Navigating Transfer Credits at Michigan Universities

Transferring to a new university is a significant step, and understanding how your previously earned credits will be evaluated is crucial. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the transfer credit policies and processes at various Michigan universities, including Western Michigan University (WMU), the University of Michigan (U-M), the University of Michigan-Flint (UM-Flint), and Central Michigan University (CMU).

Understanding Credit Transfer: General Principles

Several fundamental principles govern how universities assess transfer credits. Generally, institutions consider the following:

Accreditation: Most universities, including WMU, typically accept credit only from institutions accredited by a regional accrediting agency like the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Minimum Grade: A minimum grade, usually a "C" (2.00), is required for a course to be considered for transfer credit. Courses with lower grades are typically not accepted.
Course Equivalency: The content and rigor of the course must be similar to courses offered at the receiving university.
Articulation Agreements: Many universities have partnerships with community colleges, formalized through articulation agreements, to streamline the transfer process for specific programs.

Western Michigan University (WMU) Transfer Credit Policies

WMU offers several resources and pathways for transfer students:

How Credits Transfer to WMU

Academic work from other institutions can transfer to WMU in several ways:

Direct Equivalent: The transfer credit will be awarded direct department credit at WMU. For example, a writing course can be granted ENGL 1050 at WMU. The evaluation will appear on the transcript as ENGL 1050 along with the number of credit hours for the course.
Departmental Credit: The transfer credit will be awarded departmental credit at WMU. For example, a writing course can be granted ENGL credit at WMU. The evaluation will appear on the transcript as ENGL along with the number of credit hours for the course.
No Credit: Transfer credit will be awarded as no credit either because the course itself was not transferable (nothing similar at WMU, accreditation issue, duplicate course) or because the grade earned was lower than a C. The evaluation will appear on the transcript as TUN NOCR.
Credit by Department Recommendation Only: Transfer credit will be awarded for department recommendation when a course must be reviewed by a specific WMU academic department prior to determining if and how the course might transfer. The evaluation will appear on the transcript as CBDRO.

Resources for Transfer Students

Transferology: Prospective students can use Transferology to view how their college courses will transfer to WMU before applying.
Official Evaluation: Admitted transfer students receive an official course-by-course evaluation from the Admissions Office approximately two to four weeks after admission.
Transfer Guides and Articulation Agreements: WMU has partnered with many institutions to facilitate a smooth transfer process for students who begin their academic career at a community college. Transfer guides suggest specific course selections for students planning to pursue certain majors. They explain individual program requirements and pre-requisites. Articulation agreements are formal documents signed by WMU and a partnering institution for specific pathways designed by major.

Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA)

Students who have fulfilled the requirements of the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) will have satisfied WMU's Essential Studies (WES) Levels 1 and 2. Such students need only satisfy Western's 6-hour requirement of WES level 3 course work. Students should consult their community college advisors to determine which courses meet these requirements at their respective colleges. Admitted students currently enrolled in course work that will apply to the MTA should send a final, updated transcript which denotes the completion of the MTA prior to enrollment.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

MiTransfer Pathways

The MiTransfer Pathways is a statewide multi-institutional degree pathway agreement that identifies courses that a student should take as a part of an associate degree that will transfer to the university of their choice toward a bachelor's degree.

Credit from Standardized Tests and Military Experience

CLEP, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate: WMU grants credit for College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. Official score reports or transcripts must be sent to the WMU Admissions Office.
Military Credit: Students should submit their military documents for review during the application process. Admitted students will receive an evaluation of college and military credit approximately one week after being accepted.

Additional Policies

Residency Requirements: There is no limit to the number of credits that can be transferred to WMU. However, students transferring from an accredited two-year institution must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours at an accredited four-year, degree-granting institution. Students must complete a minimum of 30 hours through WMU. Ten of the last 30 hours must be taken through Western Michigan University (not through correspondence credit or credit by examination). Individual colleges and departments may have additional residency requirements.
Catalog Year: In cooperation with community colleges, a student who transfers to WMU within three years upon leaving the community college may elect to graduate under the catalog year in which they began at the community college.
Non-Accredited Institutions: Credits completed at an institution that is accredited by some other national or specialized program accreditor may only be accepted upon review and approval by faculty from the appropriate department(s) or areas of study.
Articulated Credit and Credit by Examination: Articulated credit and credit by examination awarded by other institutions is not considered for transfer credit. Transcripts from each institution and/or official exam scores must be provided so that WMU can complete our own evaluation.
Foreign Institutions: College credit from foreign institutions will be evaluated by the Haenicke Institute’s International Admissions Services Office. Credits are awarded on a course-by-course basis depending on the result.
Grades and GPA: For transferred courses, only the credit transfers; grades/GPAs do not transfer to WMU. Students' WMU GPAs will be based on courses taken at Western.

University of Michigan (U-M) Transfer Credit Policies

The University of Michigan evaluates transfer credits to ensure they align with the university's academic standards and requirements.

General Requirements for Transferability

In order for your course work to be considered transferable to the University of Michigan, it must meet the following criteria:

You have completed course work at an accredited college or university.
The work that you have completed at your previous/current institution(s) is of similar rigor and content to the course offerings available at Michigan.
You have earned a grade of C or better while completing it.

