Transfer Credit Information for Graduate Students

Requesting Transfer Credit 

Academic programs individually decide if they will accept academic work completed at other universities for transfer credit. To request transfer credit, you will need to provide a completed transfer credit form, a copy of the course syllabus, and a copy of an official transcript. The boxes below will describe the criteria the academic work must meet, and the process you will need to go through.

Confirm the Transfer Credit Eligibility Criteria

The previously completed academic work must be:

  • Earned through a regionally-accredited university or the international equivalent.
  • Designated as graduate credit and applicable to a graduate degree at the institution where taken, and taught by members of that institution’s graduate faculty.
  • Letter graded B or better. Ungraded courses or those carrying a credit/no credit or pass/fail grade scale cannot be transferred.
  • Earned within the previous five years.
  • Course(s) were NOT used to satisfy requirements for completion of another degree.
  • Credit is NOT accepted for courses taken by correspondence. 

Limits for Transfer Credit
  • Master’s Degrees: 8 semester credits for programs of 30 hours, and no more than 25% of graded credits for programs longer than 30 hours.
  • Doctoral Degrees: The maximum number of hours eligible for transfer may be no more than one-fourth of the total graded coursework requirements for the degree. Exceptions may be made by the Dean of the Graduate College upon recommendation.
  • Certificates: One class (4 semester credits) for programs of 12 or fewer credit hours, and no more than 25% of the total graded credits for programs longer than 12 credit hours. 

Consult with Your Academic Program
  • Transfer credits must be applicable to the degree program you are pursuing.
  • You cannot transfer courses and then take an equivalent Ohio University course for credit.

Programs reserve the right to deny transfer credit requests or impose stricter credit limits and requirements for accepting transfer credit. 

When to Submit a Request for Transfer Credit
  • Petitions for transfer credit are accepted after the start of the first semester of enrollment. However, students are encouraged to discuss transfer plans with their academic program during the application process.
  • Transfer credit petitions for work completed prior to admission to Ohio University should be submitted within the first year of enrollment, at the earliest possible opportunity. 

Completing the Transfer Credit Form
  • Fill out the top portion of a transfer credit form with your name and PID, the institution where you took the courses requested for transfer
  • Attach a copy of the syllabus and an official transcript showing the grade and term when the class was taken.
  • Submit the form to your Graduate Program Director. Your request is then forwarded to the Associate Dean of your academic college. If they approve, it is forwarded to the Graduate College for processing.

Transfer courses appear on a transcript with credit hours but no grades. 

To view a FAQ regarding transfer credits, please visit this link.