Who is a Transfer Applicant?
If you completed college courses as part of a high school diploma, you may earn college credit, but you are considered a freshman, or first-time applicant, rather than a transfer applicant.
You are a transfer applicant if
- You’ve attempted 12 or more college-level credits, and
- they were non-developmental, non-technical academic credits, and
- they were at a post-secondary institution accredited by the US Department of Education.
If you have attempted fewer than 12 post-secondary college credits at the time of application, you’ll apply as a transfer, but your high school information, grades, and test scores will be factored into the admission decision. You cannot be considered a first-time student if coursework has been attempted the fall semester after high school graduation or later.
General Admission Requirements
A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale from all post-secondary institutions attended is required. If you’ve attended more than one school, we’ll calculate a combined cumulative GPA.
If you apply to IUP before completing your first semester at another institution, a provisional admission decision may be based on high school information.
Remember, your final cumulative GPA in all college courses must be no less than a 2.0 for general university admission. Some majors require a higher minimum GPA for program admission. Your admission may be rescinded or your major changed if your GPA falls below any required minimum.
Language
There is no language requirement for admission. However, some departments have a language requirement for graduating from the university.
Apply to Transfer to IUP
When to Apply
You should apply at least one semester before you plan to enroll at IUP. It is always best to apply early to ensure admission, especially to those programs limited in size. Applying early provides more time for reviewing your credits and for understanding how they fit into your intended major.
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Required items for transfer applicants to receive a decision:
- College transcript from all colleges attended (if more than one)
- Decisions may be made using unofficial transcripts. However, final transcripts are required prior to enrolling.
- If you are in your first semester in college, please send us your current schedule. Transcripts should be be sent by your school after the semester has ended.
- Final high school transcript or GED
- Required from all students to show proof of high school graduation or equivalent.
- High school grades are only used for transfer admission if the student has earned less than 12 college credits at the time of application.
Some departments require transfer students to meet major-specific admission requirements in addition to university admission requirements. Please contact Admissions with questions.
Transfer of Credits
Credit Evaluation
Once you have been admitted, an official credit evaluation will be performed and instructions on how to access the evaluation will be emailed to you. The evaluation will list courses you have taken and any IUP equivalents. This first phase of the credit transfer process shows you how many of your credits will appear on your IUP transcript. Please remember that this is unofficial until we receive your final official transcript(s).
The second phase of understanding your credit transfer relates specifically to your chosen major. You must use the IUP catalog to determine which courses fulfill the specific requirements within your major. Your department has authority over the application of credits toward your degree and can help to clarify those courses that do not fit clearly within the constraints of the major once you enroll.
You are able to work with the Online Credit Evaluation System at any time to determine, unofficially, how your courses will transfer. This system shows all courses that have been evaluated previously and their IUP equivalents. Courses that are not in this system have not been evaluated but may still be transferable. Your official evaluation will include all classes on your transcript.
Important Update
The Pennsylvania State System Student Transfer Policy has been updated to further benefit students who complete an Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree from their previous institution.
Beginning with the fall 2022 semester, all incoming AA and AS degree earners whose school’s accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation will have their general education requirements met. General education courses at IUP are referred to as the Crimson Core. Exceptions to this policy are any general education courses specifically required by their IUP degree program. All other graduation requirements will need to be met as outlined in the IUP Undergraduate Catalog. Please contact your transfer counselor with any questions.
Reevaluation Request
If you believe a course was evaluated incorrectly, you can email your transfer counselor regarding the course in question.
Registration
Once you are admitted, you are asked to make a $150 tuition deposit to hold your place in the class. You will sign up for a New Student Orientation program. This one-day program will introduce you to the registration process and provide an informal advisement session with college faculty and representatives. A class schedule will be built for you and you will be notified by email that your schedule can be viewed on your student portal.
Planning
If you are considering transferring to IUP, but will attend your current institution for a semester or more before making the transition, you should plan your schedule so that the courses will transfer and satisfy your graduation requirements at IUP. Again, using the Online Credit Evaluation System and the IUP catalog will help you select the best courses.
For students attending community colleges, we have listed courses that fulfill many of IUP's requirements for graduation to aid in your scheduling. View our community college guides.
Planning will help you earn your degree in a timely manner.
Help
If you need assistance during the transfer process, please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions, home of Transfer Services. We can assist you through email or phone, so do not hesitate to contact us at admissions-inquiry@iup.edu or 724-357-2230.
