Transfers and Transfer Credit

You might seek to have courses completed at other schools, colleges or universities count towards your graduate degree at Syracuse University. This section addresses frequently asked questions about transfers and transfer credit.

• What is transfer credit?

  If you have any credit not undertaken as a matriculated graduate student at SU that you would like to have considered towards your SU degree, this must be approved by your program and the Graduate School. This includes the following kinds of credit:

  • Graduate coursework taken as an undergraduate at SU;
  • Coursework taken at SU before you were admitted to your graduate degree program (as a non-matriculated student); and
  • Coursework taken at another institution.
• What are the general rules about transfer credit?

  There are limits to the number of credits you may transfer depending upon your program of study and other factors. A maximum of 30% of credits counted toward a master's degree at SU may be transferred from another institution, provided they form an integral part of the degree program, for details please see Sections 38.2 and 46.3 of SU Academic Rules and Regulations.

  • All coursework considered for transfer must:
  • clearly be graduate level work;
  • grades achieved must be the equivalent of B or better;
  • comply with all time limitations; and
  • a letter grade must have been awarded (No transfer credit will be awarded for coursework taken on a pass/fail basis).

  Sections from SU Academic Rules and Regulations relevant to transfer credit are listed below. You may view this document online. You are advised to consult the Regulations directly and consult your advisor regarding your specific situation.

• How do I file for Transfer Credit?

  If you have post-secondary coursework that you would like to have considered for transfer credit, you¿ll need to provide documentation. Send degree-bearing transcripts directly to the Graduate School. If you completed a degree just prior to admission to SU, please have your former institution send a final transcript to the Graduate School. For degrees obtained outside the U.S., you must provide acceptable documentation of the degree, such as a certificate or diploma. You must formally submit these requests to the Graduate Enrollment Management Center within your first 12 credits of study here.

  To request transfer credit, submit a Petition to the Faculty form to your academic unit and the Graduate Enrollment Management Center. This request must come with a Program of Study, which places this coursework in context, and an official transcript.

  The Graduate Enrollment Management Center will consider your transfer credit only with departmental endorsement and recommendations specifying which courses are to be transferred and the number of credit hours to be granted toward degree requirements.

  What are the main points to keep in mind about transfer credit?

  • Application for transfer credit should be filed within the first twelve credits of graduate study at SU.
  • Transfer credit must be listed on the Program of Study along with SU coursework that will count towards your degree program.
  • Additional documents, such as a Petition to the Faculty, may be required to count transfer credit toward your degree program. Official transcripts and documents must be filed with the Graduate School.
  • Special rules apply to coursework that you would like to count toward more than one graduate degree.
  • If you transfer from one program of study to another at SU, you must file a new Program of Study form, and your transfer credit will be reevaluated for its relevance to your new graduate program.
  • You are encouraged to submit requests for transfer credit as early as possible so that you may plan your studies accordingly.
  • You should consult the SU Academic Rules and Regulations if you have further questions.

Current Students -> Adding or Changing a Program at SU

If you are considering adding or changing a program at SU, you are either considered a potential "internal admit" or a "internal transfer" depending on your circumstances:

You are considered an "internal admit" if you are a current SU student. If you wish to pursue a concurrent degree; are presently completing one degree program and wish to pursue another; or wish to be admitted to the doctoral program in the same program of study in which you are currently pursuing a master's degree you will need to submit a Internal Admit Form.  Please contact your department for further information and to complete the necessary form. 

The Graduate Enrollment Internal Admission Application form requires authorizing signatures from your current department and your new department. When complete, the form should be sent to the Graduate Admissions Processing, 716 E. Washington St, Suite 200.

If you have not completed a graduate program at Syracuse University within the last 12 months, you should submit a new graduate application form by visiting https://apply.embark.com/grad/syracuse/37.

You are considered a "Program Transfer Student" and should use the Graduate Program/Plan Transfer Form if you are seeking to transfer/change from a current graduate degree program to a different graduate degree program. You¿ll need to obtain signatures from both your new and old departments. When complete, the form should be sent to the Student Records Office, located on the First Floor of Steele Hall.