University of Washington Seattle

Office of Admissions

• Freshman
• Transfer
• International
  • Core Subject Requirements
  • Academic Performance
  • English Proficiency for Admission
    • SAT 1 and ACT (optional)
  • Plan Your Transfer
    • Equivalency Guide
    • Academic Planning Worksheets
    • Transfer Credit Policies
      • Applying Transfer Credit
      • Transfer Credit Evaluation
      • Courses Receiving No Credit
      • Notable Restrictions on Transfer Credit
    • Plan for a Major
  • Advanced Placement (AP) Policies
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Policies
  • Homeschooled Applicants
  • Postbaccalaureate Admission
  • Summer Only Admission
• Postbacs

GENERAL POLICY

To students pursuing a first bachelor’s degree, the Office of Admissions awards transfer credit according to the guidelines discussed here. Admissions reserves the right to accept or reject credits earned at other institutions of higher education. In general, it is University policy to accept credits earned at institutions fully accredited by their regional accrediting association for colleges and universities, provided that such credits have been earned through university-level courses appropriate to the student’s degree program at the University of Washington (UW). Exceptions are noted under Notable Restrictions on Transfer Credit and Courses Receiving No Credit.

STATE POLICY ON INTER-COLLEGE TRANSFER AND ARTICULATION

The UW subscribes to the statewide Policy on Inter-College Transfer and Articulation Among Washington Public Colleges and Universities, endorsed by the public colleges and universities of Washington as well as by the State Board for Community and Technical College Education, and adopted by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. The policy deals with the rights and responsibilities of students, and the review and appeal process in transfer-credit disputes.

CLASS STANDING

A student’s class standing is determined by the total number of transfer credits awarded by the UW, not by the number of years of college study or by the completion of an associate degree.

Class Standing

Class Awarded	Credits Needed
Freshman	0 – 44 quarter credits
Sophomore	45 – 89 quarter credits
Junior	90 – 134 quarter credits
Senior	135+ quarter credits

Satisfying UW graduation requirements depends not only on the number of credits completed – a minimum of 180 for most programs – but also on completing all College and major requirements.

QUARTER VS. SEMESTER CREDITS

Colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada that operate on a semester system award semester credit. The UW awards quarter credit. To convert quarter credits to semester credits, multiply by two-thirds. To convert semester to quarter credits, multiply by 1.5. For example, a student who has earned 30 credits at an institution on a semester calendar would earn 45 quarter credits at the UW.

For credit systems that are different than the U.S. or Canadian system, the conversion of credit to the quarter system varies. In general, one year of credit completed outside of the U.S. will be equal to no more than one year of credit at the UW. Transfer credit evaluations will be completed after a student has been offered admission to the University.