Policies
In deciding whether we can accept credit from another institution, we follow policies set by the faculties of IU's degree-granting schools. We consider such factors as:
- The institution's accreditation status with a regional accrediting association;
- The accreditation's type and nature;
- The information found in institutional bulletins and guides;
- Whether the credits are appropriate to IU's degree programs.
Once IU has admitted you and we have received your official college transcripts, we will prepare a detailed Credit Transfer Report (CTR). Most course credits from approved schools will transfer to IU as long as we offer an equivalent or comparable course.
- Only courses in which you receive a grade of C or higher will transfer.
- Courses in which you receive a grade of C- or lower are listed on your CTR as non-transferable coursework.
- While the grades you earned at the other school are listed on your CTR, transfer courses are never counted in your IU GPA.
- You will be awarded the same number of hours for which you received credit at the other school. If the school you attended operates on semester hours, these transfer to IU as is. If the school operates on quarter hours, your transferable credits will be multiplied by two-thirds to convert them to semester hours. Credits from schools that operate on unit systems or other types of credit systems will also be converted to semester hours.
- Placement exams for other institutions are not eligible for transfer credit.
- If you studied at a junior or community college, we can apply up to two years (60 semester hours) of transferred credit from that school.
- The dean of the school in which you intend to receive your IU degree determines how transfer credits will be applied to your IU degree requirements.
- Courses for which we don't have an exact match can sometimes be transferred to IU as Undistributed (UNDI).
Once you determine which search you would like to conduct, the Credit Transfer Service will walk you through a few simple steps. You'll ultimately have a "shopping cart of potential equivalencies" that you can print and refer to in the future.
Upon completion of the course, students must request that an official transcript be sent to the Office of Admissions. If your transcript is delivered through Parchment, eScrip-SAFE, or another electronic transcript vendor, IU will download that transcript within 1-2 business days after receipt. If your school requires an email address for electronic delivery, please use IUBLRecv@indiana.edu. If your school provides only paper transcripts, request that an official transcript be sent to the Office of Admissions, 940 E. Seventh Street, Bloomington, IN 47405-1106.
We will evaluate the transcript and will update your permanent record with credit in those courses in which you earned a grade of "C" (2.0/4.0) or better. For any course in which a grade of "C-" or lower is received, no credit will be given. Transfer grades are not recorded in your IU GPA.
For students who have completed academic work at non-U.S. institutions:
International Admissions will review all overseas post-secondary study for potential transfer credit or advanced standing at IU. International overseas credit documents should be sent to International Admissions Ferguson International Center 330 N. Eagleson Ave. Bloomington, IN 47405. We use the following criteria:
- The post-secondary institution must be either recognized by the
national Ministry of Education as a degree-granting institution,
or it must be accredited by one of the six U.S. regional accrediting
bodies. If sufficient proof of recognition or accreditation is not
available, no transfer credit can be awarded.
- Only courses with grades can be considered for transfer credit, and each course must have a minimum grade of "C" to transfer to IU. Since many international universities do not use the U.S. 4.0 grading scale, International Admissions determines the grade most equivalent to a "C" in the U.S. To do so, we use the standards set forth by NAFSA, ACE, and AACRAO as well as information about the country's and specific institution's grading scales and practices.
- Each course is considered for transfer credit individually. We
do not transfer "blocks" of credit based upon grade averages.
International Admissions transfers individual courses
that meet the minimum grade requirement for transfer. Individual
courses with grades below the minimum requirement are not transferred,
regardless of the student's overall grade point average.
- Please note that in general no credit is awarded for English language
or writing courses completed in non-Anglophone countries.
- Finally, International Admissions will determine the number of credit hours awarded for each transferred course, based on factors such as the requirements for a normal full-time load at the non-U.S. school and the weighted distribution of credit for each course completed.
Most international transfer credit is initially designated "Undistributed." Undistributed credits count as regular, valid IU credit hours and may count toward an IU degree. The IU school in which you ultimately complete your degree will be responsible for determining how any undistributed credits apply toward specific degree requirements for graduation. However, a school may elect to leave any or all credits undistributed.
The Credits will remain "Undistributed" until IU's academic faculty reviews detailed syllabi for each course transferred and reports their decision to International Admissions. The IU faculty will either equate international coursework to specific courses taught in their department or choose to leave the credits "Undistributed". Therefore, it is advantageous for students who complete work at non-US institutions to send detailed syllabi of all completed and in-progress courses with their application materials.