College-Level Courses Completed by High School Students 

CSU credit may be allowed for college-level courses completed at a college or university while a student is still in high school if the following conditions are met:

  1. The college or university must be fully accredited by one of the seven regional associations of schools and colleges.
  2. Credit will be granted only for academic courses with grades of C- or better.
  3. An official transcript must be provided by the college or university listing the courses completed.
  4. The course is not remedial or vocational/technical in content.

The College Board Advanced Placement Program (AP) 

The Advanced Placement tests administered by The College Board are used by CSU to award credit and advanced placement in any of several fields in which a student may have participated in high school. Lower division credit (100-200) awarded is treated as transfer credit without a grade but is counted toward graduation and may be used in fulfilling specific lower division curriculum requirements.

The academic department responsible for the course in which test credit is granted will have determined what lower division equivalency will be awarded. Department decisions are considered the final determination of equivalency for the specific examination. Therefore, a request for re-evaluation or an appeal of the decision will not be considered or accepted.

There are two exceptions to the re-evaluation process:

  1. The Capstone Seminar and the Capstone Research components of the Advanced Placement offerings. Generic credit (no discipline identified) will be granted for the AP Capstone Seminar and/or the AP Capstone Research Project when a minimum score of four (4) is earned. The re-evaluation must be approved by the teaching department in which the Capstone most closely aligns for consideration of a direct equivalency of lower division credit within the academic structure at CSU. The department's evaluation will be the final determination.
  2. The History component of the AP African American Studies Exam (scores 4 and 5). The final project will need to be submitted to the CSU History department for review and determination if credit can be provided.

Lower division (100-200) credit may be granted for scores of three (3), four (4) or five (5) on individual Advanced Placement Tests. Scores of one (1) and two (2) are not granted credit. 

Please see the Office of the Registrar and select “Advanced Placement (AP)” for a complete table indicating the courses for which credit is awarded.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) 

The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) was designed by The College Board to enable both traditional and nontraditional students to receive college-level credit by examination. There are two types of examinations offered—the General Examinations and the Subject Examinations.

For general examinations, a minimum of three credits will be awarded for a score of 50 or higher. For subject examinations, credit will be awarded in the amount equivalent to the CSU course(s), for scores of 50 or higher. Go to the Office of the Registrar and select the tab “College-Level Examinations Program (CLEP)” for a complete table indicating those courses for which credit is awarded.

To obtain information or to make arrangements for taking the tests visit the CollegeBoard website. Credit awarded for these examinations cannot be used in meeting the CSU residency requirement for the baccalaureate degree.

The academic department responsible for the course in which test credit is granted determines what equivalency will be awarded. Department decisions are considered the final determination of equivalency for the specific examination. Therefore, a request for re-evaluation or an appeal of the decision will not be considered.

International Baccalaureate (IB) 

Students who graduate from high school with an International Baccalaureate diploma or have completed International Baccalaureate examinations may receive CSU credit for scores of four or higher.

The number of credits awarded for successful completion of an International Baccalaureate diploma program will be a minimum of 24 semester credits. If a score of less than four is received on an exam, the number of credits granted will be reduced accordingly, if the student meets the necessary requirements.

The academic department responsible for the course in which test credit is granted determines what equivalency will be awarded. Department decisions are considered the final determination of equivalency for the specific examination. Therefore, a request for re-evaluation or an appeal of the decision will not be considered or accepted.

See the Office of the Registrar and select the tab “International Baccalaureate” for a list of courses for which credit will be granted.

Cambridge Pre-U Exam 

The Cambridge Pre-U examination is a United Kingdom qualification from the University of Cambridge International Examinations and is an alternative to the current A Level qualification. This exam consists of “Principal Subjects” of which students have a free choice of three of 27 subject options. Additional subjects may be taken and possibly considered for credit but are not incorporated into the Cambridge Pre-U Diploma. Those students who complete an “Independent Research Project” and a “Global Perspectives” portfolio along with the 3 “Principal Subjects” options are eligible for the award of the Cambridge Pre-U Diploma.

There are additional “short course” options consisting of one year’s study, available in Modern Foreign Languages and Mathematics. The ‘Global Perspectives and Research Report’ (GPR) may also be considered for credit on a case by case basis.

Credits may be used toward the 120 credit minimum requirement for graduation and may be used toward general education (All-University Core Curriculum) requirements. Scores of D1-D3, M1-M3 and P1-P3 will be considered for credit as they are equivalent to a “C” or better grade. A maximum of 36.0 semester hours may be awarded for Cambridge Pre-U exams.

The academic department responsible for the course in which test credit is granted will determine what equivalency will be awarded. Department decisions are considered the final determination of equivalency for the specific examination. Therefore, a request for re-evaluation or an appeal of the decision will not be considered or accepted.

Evaluation of Transfer Credit 

The Office of the Registrar, under direction from academic teaching departments, is responsible for determining course equivalencies for all courses that are presented for transfer to CSU. Students should be aware that credits may transfer to CSU, but not count toward department graduation requirements. Evaluation of credits is made only from official transcripts or test scores (AB, IB, CLEP) after a student has been granted admission. All transferrable coursework is posted to the student’s record and, once posted, cannot be removed.

There is no limit for the amount of credit that can be transferred from Regionally Accredited institutions.

Regular academic courses from institutions accredited by one of the seven regional associations of schools and colleges completed with a grade of C- or better are generally accepted in transfer. Course work from institutions that are not regionally accredited will not be transferred. Coursework that is remedial or vocational/technical in nature will not be transferred. Transfer grades and credits are not computed within the cumulative GPA earned at CSU.

