FAQs

Start an exploration using the Map My Journey search tool. Be sure to give your exploration a name so that you can save it and revisit it later.

Step 1: My destination: Select a college or university you would like to explore transferring to.

Step 2 My learning:

• Select any colleges or universities you have attended or are attending now.
• Enter any courses you have taken, or plan to take, from the attended schools you selected.

Step 3 View results: See how the courses you selected are accepted for credit at your destination college or university. You can also select a program of study at this step to see how your courses might apply to program requirements (e.g. Accounting, Biology).

No! This resource is available to everyone without a login. You can save your explorations and come back to them later—Transfer Explorer will remember where you left off. You can also share a copy of your exploration with yourself, a friend, your advisor, or the college or university you are considering attending.

Every college and university has rules for how many classes—and which ones—students need to take to earn a degree. They also have guidelines about how courses and learning experiences taken elsewhere will be counted for credit if a student transfers. But finding this information before transfer can be difficult.

Transfer Explorer can help. We’ve worked with our member schools to load the site with the information you need to understand how courses and learning experiences transfer and apply to degree requirements, so you can plan your journey in advance. This includes:

• Information about the courses and programs each member school offers
• Guidance on how courses and learning from outside the school are accepted for credit
• The requirements necessary to complete a school’s degree or credential

You can view all current participating colleges and universities on our Member Schools Page.

No! Transfer Explorer can show you what credit you will receive for courses or learning experiences at any member college or university whether you have completed the course or learning experience or not.

Information in Transfer Explorer is automatically updated directly from member colleges and universities (schools) to ensure that it is accurate and up-to-date. Your exploration results help you compare how courses may apply to many different degree programs at member schools.

How courses transfer and apply to degree requirements can vary based on a number of factors, including:

• grades received in a course,
• residency requirements at the destination school (the number of credits a school or program requires to be taken at that school in order to receive a degree from that school),
• the year in which a course was taken,
• whether or not a student has completed a previous degree,
• state policies, and more.

IMPORTANT: Transfer Explorer is a tool for exploration, not an official decision by the college or university about your particular situation—it cannot account for all factors and scenarios, and it cannot independently verify the accuracy or completeness of member school information. Official decisions about awarding course credit are always made by your destination college or university.

Most information in Transfer Explorer is updated on a weekly basis, depending on the type of data. Sometimes colleges update or correct information in their own data systems, and those changes are reflected in the regular updates of the Transfer Explorer website.

Transfer credit is college credit from an outside source that a college or university accepts towards a degree program when a student is admitted. If you have taken a college course in high school through dual enrollment, taken an AP or IB exam, participated in military training, or passed a college course in the past, then you have likely earned college transfer credit! When a student applies to a new school, all the credit they have previously completed is reviewed and applied toward a specific course at the school or as elective (general) credit. Schools will need to see transcripts of your past learning to verify the credit you have earned.

When you view your results on Transfer Explorer, you will have the option to select a program of study (also sometimes called a major). This allows Transfer Explorer to display how the learning you have entered in your exploration will meet current major requirements at your selected transfer destination school.

You are encouraged to share your exploration with your destination school and discuss your plans. You can do this by selecting “Share Exploration.” The school you transfer to will make the official decision about how transfer credit is awarded.

Courses typically fit into one of three categories required to earn a degree: general education, major-specific, and electives. A student must complete all the requirements listed in a school’s course catalog for an academic program.

• General education requirements = a broad group of courses, usually taken by all students at a college or university, that typically includes courses in English, science, math, and other liberal arts.
• Major requirements = a group of specific courses required to complete a major at a school. These are usually discipline focused (e.g. engineering, education, etc.).
• Elective requirements = a non-specific set of courses that allow a student to broaden their learning in a major or non-major area. Students have some freedom to choose the courses that meet these requirements.

Colleges and universities evaluate courses, exams, and other learning experiences for credit on an ongoing basis. If a course in your exploration appears in the “Needs further evaluation” section of your results, that does not mean it will not earn you credit! It just means the school has not had a student transfer that course or experience to them yet (or recently), and it needs to be reviewed. Contact your destination school to inquire about the process to evaluate a course or experience for credit.

If you are interested in transferring to the college or university you explored—reach out to them! Connecting with your future school early can help you reach your academic goals. Schools often have programming or advising appointments available for transfer students that can help you learn about the application process, scholarships, timelines, etc. Contact information for all Transfer Explorer member schools is available on the member schools page.

You can also use the Share Exploration form at the bottom of your results screen to email your results directly to the college or university you are exploring. This will allow them to connect with you directly to discuss your education plans.

Not sure you have found the right transfer program for you? Speak to your academic advisor for support on exploring schools and majors that fit your goals.