The Office of the University Registrar evaluates and records the amount of transfer and advanced placement (AP) credit on academic records. Refer to the chart below to determine the appropriate steps to initiate a request for transfer credit evaluation.
Official transcripts should be submitted using one of the below methods. Additionally, all official transcripts should be submitted no later than the last day of classes in the quarter of degree conferral, otherwise students may jeaopardize their ability to graduate on time.
- E-transcripts - send to TransCredTranscripts@lists.stanford.edu
- Sealed paper transcripts - drop off at the Student Services Center, located at the Tresidder Memorial Union, 2nd Floor. Office hours are Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm.
Transfer Credit Request Procedures
| Type of Student | Transfer Credit | Procedure |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate: U.S. Transfer Credit |
Request pre-approval or evaluation of work completed in the U.S. | Complete and submit Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation form. |
| Undergraduate: International Transfer Credit |
Request pre-approval or evaluation of non-Stanford study abroad credit completed after enrolling at Stanford | Visit the Bing Overseas Studies Program website |
| Request evaluation of international transfer credit completed before enrolling at Stanford | Complete and submit Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation form. | |
| Undergraduate Transfer Student | Request pre-approval or evaluation of non-Stanford study abroad credit completed after enrolling at Stanford | Visit the Bing Overseas Studies Program website |
| Request evaluation of work completed before enrolling at Stanford | No form required (transfer credit posted upon enrolling at Stanford). | |
| Request pre-approval or evaluation of work completed in U.S. after enrolling at Stanford | Complete and submit Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation form. | |
| Undergraduate: Last Units Out of Residence |
Request final units (max 15 units) out of residence to complete degree requirements. | Complete and submit Request for Last Units Out of Residence (Undergraduate Only) (pdf) form. |
| Graduate Students | Request evaluation of graduate transfer credit | Complete and submit Application for Graduate Residency Credit (pdf) form. See the Graduate Residency Credit Policy. |
Requesting Pre-Approval
It is recommended that pre-approval be obtained for planned transfer credit in order to ensure that coursework completed will be transferrable. You may request transfer credit pre-approval for courses to be completed in the U.S. on the Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation form. You may request pre-approval for non-Stanford study abroad through the Request for Non-Stanford Study Abroad Transfer Credit Evaluation form, found on the Bing Overseas Study Program's website. If you have already completed coursework at another institution and did not obtain pre-approval, you may still request transfer credit for work completed, however, there is no guarantee that transfer credit will be awarded. Effective Autumn 2015, pre-approval is required for requests to fulfill a Ways requirement in transfer. For more information, see the To Request Ways Credit in Transfer section below. If you have requested and obtained pre-approval, you only need to have your official final transcript from the institution attended sent to the University in order to complete the transfer credit process. You do not need to submit the transfer credit request form a second time.
To Request Evaluation of U.S. Transfer Credit or International Transfer Credit Completed Prior to Enrolling at Stanford
For students requesting transfer credit for coursework taken outside of the U.S., the below information must be submitted along with the Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation form in order for an assessment to be completed. Your request must also include course descriptions and/or syllabi for classes you completed at the other institution. It must also indicate the equivalent Stanford course or courses. Please note that all documentation must be in the English language (or all documentation must have a certified English translation).
Students must provide official documentation that clearly states:
- The Institution's accreditation (must be officially recognized)
- The Institution's grading scale or system. Note: if a course has a 'P' or 'Pass' grade listed, then the grading scale must explicitly state what the minimum grade is to earn a passing grade. Pass grades are accepted only for courses for which letter grades were not an option and for which the standard of passing is 'B' quality work.