If coursework presented for transfer is over 10 years old, the academic department will need to review it for applicability towards degree requirements.

International institutions must be recognized by the country’s governmental agency for possible transfer of credits (i.e., Ministry of Education).

International Credit toward a Baccalaureate Degree

Transfer credit is generally only considered from international tertiary institutions that are recognized by the ministry of education, or a similar accrediting body, in the home country. In order to qualify for transfer credit, courses completed at recognized international tertiary institutions must be applicable to the student's degree and comparable to the nature and quality of CSU courses.

International courses with the same or similar course titles as CSU courses may satisfy course requirements. An official or certified copy of the transcript must be presented to the Office of the Registrar for work to be officially evaluated for transfer credit. A certified translation must accompany transcripts not issued in English. The translation should be literal and not interpretive. If course content is not evident from course titles on the transcript, students should be prepared to provide official catalog course descriptions or syllabi (in English) from their schools or faculties.

Rarely is international secondary level work considered for transfer credit. The completion of rigorous secondary school subjects is expected of all admission candidates-international and domestic alike. Transfer credit is not awarded for secondary school subjects, unless an additional 13th year of secondary school was completed and/or a standardized examination was administered. Examples might include the British Advanced Level (A-Level) examinations, German Abitur examinations, or Italian Maturita examinations.

In many cases, international credits will have to be converted into the U.S. semester system unless there is an official CSU Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that allows for an alternate credit evaluation option. In those cases where there is not an official MOU indicating an alternate, a conversion factor will be used to determine the U.S. Credit equivalency for each course. No more than 15-18 semester hours per term or 30-36 semester hours may transfer in any academic year. All courses considered for transfer must be completed with the equivalent of a "C-" or better grade. The Office of the Registrar will determine the international grade equivalencies.

Transferology™

Transferology™ enables students, advisors, faculty, and administrators from colleges and universities to obtain consistent and accurate information about how courses will transfer from one institution to another, and how courses will apply to meet academic program requirements at the other institutions. A prospective student can have direct access to course acceptability, equivalency, and applicability among all participating institutions by using each institution's existing course equivalency tables. Course descriptions, details about academic programs, and course equivalencies can all be obtained from this one website.

For CSU, Transferology™ is a database of selected accredited institutions in the U.S. and some recognized international institutions, their courses, and how those courses will transfer to CSU. All public institutions in Colorado and Wyoming are part of this database and, in addition, many frequently transferred courses from selected institutions in other states are also listed. Access this database by going to the Transferology™ website. If a particular institution is not listed, contact the Degree and Transfer Evaluation unit of the Office of the Registrar for evaluation of specific courses. 

Statewide Guaranteed Transfer Program (gtPathways)

The state of Colorado has developed a statewide guaranteed transfer program, which applies to all Colorado public institutions of higher education, including CSU.  

After starting on a higher education pathway at any public college or university in Colorado, and upon acceptance to another, a student may transfer up to 31 credits of successfully (C- or better) completed guaranteed transfer general education coursework in a set of defined categories. These courses will apply toward the general education (All-University Core Curriculum) graduation requirements at CSU. Extended detail may be found on the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) website. The Office of the Registrar may also be referenced using the "GTPathways" tab.

Transfer Appeals Process

Students may appeal a decision regarding the transferability of a specific course and/or the decision regarding how it is used to fulfill degree requirements. Any request for re-evaluation of credit should first be directed to the Degree and Transfer Evaluation unit of the Office of the Registrar.

The student is responsible for supplying supporting documentation from the student’s transferring college, such as a syllabus or more detailed course description. The Degree and Transfer Evaluation unit will either satisfy the student’s request or refer the student to an academic department for additional consideration. If the academic department cannot fulfill the request for any item related to an AUCC requirement or an overall university graduation requirement, a formal written appeal may be presented to the Degree and Transfer Evaluation unit for presentation to the Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Affairs for a final decision. For information on the appeal process, please refer to the Office of the Registrar. Select "Appeal Forms" and then "Appeal of University Graduation Requirements & AUCC Core Course Substitutions".

Credit from Two-Year Colleges

Credit earned at a two-year college may not be used to meet the upper-division (300-400 level) graduation requirement. Academic departments may allow substitution of course work from two-year colleges towards specific major upper-division requirements.

Transfer guides for specific majors are available for students who want to complete a four-year degree at CSU by first completing an AA or AS degree at a Colorado community college, and then completing the 60 designated CSU credits listed on the guide. Students in programs requiring more than 120 credits should expect to take more than 60 additional credits at CSU to meet degree requirements. Refer to the Office of the Registrar's website for more information.

Service Schools and Courses of the Armed Services

Credit may be allowed for transfer from service schools carrying a baccalaureate credit recommendation in the latest Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services prepared by the American Council on Education (ACE). Students must submit SMARTS (Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript), AARTS (Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript), JST—Joint Service Transcript, or Coast Guard Institute Registered Transcript to the Office of the Registrar to have the information evaluated for eligibility and to receive credit. Individual academic departments determine whether those courses clear specific major curriculum requirements or may be used as elective credit within the program of study. Visit the Office of the Registrar for further information.

Transfer Credit from Non-Collegiate Institutions

CSU will award transfer credit for academic work done under the sponsorship of non-collegiate institutions, if the courses proposed for transfer:

  1. Have been approved by the American Council on Education,
  2. Are listed in The National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs, and
  3. Are approved by the academic department and college in which the subject matter is taught at CSU.

Please visit the Office of the Registrar and select "Non-Collegiate Institution Transfer Credit" under the Transfer Credit tab for more information.