Types of Transfer Credit

Upon evaluation of your academic credentials, you can expect to receive one of the following types of transfer credit:

Equivalent Credit: Courses that you have completed at other colleges and universities that closely match courses taught at U-M will usually transfer as “equivalent credit”. These courses will appear on your University of Michigan transcript with a U-M courses number assigned. These courses can be used to satisfy distribution and major requirement for LSA.
Departmental Credit: Courses at other colleges and universities whose descriptions don't closely match courses in the same department on our campus. Departmental credit is transferable, but it is usually applicable as elective credit. Therefore, departmental credit may not be used to satisfy admissions prerequisite requirements. Additionally, departmental credit cannot be used to satisfy distribution requirements or major/minor requirements without the permission of an academic or major advisor within the school/college. LSA students, please see the LSA Transfer Student Center webpage for more details on how transfer credit counts for degree requirements.
Interdepartmental Credit: Courses that cover a broad range of topics within a general area of study are considered “interdepartmental credit.” These are courses that, because of the scope of their subject material, cannot be assigned to any individual academic department. Like departmental credit, interdepartmental credit is usually applicable as elective credit.

College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA)

To successfully transfer to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA), you will have to demonstrate that your course of study is balanced on a foundation of general education courses that fulfill basic requirements and provide grounding in prerequisites or required courses that enable you to focus on a particular major at Michigan. When evaluating applications, successful U-M transfer students to LSA will have completed a good distribution of coursework that aligns with the areas of distribution for LSA.

College of Engineering (COE)

If you have specific questions related to credit that will transfer from US institutions to the College of Engineering, please utilize the Transfer Credit Equivalency database. For international institutions please utilize the College of Engineering course equivalency guide.

Transferring to Other Schools/Colleges at U-M

If you would like to transfer to another school/college at the University of Michigan, please refer to the requirements based on your interested school or college.

University of Michigan-Flint (UM-Flint) Transfer Credit Policies

UM-Flint aims to provide a streamlined transfer admissions process, recognizing the experience and achievements of transfer students.

Admission Process

Application: UM-Flint offers a free online application.
Transcripts: Students may be admitted based on unofficial college transcripts. However, official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended are required by the beginning of the first semester. Electronic transcripts are preferred for faster processing.
Credit Review: The university completes your official transfer credit review at the time of admission. If you’d like to know how your credits may transfer before applying, you can use our simple online transfer equivalency tool.

Transfer Credit Policies

Accreditation and Grade: UM-Flint awards transfer credit for courses taken at a regionally accredited institution and passed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or above.
Maximum Transfer Credits: Students transferring from two-year institutions may transfer a maximum of 60 semester credits for use toward a bachelor's degree. Course work assigned a grade of 2.0 or higher may be recognized in transfer. Any courses taken that resulted in a grade below 2.0 are not eligible for transfer credit.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

FAFSA: To qualify for financial aid, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). UM-Flint has a priority deadline of March 1.
Transfer Scholarships: UM-Flint offers a range of Merit Scholarships for transfer students, including the University of Michigan-Flint Transfer Scholarship, which awards $2,500 per year for two academic years to transfer students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Additional Opportunities

Campus Visits: The Office of Undergraduate Admissions hosts various admissions events year-round, as well as weekday campus tours and in-person and virtual appointments.
Bachelor of Applied Science Program: Build upon your Associate in Applied Science and advance your career prospects by enrolling in UM-Flint’s Bachelor of Applied Science program.
Reverse Transfer Agreements: Reverse transfer agreements allow students who transfer from a participating community college prior to earning an associate degree the opportunity to complete their associate degree requirements using courses taken at UM-Flint.

Central Michigan University (CMU) Transfer Credit Policies

CMU provides several tools and resources to help students understand how their credits will transfer.

Transfer Credit Tools

Transfer Simulation Tool: This tool allows students to select their current college(s) and add the courses they’ve completed to see a list of the CMU courses they’ve already earned credit for and how they will contribute to their degree.
Course Equivalencies Tool: Students can select a school and subject to view what courses have been pre-approved for transfer credit at CMU.

General Education and Community College

Michigan Transfer Agreement: The Michigan Transfer Agreement allows you to complete general education courses at participating colleges and universities throughout Michigan.
Transfer Credit Guides: CMU has partnered with dozens of community colleges to create institution-specific transfer guides.

Credit for Prior Learning

Military Education and Training Credit: CMU allows students to apply their military education and training, transfer credit and life experiences to their bachelor's degree. Once you apply, we’ll look at your Joint Services Transcript and let you know how many credits you can apply to your program.
Earn Credits for Life Experience: Earn college-level credit (undergraduate and graduate) for the knowledge you’ve already acquired from work, training and life experiences with prior learning credit.

Additional Considerations

St. Clair County Community College (SC4): SC4 is a member of the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA), which simplifies the transfer of credit for SC4 students between community colleges, four-year public colleges, and some private colleges in Michigan. Students transferring from SC4 have many opportunities and paths, including taking advantage of the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA), enrolling in additional courses that indicate transferability under the Michigan Transfer Network, participating in university partnerships and articulation agreements, and more.
Petitions: In some cases, you may be able to petition for credit. This may occur when the evaluator is unable to determine, from your transcript, what credit should be awarded. This is also likely to occur in the case of a topics or experiential courses such as: independent study, independent research, or internships. Any non-transferable course may be petitioned through your academic unit.
Course Equivalence vs. Transferability: It's important to distinguish between a course being "transferable" and being "equivalent". A course might transfer, meaning it's accepted for credit, but it might not be directly equivalent to a specific course at the new university. In such cases, it may be considered departmental or elective credit.

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