UMBC accepts academic coursework from regionally accredited colleges and universities. All credits transferred into
UMBC are evaluated prior to admittance into the institution. Generally, the evaluation process takes 4-6 weeks after you receive
your acceptance letter and can be viewed through your
transfer credit report which is located within your myUMBC account.
Transfer Credit Criteria
UMBC will accept the maximum of 90 transfer credits from a college or university, as well as, advanced placement, CLEP and IB Programs and a maximum of 60 credits from a community or junior college.
Please be aware that UMBC converts Quarter System transfer credits into semester hours. A semester hour is equivalent to 2/3 of a quarter hour.
International Institutions
UMBC will also accept coursework completed at international colleges or universities for transfer credit. Students who have attended a post-secondary institution, such as a college or university, outside the United States must have a course-by-course credentials evaluation through:
AACRAO Foreign Credentials Evaluation Service One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 520 Washington, D.C. 20036-1135 AACRAO Website
Non-Transferable Classes
UMBC generally does not accept military study, career track, or pre-professional coursework.
Transfer Credit Report
The transfer credit report will provide each student with a comprehensive view of the transfer coursework which has been articulated to the university.
Each student’s report is broken down into three sections:
Course Credits – Normally courses taken from another academic institution
Test Credits – Credit received from AP, IB, or CLEP exams
Other Credits
Report will show how each of your classes transfers into
your program at UMBC, even if you have more than the maximum allowable number of transferable credits
(see Transfer Credit Criteria above).
When appropriate, transfer courses can be applied towards major, minor, GEP and other university requirements.
Status on the Report
Posted – The course has been articulated and applied to your academic record. This will be reflected on your transcript at this time.
Non Transferrable
Info Needed – In order for the course to be properly articulated, more information is needed such as the course syllabus and/or description. These must be submitted with a completed Evaluation of Transfer Credit/Course Description Review form to the Registrar's Office.
Grades
Grades from coursework transferred in will not be included in GPA calculation.
UMBC will accept a “P” in the event that it is the equivalent to a “C” or better. If the “P” is transferred from a Public Maryland Institution, it must be an equivalent to a “D” or better.
UMBC accepts physical education courses to satisfy the physical education requirement; however, the credits will not be calculated into the 120 hours requirement towards graduation.
Taking and Transferring Courses From Another Institution into UMBC
The Final 30 Credits
All students MUST take their Final 30 Credits at UMBC.
However, a student may receive a “residency waiver” for up to eight credits or two courses, on condition that he/she has not previously exceeded transfer credit maximums. To request a “residency waiver,” students must complete a Verification of Transferability form (available in the Registrar's Office
) and obtain their advisor’s approval. Students should allow two weeks from the date of submission for processing of these forms.
Verification of Transferability Form
UMBC students who are considering taking courses elsewhere should complete a Verification of Transferability form with his/her academic advisor and then submit it to the Registrar's Office
. This form will allow a transfer evaluator to review your proposed off-campus course and advise you on how it will apply to your UMBC record. In some cases, it may also be required by the host institution or Financial Aid. Students should allow 2 weeks from date of submission for processing of these forms. Students seeking direct equivalencies for courses other than Maryland community college coursework should submit course descriptions with their form, and allow 4-6 weeks for review.
Maryland Community Colleges and ARTSYS
Students taking coursework at Maryland Community Colleges can do a preliminary review of how courses will transfer as UMBC equivalents using the online Articulation System (ARTSYS). However, the transferability form should still be submitted, as ARTSYS is only a guide. While ARTSYS explains how UMBC treats individual community college courses prior to a student’s enrollment here, it cannot guarantee that you will not have other issues such as residency or exceeding the maximum transfer credit maximum.
Current and re-admitted students will not receive general education credit for community college courses equated to UMBC courses which are not designated as general education courses. Please consult the University catalog for further information.
Study Abroad
Students who are considering studying abroad should not complete the general Verification of Transferability form. Study abroad students are provided with the appropriate transfer review forms when they obtain a pre-departure packet from the Study Abroad Coordinator in the Office of International Education Services.
