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University Registrar

University Registrar
  2. transfer-credit
  3. Transfer Students

Transfer Students

The transfer credit evaluation process for incoming transfer students is facilitated entirely by the External Education Team in the Office of the University Registrar.

Prospective and admitted students can view previously evaluated courses in the Transfer Credit Search Tool in YES. 

Evaluation Timeline

  1. The day after you are admitted, the External Education Team will send an estimate of the number of transfer credits we expect you will earn at Vanderbilt.
  2. After you pay your matriculation deposit, the External Education Team will begin the process of evaluating your credits.
  3. Credits are evaluated as quickly as possible. Please allow 35 days for the evaluation process.
  4. The evaluation process will continue until all eligible coursework is posted to your Vanderbilt record.
  5. You can monitor the status of your credit evaluations via the Transfer Credit application in YES. Courses are added to the Transfer Credit Search Tool as they are evaluated.
  6. Records are reviewed on a regular basis as credits are posted to determine class standing and expected graduation term. Please note that changes can be made throughout the transfer credit review period; class standing and expected graduation term are only finalized when all transfer credits have been posted to the student record.

Requirements

  • In order for a course to be evaluated, it must be listed with a qualifying grade (C- or above) on an official transcript from your previous institution.
  • For certain upper-level courses, the evaluating department at Vanderbilt may require a syllabus. We recommend that prospective transfer students try to gather syllabi during their final semester at the institution from which they are transferring. 

Evaluation Process

  • The External Education Team reviews official transcript(s) and adds courses eligible for transfer to the Transfer Credit application in YES. 
  • The External Education Team utilizes industry standards and best practices to provide suggested credit hours for all courses (e.g., conversion from quarter hours to semester hours).
  • The External Education Team evaluates lower-level/general education courses (1000- and 2000-level courses offered by the College of Arts and Science; many 1000-level courses offered by the other undergraduate schools). Evaluations are generally based on course descriptions available from the external institution. 
  • The External Education Team sends upper-level/more discipline-specific courses to the relevant department at Vanderbilt for review. Departments may require a detailed syllabus. If the External Education Team is not able to obtain a syllabus, they will contact you for additional information.

How Transfer Credit Is Applied to the Vanderbilt Record

  • All courses listed on the external transcript for entering transfer students will be reviewed for credit at Vanderbilt. All courses with a qualifying grade will be posted to the Vanderbilt record.
  • Transfer credits are posted with a mark of T. Grades earned at external institutions are not posted to the Vanderbilt record, nor do those grades count toward the Vanderbilt grade point average. 

How Transfer Credit Works during Registration

  • Transfer credit must be posted to your Vanderbilt record in order to satisfy pre- and co-requisites during registration.
  • If you believe you have completed coursework at your previous institution that should satisfy a pre- or co-requisite, and that course is still in the evaluation process, please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the department that offers the class. DUSes are usually listed on the department website or in the undergraduate catalog.