  • Instructor name and title
  • Course description and overall learning outcomes
  • Detailed meeting schedule with topics covered
  • Textbooks and other materials utilized
  • Summary of major assignments/exams and grading structure

If you do not have a syllabus for a course, you may submit alternative documentation (e.g., reading lists, exams, etc.). Please keep in mind, however, that the potential for credit may be affected. 

Required materials should be submitted in accordance with timelines specified by the Office of College Admissions. Delays in submitting official transcripts and other required materials may significantly impact the transfer credit evaluation process, so students are encouraged to submit materials in a timely manner.

Preliminary Transfer Credit Evaluations

Preliminary transfer credit evaluations are conducted only for admitted students and focus solely on general eligibility for transfer credit. Admitted transfer students will receive a copy of their preliminary evaluation from College Admissions shortly after being notified of acceptance. The College makes every effort to provide this preliminary evaluation before a student’s reply deadline.

Final Transfer Credit Evaluations

Final transfer credit evaluations are conducted only for deposited students and provide specific course articulations, including eligibility for Core credit. Final evaluations will also include details regarding semester conversion units and prorated quarters of enrollment. Deposited transfer students will be able to begin viewing their final evaluation decisions using the my.UChicago portal beginning in mid-Summer, prior to pre-registration for Autumn Quarter.

Awarded credit will be applied to each student’s academic record shortly thereafter and their expected graduation term updated to reflect their allotted quarters of enrollment. No petitions are to be submitted to faculty for subsequent review of materials until after the final evaluation process has been completed.

Minimum Requirements for Transfer Eligibility

Courses taken at previously attended institutions must meet all guidelines outlined below to be eligible for consideration during the transfer credit evaluation process:

  • Be taken at an accredited institution that grants bachelor’s degrees
  • Be sufficiently similar to course offerings in the College at the University of Chicago in terms of subject area, content, and learning outcomes
  • Confer at least three semester hours or four quarter hours of credit (or require a minimum of 30 contact hours for institutions without standard credit hours)
  • Be completed with a quality letter grade of C or above (not C- or P)
  • Not duplicate credit that students will earn or have already earned for college-level coursework via examination credit, transfer credit from another previously attended institution, or course enrollment at UChicago

Courses falling within any of the categories below are considered ineligible for the awarding of transfer credit:

  • Courses taken prior to the awarding of a high school diploma or GED
  • Courses taken elsewhere after matriculating into UChicago, or during the summer immediately prior to matriculation
  • Courses taken through a primarily online program or institution
  • Courses not considered to be college level in their subject area at UChicago (e.g., pre-calculus)
  • Professional or technical courses such as, but not limited to: law, civil/mechanical engineering, speech, education, or leadership
  • Course credit granted for independent study, internships, or prior learning (e.g., work experience, professional certifications, etc.)
  • Select courses in subjects utilizing a separate placement and/or accreditation examination process for the granting of credit at UChicago

Courses for which all required materials have been submitted and all standards for eligibility have been met as outlined above will, at minimum, be granted general elective credit.

Eligibility for Core Credit

Courses that meet the minimum requirements for transfer eligibility may also be considered on a case-by-case basis for fulfillment of the College’s general education (i.e., Core) requirements during the transfer credit evaluation process. Policies and procedures related to the awarding of transfer credit for Core requirements and how transfer students should prepare for completing the Core is outlined by subject area below.

Core Humanities, Civilization Studies, and Social Sciences Requirements

Students in the College are expected to fulfill Core requirements in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Civilization Studies while in residence at the University of Chicago. Transfer credit cannot be used to fulfill these requirements.

Core Arts and Writing Requirements

Courses that meet the intended learning outcomes and fulfill the spirit in which the Core requirements for Arts and Writing were written will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by designees in the Arts and Humanities Collegiate Division. Courses in the Arts that are highly specialized or limited to studio practice will not be considered for Core credit.

Core Mathematical Science Requirement

Credit for prior calculus coursework (MATH 15100 Calculus I and MATH 15200 Calculus II) as a means to fulfill the Core requirement in Mathematical Science will be granted only upon successful completion of the Calculus Accreditation Exam or higher-level coursework as determined on a case-by-case basis by designees in the Physical Sciences Collegiate Division. Transfer credit will not be granted for lower-level mathematics courses such as pre-calculus.

Courses in computer science, data science, and statistics will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for Core course equivalency by designees in the Physical Sciences Collegiate Division.

Select scores from official AP, IB, or A-Level exam results are another means for fulfilling Mathematical Science Core requirements or securing higher-level placements. Students planning or considering further mathematics study at UChicago can take the Mathematics Placement Exams and/or Computer Science Placement Exams offered during the summer prior to matriculation to confirm the appropriate placement in combination with the evaluation of their prior coursework.

Core Physical and Biological Sciences Requirements

Courses must have a lab component to be considered for fulfillment of Core Physical Sciences requirements. To be considered for fulfillment of the requirement using course equivalency in chemistry (e.g., CHEM 11100 Comprehensive General Chemistry I and CHEM 11200 Comprehensive General Chemistry II), previous courses must be awarded by an institution accredited by the American Chemical Society. To be considered for fulfillment of the requirement using course equivalency in physics (e.g., PHYS 12100 General Physics I and PHYS 12200 General Physics II), previous courses must be calculus-based.

