Transferring College Credits

A student can start anywhere within Ohio's public education system (community college, technical college, regional campus, and university) and make progress to a degree. Transfer credits are course credits that students can move from one college or university to another if they change schools while pursuing a degree. College credits are measured in hours of completed coursework and applied to requirements for a degree.

If you anticipate beginning your college education at one institution but finishing your program at another college, you will want to take as many earned credits as possible with you. For this reason, early planning for your move should help you obtain your degree in a timely manner and save on tuition costs. The college that you are transferring to will determine which credits will be accepted and how they will be applied to your record.

Ohio initiatives for credit transfer

Credit Transfer
Credit Transfer is the Ohio Board of Regents initiative to manage, direct and promote all programs related to and because of the Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy created in response to legislative concerns over the ability of students to transfer effectively between Ohio's public post-secondary institutions of higher education.

A Newsletter from the Ohio Board of Regents
The Credit Transfer Pathways newsletter covers news, events and policy decisions surrounding credit transfer and articulation. It also will serve to promote the Educational Linkages and Access' objective to better educate more Ohioans, and its goal to increase seamless access to affordable, quality higher education for all Ohioans.

Here are some steps to consider if you expect to transfer from one college to another:

• Investigate the transfer policies at the college where you expect to receive your degree. Policies on transfer credits vary among colleges.
• Involve your college advisor, often a faculty member, in planning your course of study to meet the requirements for the degree you want. Try to select courses that will be accepted at the institution you will transfer to.
• Be aware that changing your major most likely will reduce the number of credits that you can take to the new college. This may increase the time you must spend in college before you receive your degree.
• Remember that remedial courses will generally not be applied to any degree program.
• Be prepared to spend time in the transfer process. Even though you have been enrolled in a college, you will need to go through the transfer process required by the new college.