Online Colleges That Accept Transfer Credits

If you’re thinking about switching to another university, you are not alone. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 13.2% of students transferred colleges in 2023, up from 12.5% in 2022 — a growth of 5.3%.

Transferring from one college to another isn’t always easy. Every school sets its own policies regarding prerequisites, credit acceptance, and degree recognition.

The good news is that transferring between colleges has become increasingly commonplace, especially for students transitioning from a traditional campus to an online college. Most online colleges have simplified the transfer process to accommodate the growing number of aspiring transfer students.

Use our guide below to learn more about whether you should switch colleges and how to transfer to an online school.

Transferring college credits is a common practice. However, not all credits are created equal. While many online colleges accept transfer credits, they have standards for which credits they can accept.

Accredited online colleges typically only transfer credits from other regionally accredited institutions. Regional accrediting agencies, such as the Higher Learning Commission and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, provide accreditation to schools within their geographic region.

National accrediting agencies, such as the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, offer accreditation to specific kinds of schools. While some nationally accredited schools provide quality educational programs, most credits from nationally accredited schools won’t transfer to another institution.

Your GPA also plays into whether your new school will accept your credits. Generally speaking, you need at least a 2.0 (C average) for your credits to count. Although some schools will evaluate a D on a case-by-case basis, you typically need a C or higher in each course you want to transfer.

Pass-fail courses may also require additional steps for approval to transfer. If you have questions about how your academic record could affect your transfer options, check with your registrar’s office.

It’s also important to remember that transferring an entire two-year degree is generally easier than a basketful of loose credits. However, the credits from your associate degree may need to be relevant to your online bachelor’s degree program.

Some community colleges and universities have articulation agreements that allow you to complete your first two years of study at a community college before seamlessly transferring your credits to a four-year university, where you can complete your bachelor’s degree program.

Most schools will accept up to 90 transfer credits. However, you may find that all your credits do not count toward your graduation requirements. For example, your new school may require upper-level courses that your previous school did not offer.

There is also a minimum number of credits you must earn to be considered a transfer student. This number varies by school. A college could require a minimum of 12-30 transfer credits. If you have less than the minimum, you will likely be treated as a new student rather than a transfer student.

Typically, degree completion programs provide the most flexible transfer options. Often, these programs accept 90 credits, letting you complete your bachelor’s degree program in one year or less. However, most schools only let you transfer credits from accredited institutions where you earned a 2.0 GPA or higher.

Check transfer policies at the schools you are considering before you make a final decision. Getting a firm answer from your admissions counselor about which courses will transfer and how they will count toward your graduation requirements is best.

Transferring schools can affect your financial aid package. Scholarships, grants, and loans don’t always transfer with you. If you qualified for federal aid at your old school, chances are you will still qualify at your new school, but that’s not automatic. You need to follow a specific process.

If you transfer at the school year’s end, you must complete exit counseling at your old school and entrance counseling at your new school. You also have to add your new college to your FAFSA. Transferring midyear means adding the new school to your FAFSA when you transfer.

You must also contact your donor agency about private aid, such as scholarships. Whatever scholarships your old school awarded will not transfer, but your new college may offer scholarships that could help replace that funding.

Other private funds may or may not follow you to your new school. Talk to your financial aid specialist at both schools to ensure you aren’t missing critical steps.

A perk of transferring colleges is that while you will transfer college credits, you won’t transfer your GPA. Yes, your GPA is used to help determine your admission eligibility, but after being accepted to the new school, your GPA becomes a blank slate. What ultimately counts is your GPA at the institution from which you graduate.

This factor makes community college programs particularly attractive to many students. It’s no secret that community college programs allow you to complete general education courses at a reduced cost, but they also allow you to get a few difficult but required courses out of the way.

For example, if you want to enter a sociology program but dread college algebra, earn your math credits at an accredited community college. As long as you get a C or better, your credits should transfer, and your GPA won’t take a hit in the end.

Transferring credits from community college to university programs can be a great way to ensure your final GPA reflects your knowledge and skills in your area of study, not your struggles in outside fields or unrelated prerequisites.