In the 2014 fiscal year, over 950 students transferred to college and universities across the United States.

Planning Your Transfer

After meeting with an Inver Hills counselor or advisor to discuss your transfer plans, you can call or visit your intended transfer college or university to obtain the following materials and information:

• Course catalog
• Transfer brochure
• Admissions criteria and required materials, including portfolio, transcripts, test scores, etc.
• Financial aid procedures and deadlines

After reviewing the above information, you should make an appointment with an adviser or counselor from the school or program you wish to enter. The credits you transferred to or earned at Inver Hills appear on your student record and Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) report, the latter a summary of the degree requirements you have fulfilled and still need to complete.

Visit the "Transfer Considerations" tab above to learn more.

You can also visit Transferology, an online credit transfer tool, to determine whether your credits will transfer to a new school.

How Credit Transfer Works

The receiving college or university decides what credits transfer and meet certain degree requirements. Accreditation of both sending and receiving institutions can affect the transfer of the credits. Institutions accept credits from courses and programs comparable to their own, looking for similar course goals, content and level. Not all credits that transfer will help you graduate.

Baccalaureate programs usually count credits in three categories:

• General education
• Major/minor courses and prerequisites
• Electives

Here is your key question: "Will the credits fulfill the requirements of the degree or program I have chosen?" If you change your career goals or major, you might not be able to complete all your degree requirements within the usual number of graduation credits.

Applying for Transfer Admission

Completing an admissions application is always the first step in transferring. You should fill out the application fee as soon as possible to make sure you meet the deadline. You should send official transcripts from every institution you have attended. A high school transcript or GED test scores may also be required. You should confirm that the application is complete; most institutions make no decisions until all required documents are in an applicant’s file.

After you receive notification that you have been accepted for admission, your submitted transcript credits will be evaluated as transferable credits. You will receive a written evaluation when you arrive for orientation or have chosen a major. If you have questions about your evaluation, you should speak with a counselor. You should ask why decisions were made about specific courses. Many concerns can be cleared up if you understand why the decisions were made. If you are still not satisfied, you can appeal.

Your Rights in Transferring

You have the right to the following:

• Clear, understandable statement of an institution’s transfer policy
• Fair credit review
• Explanation of why credits were or were not accepted
• Copy of the formal appeals process

Usual appeals steps:

1. You fill out an appeals form and provide supplemental information such as a syllabus, course description or reading list
2. Department or committee reviews your submitted information
3. You receive in writing the outcome of your appeal
4. You can appeal the decision to the vice president of academic affairs and student development

At your request, a review of eligibility for financial aid or scholarships will be conducted.

A.A. degree = First Two Years of Bachelor's

You are encouraged to complete your transfer requirements as part of the Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree program. At many institutions, the Inver Hills A.A. degree will transfer as a package equivalent to the first two years of a bachelor's degree. To check out some partner schools, see our Advanced degrees page. It's also strongly encouraged to discuss your plans with an Inver Hills counselor or advisor.

Transfer Agreements

Transfer agreements specify programs of study and courses guaranteed to transfer from Inver Hills to joint programs at partnering schools.

Transfer Agreements

Minnesota Transfer Curriculum

You can can choose the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC), a 40-credit liberal arts education curriculum that transfers to all Minnesota State universities as well as the University of Minnesota.

Transfer Pathways

Transfer Pathways are curriculum plans which provide an associate degree to seamlessly transfer into a related degree plan at any one of the seven Minnesota State universities to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Upon completion of a Transfer Pathway degree you will be guaranteed junior status upon admission to the university, and are assured that the bachelor’s degree can be completed in 60 additional credits (for 120-credit programs). You must still meet any special admission requirement for the major and are not guaranteed admission into the major itself. Effective Fall 2017, Inver Hills Community College will be offering three Transfer Pathway degrees: Biology Transfer Pathway A.S., Business Transfer Pathway A.S., and Psychology Transfer Pathway A.A. Many additional programs will be added in Fall 2018.

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Statewide Nursing Articulation Agreement

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Statewide Nursing Articulation Agreement provides a seamless transition from one level of nursing education to another without the reevaluation of specific courses. The Associate in Science Degree in Nursing transfers to the baccalaureate institution as a whole package of nursing major and supporting courses.

University of Minnesota Cooperative Admissions Program (MnCAP)

MnCAP is a cooperative arrangement between the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to facilitate the transfer of students from Minnesota’s public two-year campuses to the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) at the U of M’s campus in the Twin Cities. Under this agreement, students who have missed the application deadline or are denied admission to CLA and choose to attend Inver Hills will be assured admission to the College of Liberal Arts when they meet certain conditions. Visit MnCAP to apply.

