Undergraduate Transfer Course Credit

General Policy Information

General Transfer Credit Rules:

What We Accept

• Courses taken fully in-person at accredited institutions
• Courses pre-approved through the McKelvey transfer review process
• Courses completed with a letter grade of C or better

What We Do Not Accept

• Online or hybrid courses
• Experiential learning courses
• Pass/Fail courses
• Community college chemistry courses (unless the college has an articulation agreement with a state university – consult your McKelvey advisor)
• School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) courses (see University College course policy in the Undergraduate Bulletin).
• Courses not approved in advance

Undergraduate Students

If you’re an engineering undergraduate looking to take a course elsewhere:

• Determine if the course fulfills an Engineering bachelor’s degree requirement.
  • Transfer courses approved by McKelvey Engineering are approved to count only toward McKelvey requirements and not for any other requirements for other programs offered on campus.
• Check your Academic Progress in Workday or talk with your academic advisor if you’re unsure.
• Be mindful of Residency Rules:
  • Department-specific limits on the number of courses taken outside of the department that can count toward your degree program, second major or minor.
    • This is especially relevant in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering as outlined in their residency policy: Residency Requirement for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) Credentials
  • McKelvey residency rules must be followed. Students are required to complete a minimum number of units at WashU and within McKelvey in order to meet graduation requirements.

Transfer Credit for Graduate Programs

Graduate students should contact their department directly before enrolling in any outside coursework that might count for a specific graduate program. Policies vary by program, and your department must approve any transfer credit requests.

Study Abroad

If you’re considering taking courses abroad:

• Start by meeting with a member of the McKelvey Student Abroad Team.
• More information can be found on the McKelvey Study Abroad and International Experience webpage. 

How Transfer Credit Works at WashU

When you complete an approved course:

• Only the credit units transfer
• The grade does not appear on your WashU transcript or affect your GPA.
• The course must show a final letter grade on your official transcript.

Transfer Course Approval Process

Step 1. Check the Transfer Equivalency Database 

Search the Undergraduate Transfer Course Equivalency Database.

If the intended transfer course is already listed as equivalent to the desired WashU course with an effective date within the last five years, then you do not need to have the course evaluated and should complete Step 2B.

Step 2. 

A. Request a Course Evaluation (if not listed) 

If a course of interest to you does not appear in the database:

• Submit a Transfer Course Equivalency Review form. 
• You must include:
  • Course Description
  • Syllabus (required for Engineering, Computer Science, Math, Science and Writing courses
  • Incomplete requests can not be reviewed.
• Reviews can take several weeks and varies by the type of course you plan to take, so plan ahead.
• We will notify you of each decision by email.

B. Submit a Transfer Credit Request (for courses in the McKelvey database)

If the course appears in the database and has an effective date within the last five years:

• Submit a McKelvey Undergraduate Transfer Credit Request (for courses in the McKelvey database) form notifying McKelvey that you are taking a transfer course

Step 3. Complete the Course and Send Your Transcript

After the course is finished:

• Make sure you earned a letter grade of "C" or better. 
• Ask the transfer institution to send your official transcript to McKelvey within 30 days of the grade positing. Mail and email addresses along with contact information are provided alongside this page.

Important Reminders

• Transfer courses approved by McKelvey count only toward McKelvey requirements.
• If you need a course to count toward another school or program, contact that program’s advisor.
• Residency requirements still apply — outside courses cannot replace those units.
• The university is not required to accept transfer credit from another institution. If students follow the approval process listed below, preapproved transfer credit will be accepted after an official transcript with satisfactory grade is received.

Need Help?

If you’re unsure whether a course will count toward your degree:

• Talk to your academic advisor
• Review your Academic Progress in Workday
• Email McKelvey Undergraduate Student Services for guidance