Transfer Credit

The Registrar's Office is responsible for USI's transfer credit evaluation service. Official transcripts from other institutions will be reviewed to determine what academic credits will transfer to USI, and their equivalent USI courses. The Registrar's Office is also responsible for awarding credit approved through the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) policy.

Transfer Credit Policy

Course credits earned from regionally accredited colleges and universities* will be accepted as transfer credit subject to the following guidelines:

• Only courses taken while a school is regionally accredited will be accepted.
• Only courses with grades of "C-" or better will transfer. Exception: D grades (D-, D, D+) will transfer when the transcript indicates an associate degree (other than applied degrees) or baccalaureate degree has been awarded, or if the transcript indicates completion of the Indiana Statewide Transfer General Education Core (STGEC) and a course with a D grade was required for STGEC. Some degree programs may require a higher minimum grade in certain courses.
• Grade point averages do not transfer. Transfer courses accepted for credit are included in earned hours but are excluded from GPA hours, Quality Points, and GPA. Therefore, credit from a transfer course will not replace the credit and grade of a USI course. If a student has earned credit in a course both at USI and transfer, the transfer course will be considered a duplicate; the earned hours will remain with the USI course and the grade will be retained in GPA computations.
• Credit from quarter-system schools are equal to two-thirds credit at USI.
• Orientation and remedial courses will not be accepted as transfer credit.
• Competency or proficiency credit earned at another college or university will not be accepted as transfer credit.
• Noncredit courses earned at previous colleges or universities will not transfer.
• Transcripts from international institutions must be an official copy (not a photocopy). If records are in a language other than English, the student may also be required to provide an English translation and course-by-course evaluation report from an acceptable evaluation agency. This report will then be reviewed to determine acceptable transfer credit.
• Even though credit hours are transferable, the transferred hours may not necessarily apply toward a particular degree program. The applicability of credits toward a specific degree, as well as Core 39, can be determined in counsel with the appropriate departmental advisor. The time expired since the completion of the course may also prohibit it from applying to the requirements of a particular degree program and is subject to review by the department chair of the student's major.
• Effective summer 2015, new freshmen, new transfer students, and readmitting students are not limited on the number of credits that can transfer to USI. However, to receive a USI degree, all baccalaureate students must complete at least 30 credit hours at USI, 39 hours of upper-division courses, all Core 39 (general education), and major requirements for their plan of study. Associate degree students must complete at least 18 credit hours at USI, Core 39 (general education) coursework required for the program, and major requirements for their plan of study. (NOTE: Previously, students who matriculated at USI Summer 2013-Spring 2015 were limited to 60 credit hours transferred from all regionally accredited community and/or junior colleges attended. Students who matriculated at USI prior to Summer 2013 were limited to 64 credit hours transferred from all regionally accredited community and/or junior colleges attended.)
• For students with transfer work from Indiana colleges/universities, completion of the 30-hour Statewide Transfer General Education Core (STGEC) will impact the number of hours and classes required to complete USI’s Core39.
• A student's overall transfer grade point average will not be recorded on the student's transcript. Consequently, a transfer student will establish a grade point average from the University of Southern Indiana based only on coursework taken at USI. A transfer student must, however, meet the standards of progress which correspond to the sum of the total transfer hours accepted and total quality hours attempted at this University.

* Acceptable regional accrediting agencies