Your degree may be closer than you think.

Every accredited university has a requirement called “residency” that governs how many credits can be transferred toward a degree at the student's ‘home’ university. At APU, our transfer credit limits are:

• 45 academic credits toward an associate degree (up to 30 non-traditional credits)
• 90 academic credits toward a bachelor’s degree (up to 60 non-traditional credits)
• Master's degrees and certificates vary by program (non-traditional cannot exceed 25% of program requirements)

 

Virginia Students

The state of Virginia requires that at least 30% of a degree program be completed as residential credit according to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). Transfer credit limits for Virginia students are:

• 42 academic credits toward an associate degree
• 84 academic credits toward a bachelor’s degree
• 15 academic credits toward master's degrees and certificates (this number may vary by program)

 

Non-Traditional Credits

“Non-traditional” transfer credits are those earned based on assessment, competency testing (i.e. CLEP or ACE exams), prior learning experience, military occupations, or industry training courses.

 

Undergraduate Transfer Students (associate or bachelor's)

If you previously attended a college or university, but have not yet earned a bachelor's degree, you are considered an undergraduate transfer student and are required to submit a transfer credit evaluation request. Please view our undergraduate admissions page for complete details on admission requirements. 

We are committed to awarding you as much transfer credit as possible. Discover where your previous military service, on-the-job training, or real-world experience can take you.

 

Military Services

You can apply to earn college credit for your military education and training courses including CCAF, JST, and DANTES.

 

CLEP Credits

An option for earning college credit is to take College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or DSST (formerly DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) tests.

 

Prior Learning

Looking for college credit for real-world experience? Once you’re admitted as a student here, you can enroll in our Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) program, which grants academic credit for knowledge gained outside of college. Examples include knowledge acquired on the job, in training programs, by running a business, working with volunteer organizations, or even pursuing a hobby.

 

Community College Agreements

We welcome all community college graduates. Some community colleges have agreements with APU that align earned associate degrees with specific bachelor’s programs for maximum transfer credits. Find out if we have an agreement with your school. Plus, all community college graduates can submit a transfer credit evaluation and earn up to 30 general education credits automatically just for having earned an A.A. or A.S. degree.

There are a number of deciding factors when choosing a college major, and many transfer students consider the ability to transfer credits an important part of that decision.

Knowing which of your credits might transfer to your new program is a question best answered by speaking with one of our admissions representative who will ask:

Are you planning to start over with a new major, but have general education credits to transfer?

Are you continuing an academic major you started elsewhere and have core courses to complete here?

Did you earn an associate degree at a community college?

Have you attended military training programs or academies?

Each of these situations has a different outcome when it comes to transfer credit awards. Your admissions representative can provide a preliminary review of your credits and guide you through the transfer credit evaluation process.

If you’re enrolled at another university and need to take a few courses here to complete your degree on schedule, we can help. Simply select the “Non-Degree Seeking Student” status when you submit our admissions application. We strongly recommend that you first check with your primary institution to make sure the credits you earn here will transfer there.