- The Institution's credit system (quarter, ECTS, semester)
- The minimum number of credits to complete the Master's program at the Institution (this must be from an official source, such as a course catalog)
- The level of coursework (graduate residency credit can only be awarded for graduate level work)
Students are encouraged to purchase a third-party, course-by-course international transcript translation and evaluation service, as most of these services include all of the abovementioned information. Some examples of these services are:
- World Education Services (http://www.wes.org/students/)
- FIS (Foundation for International Services, Inc.) (https://www.fis-web.com/course-by-course-evaluations)
- Educational Credential Evaluators (https://www.ece.org/SiteMain/28/49)
- International Education Services by AACRAO (http://ies.aacrao.org/evaluations/appform.php?type=ind)
To Request Evaluation of Non-Stanford International Transfer Credit completed after Enrolling at Stanford
Review the Bing Overseas Studies website for complete information on Non-Stanford International Transfer Credit. You must complete the Non-Stanford Study Abroad form. The request must also include course descriptions and/or syllabi for classes you would like to take at the other institution. It must also indicate the equivalent Stanford courses. Official transcripts must be mailed directly from the institution to Bing Overseas Studies Program. Mailing address is as follows: Bing Overseas Studies Program, Ground Floor, Sweet Hall, 590 Escondido Mall, Stanford, CA 94305-3089.
To Request Ways Requirement Credit in Transfer
Any student requesting credit for fulfilling Ways of Thinking Ways of Doing (Ways) requirements must submit a complete syllabus with the Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation form in order for the request to be evaluated. Please read these detailed instructions on how to apply for Ways Transfer Credit.
Effective Autumn 2015, pre-approval is required for requests to fulfill Ways requirement credit in transfer. You must submit your Ways pre-approval request by the quarterly deadline for review. Deadline dates are available on the Transfer Credit Policies page.
Courses that have not been pre-approved prior to enrollment at the non-Stanford institution will not fulfill the Ways requirement.
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Students must complete the Request for Ways Transfer Credit Request Form, which is an addendum to the Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation (pdf) form.
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As part of the transfer request, the student must submit a full syllabus as described in the Ways Syllabus Guidelines, in English, from the instructor and/or institution to demonstrate that the course fulfills the Ways criteria. In most cases, it should include a reading list, assignments, and grading structure. Partial or incomplete pre-approval requests will not be considered for review.
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Students may submit a maximum of five courses from non-Stanford institutions for Ways transfer credit review per quarter.
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A student may complete a maximum of five Ways courses in transfer during the student's undergraduate career.
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Once Ways transfer credit is posted to the student's record, it may not be changed.
Requesting Last Units Out of Residence
Students may petition to complete their final 15 units out of residence to complete their degree requirements their terminal quarter. The final 15 units of transfer credit must meet the criteria in the Transfer Credit Policies section above. Students must submit the Request for Last Units Out of Residence form to request the status and to request pre-approval of the transfer work. A registration status is required the term in which a degree is conferred. As noted on the request form, students must request the corresponding registration status of either Graduation quarter status or Permit for Services Only status. An application to graduate should also be submitted through Axess. See the Stanford Bulletin for the official policy.
Status of Transfer Credit Requests
You will be contacted if any additional information is required during the transfer credit evaluation process. Please allow approximately 3 weeks time after receipt of transcripts for evaluation and posting of credit. Depending on the date of receipt, this process may not be completed prior to the course enrollment deadlines of your quarter of return. Therefore, you should not rely on this credit in determining your course schedule or unit load for your quarter of return.
Approved undergraduate transfer credit will appear on both your Stanford unofficial and official transcripts. The institution attended and units awarded will be noted on the transcript. Note that transfer credit may be removed from your record if subsequent Stanford course work duplicates transfer credit course content.
Freshmen and New Transfer Students:
Freshmen are required to complete a Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation Form to request transfer credit. Transfer credit for freshmen will be posted on their record on a rolling basis. Freshmen are ineligible to earn Ways transfer credit for courses taken prior to matriculation. Transfer credit for new transfer students will be posted on their record by the beginning of their first quarter at Stanford. New transfer students are not required to complete a Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation Form for work done prior to matriculation at Stanford.
