Credit Transfer


Students in Marvin Forum in School of Architecture building

Transferring Credits to KU

You might be able to earn college credits, exempt yourself from KU Core goals, or take higher-level KU courses based on classes and exams you've already taken. We can transfer credit only from institutions accredited by a U.S. regional accrediting agency at the time of completion.

We transfer as many courses as possible as a direct match to KU courses. When no course corresponds, we use a code system to indicate how the course may fulfill KU Core, degree requirements, or count toward electives.  Continuing education courses, graduate-level courses, and courses that are remedial, technical, vocational, medical or doctrinal in nature are not transferable.

Sending Transcripts to KU

Electronic Transcripts - Request an official electronic transcript from the relevant institution to be sent to KU Undergraduate Admissions at emprocessing@ku.edu. 

Mailed Transcripts - If an institution needs to mail a physical transcript, it can be sent to:

University of Kansas
1502 Building
1502 Iowa St.
Lawrence, KS 66045

What credits might transfer?

Our CredTran tool can show you how college courses completed at another institution have previously been evaluated and transferred to KU.

Types of transferable credit

You might be able to earn college credits or start taking KU courses at a higher level based on retroactive credit from classes taken in high school, or from scores earned in the following tests:

  • Advanced Placement
  • College Level Examination Program 
  • International Baccalaureate
  • Foreign language placement and proficiency exams

A maximum of 64 hours of community college coursework can be applied toward a KU degree. All community college courses transfer as lower-level credit. A bachelor's degree from KU requires 45 upper-level hours. All transfer hours are converted to semester hours if necessary. You can see how courses from area community colleges transfer to KU with our community college transfer guides.

Courses are matched as closely as possible by topic, but different schools may designate different levels of credit for the same course. KU grants the level of credit defined by the originating institution. A lower-level course completed at your original institution may match an upper-level course at KU, but it would still retain lower-level credit on your transcript, and vice versa.

If you completed an associate's or bachelor's degree at another institution, your courses will be evaluated individually to see whether they are eligible for KU credit and whether they satisfy KU Core Goals. Once you've been admitted, you can review your Degree Progress Report online and meet with an academic advisor during Orientation to discuss any remaining course requirements before you enroll.

If you enroll in a KU math course for the fall term and are taking a required prerequisite course over the summer at another institution, it is your responsibility to make sure the transferring institution can generate an official copy of your transcript, including a grade for the transfer math course, and mail it in time to arrive at the KU Office of Admissions by Aug. 13. Otherwise, you may be dropped from your fall math course at KU.

The University of Kansas thanks you for your service and in many cases can award transfer credit for education you received while in the military.  Evaluation of transfer credit adheres to the guidelines in the Joint Statement on the Transfer and Award of Credit developed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and the American Council on Education (ACE).  Transfer credit may include direct course equivalencies and/or departmental electives for work that is similar in nature, level, and content to a course in our undergraduate curriculum. 

Joint Service Transcript - Academic credit from the JST will be awarded based on the nature, level, and content as compared to a course in KU's undergraduate curriculum.  KU will request an official copy of your Joint Services Transcript on your behalf at the time of application submission.  A minimum of four hours of credit in Health, Sport & Exercise Sciences are awarded for basic training. 

Community College of the Airforce (CCAF) and Defense Language Institute's Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) - Academic credit from CCAF and DLIFLC transcripts will be awarded based on the nature, level, and content as compared to a course in KU's undergraduate curriculum.

Based on an individual's experience (service abroad), KU Core Goals may be met using military credit and/or experiences.  See KU Core Petitions for more information on petitions based on experiences. 

Credit is generally awarded for college-level coursework completed at institutions accredited by a regional accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Courses must be similar in nature, level, and content to a course in our undergraduate curriculum and applicable to one of our academic programs.  Continuing education courses, graduate-level courses, and courses that are internships, remedial, technical, vocational, medical or doctrinal in nature are not transferable.  (Contact your individual school about transfer credit if you plan to attend a program at the KU Medical Center campus).

Remedial Courses - Courses considered to be below the level of collegiate study (e.g. basic algebra, reading skills)

Vocational or Technical Courses - Courses at a two-year institution that are part of an applied associates degree or not designed as prerequisites for further collegiate study (e.g. office management, welding, automotive technology). 

Doctrinal Courses - Courses at any institution that advance a particular political or religious doctrine. 

Transfer credit from international institutions that are not accredited by a U.S. regional accrediting association are evaluated under different standards and may not transfer. 

If you earned a grade of D+ or below (or equivalent at your institution), your transfer credit may not be applied toward a degree.  If the course is otherwise transferable, grades of D+, D, D- and F (or their equivalents) are used to calculate your cumulative transfer GPA. 

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