Transfer Students

Transfer students have attended a regionally accredited college or university after high school graduation.

Academic Requirements: Applicants are granted unconditional admission if they have earned a cumulative average of at least "C" (2.00) on all work attempted. (Note: The grade-point average used is that computed by the University of South Alabama Office of Admission.) Applicants must be eligible to attend the institution in which they were last enrolled. Applicants that have earned college credits, but fewer than 30 semester hours, must also satisfy freshman admission requirements.

Students graduating with an AA or AS Degree from a regionally accredited institution will be granted admission if this is their last school attended and they have earned a cumulative average GPA of at least a “C” (2.00); as calculated by the AA or AS Degree granting institution and documented on their college transcript.

Documents Required: Transfer student applicants must make certain that official transcripts of all courses for which they have been registered at other colleges or universities are sent directly to the University from each home institution. Students must report colleges where registration was completed even though no credit was earned. Prior enrollment information will be verified by National Student Clearinghouse.

Applicants who have attempted fewer than 30 semester hours or 40 quarter hours of college work must submit college transcripts and high school transcripts and ACT or SAT scores.  (Test Scores are not required in applying test-optional)

Permanent Residents will need to meet the above requirements and those who have not attended a US institution, whose native language is not English, must demonstrate English proficiency by submitting one of the following:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – composite of 61
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – composite of 5.5
• International Test of English Proficiency (iTEP) – composite of 3.6
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) – composite of 44
• Duolingo - composite 95
• ACT English – 19
• SAT Reading – 26
• Advanced Level English examinations from the United Kingdom with a score of “A”, “B”, or “C/A-E”

Applicants who hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a regionally accredited United States institution are exempt. Students transferring from postsecondary institutions within the United States are exempt, subject to the following conditions:

1. Transfer credits total at least 24 semester hours; and
2. Completion of English Composition I with a grade of “C” or better.

Admission Appeal Procedure

Applicants who fail to meet admission requirements as listed above and who believe that they have extenuating circumstances that might justify a different decision may contact the Admissions Office for procedures to seek additional consideration.  You can reach out to the admissions office at admiss@southalabama.edu.

Transfer of Credit: The Registrar's Office evaluates all credits to determine the number transferable to the University of South Alabama. Such transferred credit will be applied, after evaluation, to the specific program of the student. The final program evaluation requires approval by the Dean of the College in which the student is accepted or by the Dean's designated representative. Credits transferable to the University may or may not be applicable, in whole or in part, to a specific program. Transfer students are urged to review all the requirements for a degree as specified in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the Bulletin.

No credit is given for college-level General Education Development tests, or for courses evaluated as non-credit or remedial at this institution. No more than a combined total of 25% of the total credits required for the degree will be allowed for credit received through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement Program (AP), credit by examination, correspondence courses, military service school courses, and other approved non-collegiate-sponsored programs as recommended by the American Council on Education.

Only one half of the credit hours required for a degree may be transferred from a community college. While the total number of transfer hours will appear on the transcript, the academic department offering the major will determine how they may apply to the degree.

A transfer student from a collegiate institution not accredited by the appropriate regional association may request an evaluation of transfer credits from the student’s academic dean after completing one year (30 semester hours) of work at the University of South Alabama. Students must provide syllabi for each course to their academic dean. Syllabi will be sent to the appropriate colleges for approval. No degree credit will be accepted by the College of Education and Professional Studies from any collegiate institution unless that institution has regional accreditation.

Transfer Credit for English Composition: No credit is given for course work in English Composition in which the grade is below a "C".

Transfer Credit from Community/Junior Colleges

The University evaluates and includes all community college/junior college transfer credit on the transcript. Although transferable to the University, credits may or may not be applicable to a specific degree program. The final program evaluation of transfer credit requires the approval of the Dean. In no case will transfer credit applied to a degree program exceed 50% of the total number of hours in the program (up to a maximum of 64 hours).

No credit will be awarded for remedial, vocational and technical courses. Courses not generally accepted from a junior/community college may be considered for transfer credit on a selective basis. Such courses must be approved for degree credit by the student's academic dean based upon the recommendation of the appropriate department chair.

University of South Alabama students at any level of progress toward a degree are restricted, in terms of junior college transfer credit, only by the first and second items above.

Alabama Articulation Program (STARS)

The Alabama Articulation Program (also called STARS - Statewide Articulation Reporting System) is a web-based articulation and transfer planning system designed to inform students who attend Alabama Community Colleges about degree requirements, course equivalents, and other transfer information pertaining to specific majors at each state funded four-year institution. STARS provides students, counselors, and educators with accurate information upon which transfer decisions can be made. STARS is the information link between the state's public two-year and four-year institutions, and can prevent the loss of course credit hours, can provide direction for the scheduling of course work, and can ease the transition from one institution to another. Students who are interested in obtaining a "Transfer Guide" should visit the University of South Alabama Transfer Assistance website at https://www.southalabama.edu/departments/admissions/transfer.html.

Transfer Credit from Military Service Schools

Military service-school courses will be evaluated with reference to the recommendation of the American Council on Education (ACE) when official credentials have been presented by the student to the Registrar's Office. Such recommendations, however, are not binding upon the University. In no instance, however, may any of the hours of credit be substituted for specific courses, but they may be substituted for electives.

Students who have successfully completed basic training in the armed forces may receive four semester hours of elective credit and exemption from P.E. by presenting a DD214, DD295, a copy of a Community College of the Air Force transcript, or a certificate of training to the Office of the Registrar for currently enrolled or former students, or to the Office of Admissions for new students. Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy (Active Duty, Reserve, and Veterans) may request an official Joint Services Transcript by visiting: https://jst.doded.mil/official.html

The Office of Veterans Affairs is located in Academic Support Center, Suite 1345 on the main campus of the University to facilitate veterans' programs and to provide counseling and other veterans' services. (See "Student Activities Section.")

Undergraduate Credit from Foreign Institutions

See "International Student" section.