Transfer Information Links

• Minnesota Transfer Website
• Transfer Considerations (Counseling and Advising)
• Transfer Resources (Counseling and Advising)
• Advanced Degree Options
• Degree Audit Report System (DARS)
• Transfer Credit Policy
• Credit for Prior Learning Policy
• Articulation Agreements (Minnesota Transfer)
• Transfer Action Plan (Minnesota Transfer)
• Transfer Rights and Responsibilities (Minnesota State)

Consider the following when selecting your transfer institution:

• Your major
• Cost of tuition, fees, books, room and board
• Financial aid and transfer scholarships
• Will your credits transfer?
• Class times
• Academic calendar
• Housing options

Read the most current catalog from your transfer institution to determine admission requirements for the institution and your chosen major. Requirements can differ. Counseling and Advising and Career Services have catalogs for Minnesota colleges and universities as well as some out-of-state institutions. Many institutions have online catalogs.

After deciding to transfer, you are encouraged to make an appointment with an Inver Hills academic counselor to discuss your transfer options. You should also speak with a representative from your chosen transfer institution. Representatives from four-year schools regularly visit the Inver Hills campus. Check the Inver Hills Student Bulletin for dates and times.

Selecting Courses at Inver Hills

You have four types of coursework to complete before you transfer.

General Education Transfer Options

• Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC)
  The MnTC completes the general education requirements at all Minnesota state universities, the University of Minnesota and some private colleges.
• Transferring without the MnTC
  You must follow the transfer guides and course-by-course equivalencies specific for your chosen college and major. You can find this information at Counseling and Advising and [Career Services] in the College Center or by visiting your chosen institution’s website.
• Transferring before completing all requirements
  On rare occasions, students need to transfer before fulfilling their general education and pre-major requirements because Inver Hills does not offer the essential coursework, or the transfer major has a rigid sequence of pre-major and major courses that must be completed at the transfer institution.
• Transferring out of state
  While Inver Hills does have some transfer agreements with out-of-state institutions, you will usually need to follow the requirements of your selected transfer institution. Our counselors can assist you with the process.

Pre-major Requirements

You must plan for admission to your major, which often has a process separate from the admissions process of your transfer college or university. You should refer to the transfer guides in Career Services and your transfer institution’s catalogs, and also consult with an Inver Hills counselor for specific information

High School Preparation Standards

If you did not fulfill preparation standards in high school, coursework at Inver Hills can be substituted for missing high-school coursework.

Second Language Requirements

Completing second language requirements depends on your chosen transfer institution and the type of bachelor’s degree you will be pursuing. Most second language requirements do not need to be met before you transfer, but must be completed before you graduate with your bachelor’s degree. Visit the Counseling and Advising area in the College Center for a list of four-year school language requirements.

Note: The Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree can be tailored to fit your chosen transfer college or university, including general education and pre-major requirements, and missing high school preparation standards. Consult with an Inver Hills counselor for assistance with this process.

Transferring and Applying

Four-year Rep Campus Visits

Transfer representatives from four-year colleges and universities regularly visit the Inver Hills campus. Check the Student Bulletin or counseling bulletin board in the College Center to find out when reps have scheduled a visit.

Admissions and Application Deadlines

Most college and university websites post deadline information. Be aware that freshman deadlines and transfer deadlines may vary.

GPA Requirements

• GPA requirements for a given major may differ from the requirements of its institution
• Courses below 100/1000 level do not transfer
• Some colleges reconfigure GPA based on college-level transfer credits only
• Some colleges do not transfer "D" grades
• Some colleges do not transfer + or – grades, which can elevate or decrease a transfer GPA

Visit Your College or University of Interest

Learn more about a prospective transfer institution by completing the following tasks:

• Attend an open house
• Visit with an admissions office representative
• Ask for financial aid estimates
• Visit a class
• Take a tour
• Talk with a faculty member

Academic Year Calendar

Check when the semester or quarter begins at a prospective institution; this is particularly important if you want to transfer midyear.

Complete the Admissions Process

Submit your completed application plus ALL transcripts, essays, assessments and financial aid forms. Also, determine whether ACT, SAT or PSAT are needed.

Transferology

Transferology is a nationwide network designed to help students explore their college transfer options. Transferology’s goal is saving students time and money by providing a quick, intuitive way of getting their college transfer credit questions answered.

You can answer the question "Will my courses transfer?" by adding coursework, exams, and/or military learning experiences to see how many schools in the Transferology network have matching courses that may be awarded when they transfer.

Visit Transferology.