Other courses that meet the intended learning outcomes and fulfill the spirit in which the Core requirements for the Physical Sciences were written will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by designees in the Physical Sciences Collegiate Division.

At least one course in the Core Biological Sciences requirement must also have a lab component. Courses that meet the intended learning outcomes and fulfill the spirit in which the Core requirements for the Biological Sciences were written will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by designees in the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division.

Select scores from official AP, IB, or A-Level exam results are another means for fulfilling Physical and Biological Science Core requirements or securing higher-level placements. Students planning or considering further chemistry study at UChicago can take the Chemistry Placement Exams offered during the summer prior to matriculation to confirm the appropriate placement in combination with the evaluation of their prior coursework. Students who have taken the Mathematics Placement Exams will also have their results reviewed for placement into PHYS 13100 Mechanics or PHYS 14100 Honors Mechanics.

Core Language Competence Requirement

Completion of an intermediate- or advanced-level course in a language other than English with a resulting quality grade of B or above will satisfy the Core requirement in Language Competence. Alternatively, completion of coursework equivalent to one year of introductory-level study in a language other than English with a resulting quality grade of C or above will qualify the student for the Language Competency Assessment offered on-campus during Winter Quarter, which may result in satisfaction of the requirement.

Select scores from official AP, IB, or A-Level exam results are another means for fulfilling the Language Competence requirement. Finally, transfer students who have lived and attended school in another culture and wish to provide documentation for fulfillment of their Language Competence requirement have the option to submit a Language Petition requesting a waiver.

Students planning or considering further language study at UChicago should take the Language Placement Exam offered during the summer prior to matriculation to confirm the appropriate placement in the language they wish to pursue.

Eligibility for Departmental Credit

Departmental credit may be useful for incoming transfer students hoping to meet specific course prerequisites or satisfy certain requirements in an intended major or minor. Incoming students may be granted approval for transfer credit equivalent to a specific UChicago course beyond the Core in one of two ways:

  • Department approval granted during the transfer credit evaluation process under the terms outlined on the relevant department’s Catalog page under Programs of Study, or
  • Following the release of their final transfer credit evaluation, seeking departmental approval by submitting a General Petition to the department contact listed in the Catalog

Students intending to use transfer credit toward fulfillment of a major or minor requirement must abide by the residency requirements outlined under the College’s degree requirements.

Semester Conversion Units

For students transferring from a college or university utilizing a semester-format academic calendar, two standard semester-length courses are ordinarily considered equivalent to three standard quarter-length courses at the University of Chicago. This conversion rate will be incorporated into the final transfer credit evaluation as either general elective credit or as the third course in an awarded three-course sequence.

Total Unit Limits

Transfer students may not be awarded more than 1200 units of transfer credit (including semester conversion units) per academic year of enrollment at a previous institution. Similarly, transfer students may not be awarded more than 400 units of transfer credit (including semester conversion units) per summer or other individual term of enrollment at a previous institution.

Residency Requirements

Starting with the summer immediately prior to enrollment at the University of Chicago, transfer students may not earn additional credit from colleges and universities other than the University of Chicago. To meet the College’s degree requirements, a transfer student must be “in residence” as a degree-seeking student in the College for the equivalent of at least six quarters (excluding summers) and must successfully complete a minimum of 1800 units of credit (i.e., 18 100-unit courses) by enrollment in UChicago courses. Additionally, at least half of the requirements for any majors or minors must be completed in residence. 

Course credit approved to transfer will count toward the 3800-unit credit minimum students are required to earn via course enrollment. Faculty-led study abroad programs sponsored by the College may be used to meet both the 1800-unit residency requirement and 3800-unit course enrollment requirement. Transfer students will be allowed to participate in direct enrollment study abroad programs affiliated with the College, but these courses cannot be used to satisfy the residency requirement.

Quarters of Enrollment

Ordinarily, non-transfer students in the College are granted a total of 12 quarters of enrollment (i.e., four years if taken consecutively) to complete their degree requirements. Transfer students will be allotted a prorated number of quarters based on the total units awarded to them during the transfer credit evaluation process. All transfer students will be granted a minimum of six quarters of enrollment in order to meet the College’s 1800-unit residency requirement.

Summer Quarters and quarters of non-enrollment (e.g., leave of absence, suspension) do not count against the quarters allotted. Examination credit, credit earned during the Summer Session, and courses not successfully completed by the student may also affect the rate at which a student moves toward completion of their degree. As they approach graduation, transfer students may submit an Additional Quarter of Enrollment Petition for one additional quarter of study if academically necessary for completion of the degree.

Enrollment Holds

During the transfer credit evaluation process, incoming transfer students are required to submit final official transcripts to the Office of College Admissions for all institution(s) previously attended following the awarding of the student’s high school diploma or GED. An enrollment hold preventing course registration for subsequent quarters will be applied during Autumn Quarter for any new transfer students who have not submitted these materials and will only be removed upon receipt of the missing transcript(s).