Instructions to Receive an Evaluation of Transfer Credit

Transfer Central is a comprehensive academic planning resource tool designed for students who may be considering transferring to UMBC.  Among other benefits, Transfer Central can be used to determine course transferability and applicability – that is, how courses and competency-based exams may be applied to your degree at UMBC. Transfer Central provides helpful insight to how your previous coursework applies to elective, general education, and major requirements. Students who attend(ed) a Maryland Community College may also use ARTSYS to determine course transferability and equivalencies (if applicable), while those who attend(ed) an out-of-state or a Maryland four-year college or university may use the Transfer Evaluation System.

Ready to transfer? 

Students ready to transfer should submit an Application for Transfer Admission. Upon submission of a completed application, students will receive, within 20 business days, a course-by-course evaluation of previous coursework via a Transfer Credit Report (TCR). Students can monitor their application status on myUMBC. In addition, if the coursework was completed at a Maryland public institution, a copy of the TCR will be provided to that institution.

If you have questions about the TCR, additional information can be found through the Registrar’s Office at https://registrar.umbc.edu/services/transfer-credits/transfer-credit-report/

UMBC will accept a maximum of 70 credits from two-year colleges and military courses, and a maximum of 90 total transfer credits, which includes AP, IB, CLEP, DANTES, and A-Levels credit.

In order for coursework to be applied to UMBC degree requirements, students must be admitted to UMBC as a degree-seeking student. As part of the application process, prospective students must submit official transcripts from each college or university attended, which is what will be used to evaluate and award transfer credit. UMBC will not award credit from a transcript that is not official.

Transfer courses are applied as academic credit, but the grade is not included in your UMBC grade point average (GPA). Remember, credits transfer–not grades. When appropriate, courses are applied to your general education and university requirements. Some courses may also be applied toward major or minor requirements. Applicable courses can satisfy both general and major/minor requirements simultaneously. The degree audit and myUMBC profile will display coursework and how it is used toward your degree progress.

UMBC awards credit for certain AP, IB, CLEP and DANTES examinations. A list of examinations and necessary scores for which you may earn credit is available in the UMBC Undergraduate Catalog. In order to award credit, UMBC must receive official copies of your scores directly from the testing authority. Scores recorded on transcripts from prior colleges are not accepted. Official scores can be sent to the UMBC Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation.

High school articulation refers to college credits awarded for high school course work. To be evaluated for transfer, courses must be posted on a college transcript as credit earned toward a degree program. Please review UMBC’s transfer credit policy for colleges and universities for more guidance.

UMBC’s Policy on the Awarding of Undergraduate Transfer Credit provides details on the process and policy by which UMBC reviews and awards credit from outside of UMBC.

Students who wish to provide additional information for further review and consideration of courses noted on the Transfer Credit Report (TCR) as non-transferrable or to dispute a course equivalency, must submit a Course Review Form to the Registrar’s Office. Upon receiving the Course Review Form, the Registrar’s Office will confer with the appropriate academic department, which will make the determination of transferability and/or equivalency.

The Registrar’s Office will notify the student in writing of the outcome of the appropriate academic department’s review. If further appeal is desired, students should initiate an Institutional Appeal of Transfer Credit Evaluation.

Maryland public institutions on behalf of a student may appeal the evaluation of transfer credit. To start the appeal process, an institutional representative from a Maryland public institution can contact the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, Peggy Re, via email at academicaffairs@umbc.edu.

Appeals should include the following: 

  • Name(s) of student(s) whose transfer credit evaluation is impacted
  • Institutional rationale for the appeal
  • Supporting documentation (Ex. syllabi, course outline, outcomes)