Academic Requirements
Transfer students must attend the University of Chicago for at least two academic years (six quarters) and complete the Core curriculum, along with more than half of their major requirements bearing UChicago course numbers. Certain College-sponsored study abroad programs (chiefly the Civilizations study abroad programs) may be used to meet these requirements.
Starting the summer before matriculation in the College, transfer students may not earn additional credits from schools other than the University of Chicago, except through direct-enrollment study abroad programs sponsored by UChicago. However, these courses will not count toward the residency or course requirements. Most transfer students can complete their studies with no more than one extra quarter beyond the usual four college years, although this may depend on how coursework completed elsewhere fits into the structure of a UChicago degree program.
Transfer Credit
Generally, the College grants transfer credit for liberal arts courses that carry at least three semester hours or four quarter hours of credit and were passed with a grade of C or better (in some cases, a grade of B or better is required) from an accredited institution, subject to review by the Dean of Students office. The College does not grant transfer credit for courses in pre-calculus or calculus (credit for calculus will be granted only by College accreditation or AP exam, or based on completion of a higher-level math course at UChicago). Depending on the student’s major and on the level of work to be evaluated, credit for some courses in chemistry, physics, and biology may also be subject to examination. Undergraduate business courses will be reviewed for transfer credit by the faculty of the Booth School of Business. Professional or technical courses (e.g., law, nursing, civil/mechanical engineering, speech, education, leadership, first-year writing) and any kind of tutorial or independent study coursework, including internship credit or prior learning experiences (work experience, trainings, certifications, etc.), will not transfer; only courses similar to those taught in the College may transfer.
Reviewing the College Catalog will allow you to familiarize yourself with the requirements of the Core and your intended major(s) and to see how your previous courses match those on our campus. This should provide a good understanding of which of your courses may be eligible for transfer credit.
Have additional questions about transfer credit? Check out answers to frequently asked questions here.
Initial and Final Credit Evaluations
Initial evaluations are conducted only for admitted students and focus solely on general eligibility for transfer credit. The Dean of Students office makes every effort to complete this initial evaluation before a student’s reply deadline.
Final evaluations of transfer credit are conducted only for enrolling students and depend upon the receipt of an official final college transcript. In early August, before the main pre-registration period, students receive finalized information on specific approvals for major or Core credit. Then, typically in September, students receive an expected timeline for graduation along with any remaining course approvals.
Admitted Transfer Students
Upon admission, students are prompted to submit courses and supporting documents for credit evaluation through the Transfer of Credit form in their UChicago Account. The Transfer of Credit form and upload of supporting documents must be completed within eight days of receiving an admission offer.
Required supporting documents include course descriptions and syllabi for every submitted course on the Transfer of Credit form. If not specified in the syllabi, students should include other information about the content and structure of the course (e.g., a list of required readings and assignments, lectures, exams, papers, etc.) Once available, initial evaluations are posted in a student’s UChicago Account.
Incoming Transfer Students
In early June, incoming transfer students are paired with a transfer credit advisor. The final credit evaluation process involves consulting multiple departments and faculty and takes multiple weeks, so a prompt submission of your course information and materials is essential. To ensure incoming transfer students receive information about their transfer credits before starting at UChicago, any missing/additional courses or supplemental documents must be submitted by July 1.
Upon graduation from the University of Chicago, transfer credits are listed on the student’s University of Chicago transcript only as the number of credits approved for transfer. Courses and grades are not listed, nor do transferred courses contribute to the student’s University of Chicago grade point average for the purpose of computing an overall GPA, Dean’s List, departmental honors, or general honors. Learn more about transfer credit.
Examination Credit
The College grants credit for some Advanced Placement examinations with scores of 4 or 5 and International Baccalaureate Higher Level examinations with scores of 6 or 7, but not for CLEP, USAFI, or correspondence course work. Entering students also take placement tests in a variety of subjects. Learn more about credit gained by examination.