How to Transfer Prior College Credit to APUS

Our university system is student-focused and committed to awarding as much transfer credit as possible to our students.

Here’s how to initiate your Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE):

• Log into your ecampus and click Transfer Credit Application under the ACADEMIC PLAN & FORMS Menu at the top of your screen.
• If you would like for us to request all of your transcripts, please complete and upload the Transcript Release Authorization (TRA) form(s). To locate the TRA form(s):
  • Log into your ecampus and click TCE Request Form under the ACADEMIC PLAN & FORMS, COMPLETED FORMS section.
  • You will notice a blue link with your previous college(s) listed. Click on the link to print the TRA form(s); then sign and return to us.
  • Instructions for uploading the TRA form to your Document Log are included at the top of the TRA form. If you're unable to upload your TRA form, you can scan and email it to [email protected] or fax it to 304-724-3811.
  • Please note that some institutions will not allow a third party to obtain the official transcript. If this is the case, a TRA form will not be available to you. Additionally, the Document Log in your ecampus will indicate “Student Action Needed” next to the name of the institution. In these instances, you will need to request the official transcript. The transcript must arrive directly from the sending institution or from you in an unopened/sealed envelope to be considered official.

*The Document Services team will order your transcript within two business days of receipt of the signed TRA form. Your transcript will arrive based on your previous institutions processing time; schools that provide eTranscripts may be as little as two business days, schools that provide physical transcripts may take up to four weeks.

Here’s what you need to know about the TCE process:

• If you are an active duty member of the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corp, or Coast Guard, you are required to submit a TCE Application. A Joint Services Transcript (JST) will be automatically added to your document log and will be ordered for you. Air Force active duty, reserve, and veterans will need to request an official Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript to be sent to the Charles Town, WV office.
• You are responsible for providing the necessary documents or certificates of completion selected on the TCE Application for professional military/civilian experience recognized by ACE; these may be faxed to 304.724.3788 or emailed to [email protected]. *Please include your student ID and ACE ID number on each document. This entry will appear as Student Action Needed on your Document Log page.
• You are also responsible for providing copies of CLEP/DSST/AP exam scores; these may be faxed to 304-724-3788 or emailed to [email protected].
• *This entry will appear as Student Action Needed on your Document Log page.
• If all required documents are not received within 8 weeks from the date your first course begins, you will be prevented from future course registrations until all documentation is received.
• As the documents you selected for credit evaluation arrive, they will be added to your student record and your document log entry status will be updated to reflect a "Received" status. To view the status of your incoming documents, please log into the Document Log by clicking Document Log under the Academic Plan & Records dropdown at the top of your ecampus. Your Document Log will appear and you will be able to view the status of your documents.

Only after ALL documents you have listed for review have been received, will your file sent for the official TCE. This portion of the process can take up to 2 -3 weeks.

Transfer Credit Guidelines - Undergraduate and Graduate

Residency requirements (coursework completed through the university by an enrolled student) are set by our accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Transfer guidelines are established by the university; and the total number of credits you may transfer also depends on your declared program of study and whether the type of credit previously earned meets the learning outcomes and objectives for the program. We only accept credits that apply directly toward your program requirements. Please note APUS uses semester hours as its unit of measure. Any credits earned in a different unit of measure will be converted to the semester hour unit.

• Certificate – varies; students must complete at least 9 credits with APUS
• Associate – up to 45 transfer credits accepted*
• Bachelor – up to 90 transfer credits accepted*
• Master – up to 15 transfer credits accepted*
• Dual Master – up to 15 transfer credits accepted

*This figure applies to most programs at this level. Please note there are exceptions based on specific program requirements.

The University also accepts credits earned based on assessment or experience (college-level exams, civilian, corporate, government, and military learning). Credit of this nature is defined as nontraditional credit. There are guidelines on the amount of nontraditional credit we can accept for transfer. This amount is part of the transfer credit limits detailed above.

• Certificate – varies by certificate and level
• Associate – 30 of the 45-credit transfer maximum can be nontraditional credit
• Bachelor – 60 of the 90-credit transfer maximum can be nontraditional credit
• Master – 9 of the 15-credit transfer maximum can be nontraditional credit*
• Dual Master – 9 of the 15-credit transfer maximum can be nontraditional credit

*This figure applies to most programs at this level. Please note there are exceptions based on specific program requirements.

Acceptable grades

Undergraduate level: Grades of “C” or above
Graduate level: Grades of “B” or above

Course age limitations

In addition to the below course-specific age limitations, please be advised that graduate-level coursework older than 10 years will not be accepted for transfer.

Transfer Credit Information

For detailed information on Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE), and to see exactly how your completed courses from your college may transfer to APUS, please visit the Transfer Credit Evaluation Center for AMU and APU.