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If you don't find what you're looking for here, check our general admissions FAQ page or email your question to admissions@uc.edu
What are UC's entrance requirements?
The University of Cincinnati offers more than 300 undergraduate programs, with varying admission requirements, depending on which of UC's colleges offers the program. Your actual transfer requirements may differ based on how much post-high school education you have and on the UC program you wish to enter. In addition to course requirements, transfer students must be in good academic and financial standing at previously attended colleges or universities.
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Will credits I've already earned transfer to UC?
The UC Center for Credit Evaluation evaluates how your credits translate to credit at the University of Cincinnati. They only evaluate your overall transfer credit, not how your credits will be applied to the specific program you are applying to. The UC college which offers the program you wish to enter will determine how accepted transfer credits are applied toward degree requirements. That determination is made after you are admitted to an academic program.
Here are some general points to understand about transfer credit:
- In order for advance standing to be granted, institutions you have attended must be accredited by one of six national accrediting agencies:
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools / Commission on Colleges
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
You can check your school's accreditation online at www.chea.org.
- General education requirements such as math, English, history, and so on will usually transfer to a direct equivalent.
- You must have earned a C-minus or better grade for credits to transfer, unless the course was part of a transfer module or a degree you have completed.
- Your GPA from other institutions does not transfer to UC. Your UC GPA is based only on coursework completed at UC.
- If you have already earned a great many credits at another institution, you still have to meet UC's residency requirements, which usually means at least two years. To receive a bachelor's degree from UC, around 45 credits must be earned here. This means that you cannot come to UC with three years toward a degree program at another school, take a year of classes, and then graduate with a UC degree.
- UC operates on a quarter academic calendar. One semester credit equals 1.5 quarter credits. So if you have 10 semester credits, they will transfer as 15 quarter credits.
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How does my Advanced Placement (AP) credit transfer to UC?
Credit for Advanced Placement examinations (AP) is granted, in most cases, for scores of 3 or higher. To find AP equivalencies, consult the AP Key. Please send your original AP scores to the UC Office of Admissions. AP credit cannot be granted based on other college's transcripts.
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Will my financial aid transfer to UC?
You can "transfer" your aid when you come to UC, but, the nature of your aid may change when you change schools. Here are some factors that affect how your financial aid transfers to UC:
- If you are eligible for aid at one school, your eligibility transfers with you. However, your aid must be re-awarded at the new school. UC will make the award for an incoming transfer student based on the quarters remaining and the amount of federal and state aid that has already been used at the other school.
- UC is on a quarter system. If your current school is a semester school, you will probably have used half of your annual eligibility for the fall semester. Your remaining half of funds will then need to last over two quarters. Also, at UC summer is the end of the year.
- If your current school begins its academic year in the summer, funds already awarded for summer will be counted when reviewing your funding-to-date.
- Federal Stafford Loan annual limits are based on class level. Therefore, some transfer students' loans will show as freshman level loans until our system shows that you have been given advanced standing that puts you at a higher class level. Usually, any increase can be retroactive to the point you started UC.
- Institutional aid does not transfer. So UC will not be able to match or replicate scholarship or grants specific to that school or type of school (private school Ohio Choice Grant). Also, some federal programs are exhaustive and we would not be able to give Federal SEOG or Federal Perkins Loan to a mid-year arrival.
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How do I transfer my financial aid to UC?
To receive aid at UC you will need to add UC to the list of schools for which you are requesting aid. There are several ways to do this, listed below. You will need UC's school code: 003125.
- Online: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
- By phone:1-800-4FED-AID
When you call, have a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR) with you. If you do not have a copy of the form, you will need to request a duplicate by mail. After you receive it, you can call back and add UC to your report.
- In person: Bring your Student Aid Report (SAR) to UC's One Stop Center on the 2nd floor of University Pavilion and we'll be happy to make the change.
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What is a transfer module?
The Ohio Board of Regents has established the Transfer Module, which is a specific set of courses from a college or university's general education requirements. The Transfer Module contains 54-60 quarter hours (or 36-40 semester hours) of course credits in:
- English composition
- mathematics
- fine arts
- humanities
- social science
- behavioral science
- natural science
- physical science
- interdisciplinary courses
A Transfer Module completed at one public college or university will automatically meet the requirements of the Transfer Module at the receiving institution, after the student has been accepted. Students may be required to meet additional general education requirements that are not included in the Transfer Module. Since private colleges and universities in Ohio may or may not be participating in the Transfer Module policy, students are encouraged to check with the college of their choice regarding their transfer agreements.
View UC's Transfer Module (PDF)
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What are a transfer student's responsibilities in the transfer process?
In order to transfer with maximum applicability of transfer credit, prospective transfer students must plan a course of study to meet the requirements (both academic and non-academic) of the institution they wish to transfer into. Planning for transfer should begin as early as possible. Delays in developing and following an appropriate plan or changing one's plan (e.g. changing majors) may reduce the applicability of transfer credit to the degree program ultimately selected.
The prospective transfer student should:
- seek out program/degree and transfer information and an advisor to assist in preparing a course of study to meet the academic requirements for the intended program/degree. When possible, courses should be selected which satisfy requirements at the receiving institution in order to maximize applicability of transfer credit. (Articulation agreements between schools facilitate transferring. Learn more.)
- be aware that remedial and developmental courses generally are not applicable to any degree program;
- be aware that changes in course of study (e.g., change of major) will most likely reduce the number of credits which are applicable to the program ultimately selected at both the sending and receiving institutions;
- understand the policies and procedures of the institutions they are applying to, including application fees, transfer admission, course transfer, financial aid, scholarship, and housing. This includes being aware of deadlines, restrictions, and other criteria such as the policies on deposits required prior to enrollment and the dates when refunds of those deposits are available (if refundable);
- complete all material required for application and submit the application on or before deadlines;
- notify each college or university where they are offered admission whether they are accepting or rejecting the offer as soon as they have heard from all the institutions or by the deadline date set by the respective institution;
- confirm their intention to enroll and submit a deposit to only one college or university by its required notification date.
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Can I appeal a transfer credit decision?
Yes. Please read the University of Cincinnati Policy for Appealing the Application of Transfer Credit. (PDF)
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