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Preparing to Transfer​

Transfer Credit Evaluation: When students transfer to The Ohio State University, oftentimes one of the most important questions is how credit from a prior institution will count toward a degree. We recognize that the outcome of this transfer credit evaluation can, in some cases, impact your decision to transfer. Below we have outlined the various parts of the process and what exactly you need to know to be a well informed student.

Initial Transfer Credit Evaluation by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions

    • When a student applies to transfer to Ohio State, his or her transcript from any previous institution attended is evaluated by the admissions office. Upon completion of the evaluation, the admissions office will produce your transfer credit report and notify you that the report has been created via e-mail. You can access this report at Buckeyelink: http://buckeyelink.osu.edu/. It is listed under the "Enrollment and Academic History" section. Each course is evaluated independently and is assigned to a specific category. There are a total of four different categories: direct equivalency, general, special and technical.

Examples of Transfer Credit Categories

Direct Equivalency: This is awarded when you take a specific course at another institution and upon evaluation, it is determined to be the same as or very similar to a course offered here. For example, if a student takes Psychology 1100 at Columbus State Community College, that will transfer to OSU as Psychology 1100 because we offer the same type of Intro to Psychology course. No additional evaluation is required.

General:  This is awarded when a student takes a course at another institution and our admissions office could not determine if there is an equivalent course at Ohio State or they could not determine if the course content is similar enough to award direct equivalency. For example, a student may take a course called Calculus I at another institution and when it is evaluated, the student is awarded general credit for this course. In this instance, the student is awarded credit for the time spent taking the course but not the specific content. It is possible to have general credit evaluated even further to specifically determine if the content of this course matches the content of a course offered at Ohio State.

Special: This is typically awarded when there is no specific equivalent course here. For example, a student may take the History of Massachusetts at an institution in Massachusetts, and special credit is awarded for this course because Ohio State does not offer this course. However, similar to general credit, it may be possible to have this type of credit evaluated even further.

Technical: This is awarded for very specific courses, traditionally completed through a degree program from a previous institution. For example, a student may have completed a Registered Nurse program/Associate level degree at his or her previous institution and technical credit is awarded for some of the nursing courses. If a student decides to pursue a related or similar degree program at Ohio State, he or she can speak with an advisor in that program about how this technical credit might be used, if at all.

      • If you have received general, special or technical credit and would like to seek additional evaluation to determine if there is an equivalent course offered here, you may do so by contacting the transfer credit coordinator in the appropriate academic department. Each academic department has at least one staff or faculty member responsible for completing these evaluations. You may find their contact information plus additional instructions at this website: http://registrar.osu.edu/transfer_credit/tcc_list.asp. For most evaluations, you will be expected to provide a course syllabus and a copy of your transfer credit report.
      • We generally recommend that you seek additional evaluation if the course is related to one of the following categories:
            • Mathematics **May serve as a prerequisite to other courses, strongly recommend evaluation**
            • Writing **May serve as a prerequisite to other courses, strongly recommend evaluation**
            • Natural Science (Biological or Physical) **May serve as a prerequisite to other courses**
            • Foreign Language **May serve as a prerequisite to other foreign language courses**
            • Social Science
            • Visual & Performing Art
            • Literature
            • Historical Study
            • Cultural/Diversity
            • Related to your intended major

Competitive Majors

      • Majors which are considered competitive have an extra step or process for admission in addition to the university admissions process. These extra steps may include but are not limited to: prerequisite courses, GPA requirement, application, personal statement, audition, portfolio and/or an interview. The process for admission depends upon the specific major. Below is a list of all of the majors which are considered competitive at Ohio State.
            • Knowlton School of Architecture
            • Fisher College of Business
            • Communication, Actuarial Science and Bachelor of Fine Arts programs (College of Arts and Sciences)
            • College of Dentistry/Dental Hygiene
            • College of Education and Human Ecology (SOME but not all majors)
            • College of Engineering
            • School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
            • College of Nursing
            • College of Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences
            • College of Public Health
      • We encourage you to consult with a University Exploration advisor or an advisor in one of these programs to learn more about the specific admission criteria for your desired major.
      • Majors which are considered non-competitive may be declared at any time, provided that a student is in good academic standing at the university with a GPA of at least 2.0. Below is a list of all the majors which are considered non-competitive at Ohio State.
            • College of Arts and Sciences (All majors with the exception of Communication, Actuarial Science and Bachelor of Fine Arts programs)
            • College of Education and Human Ecology (SOME but not all majors)
            • College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Science
            • John Glenn School of Public Affairs
            • College of Social Work