Transferring Credits FAQ

Admissions

FAQ for Earning Transfer Credit

Q: Does WGU require transcript submissions?
A: Transcripts are used by your assigned mentor to help develop your personalized Degree Plan. WGU requires that all transcripts of all previous academic work completed at other colleges or graduate schools be submitted for evaluation. It is your obligation to request official transcripts from the institutions you have attended when applying for admission. At the present time, we don’t require a minimum grade point average (GPA) or SAT/ACT scores for admission.

Q: Can I transfer previously earned college credits to WGU?
A: Yes. If you have completed college coursework at another institution, you may have your transcripts evaluated and may be able to have some or all of the requirements for lower-division domains (i.e. subject areas) in a bachelor's degree program cleared through transfer credits. In some programs, professional certifications may clear additional requirements.

Q: I have lots of credit hours but don’t have a bachelor’s or associate’s degree? What will transfer?
A: It really depends upon the match between the courses you took and the competencies in the WGU degree for which you are applying. Each WGU degree program specifies the "competencies" you must demonstrate or pass to receive your degree. Just having accumulated credits isn’t sufficient proof that you have cleared the competencies. Prior courses must be relevant. If your prior coursework directly matches the requirements for your WGU bachelor’s degree, you may be able to clear one or more required lower-division domains. However, if your coursework was in subject areas that don’t match WGU’s degree requirements, you may clear less than you hope.

Q: What credit hours can I expect to transfer into WGU?
A: Many students transfer into a WGU degree program already having accumulated many credit hours or having earned an associate’s degree. Transcripts are evaluated on a course-by-course basis according to the following general guidelines:

• If you hold an Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree from an institution that is recognized as nationally or regionally accredited by the U.S. Department of Education, you should clear all or many of the lower-division requirements for a bachelor’s degree in Business or Information Technology. For Health Professions and Teachers College programs, a course-by-course evaluation is typically required. Only an official transcript evaluation can determine how many requirements you may be able to waive.
• If you earned an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) or other applied associate’s degree, you may be able to clear a significant portion of WGU's lower-division degree requirements.
• If you have completed college courses but have not earned a degree of any type, you may also be able to have some degree requirements cleared through a course-by-course transcript evaluation.
• Graduate-level program requirements are never cleared through transfer because of prior graduate school study. However, competencies obtained through prior study will help students to accelerate toward degree completion.

Q: What happens if I can’t clear a domain because I only have one or two courses?
A: The good news is that WGU’s competency-based approach still works in your favor. If you "know your stuff," you can accelerate your progress by taking the required assessments as soon as you and your mentor determine you are ready. Thus, you indirectly benefit from your earlier coursework.

Q: What is the deadline for transcript submission?
A: WGU requires that ALL official transcripts of previous academic work completed at other colleges or graduate schools be submitted for evaluation.

The Transcripts Departments should receive official transcripts by the 1st of the month prior to the start date of your program. It is your obligation to request official transcripts from the institutions you have attended. PLEASE REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Transcripts should be mailed directly from the sending institution to the following address:

Transcripts Department
Western Governors University
4001 South 700 East, Suite 700
Salt Lake City, UT 84107
1-877-435-7948, ext. 3120

How to request transcripts

Q: What about transcript requirements for graduate students?
A: Students applying to a graduate degree program must submit an official transcript verifying receipt of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Transcripts should be received by the 1st of the month prior to the start of your program. (Some exceptions may apply. Talk to an Enrollment Counselor for exact deadlines.) Graduate-level program requirements are never cleared through transfer. However, competencies obtained through prior study may help graduate students accelerate toward degree completion.