Finding a Course for Transfer

Guest students are students currently enrolled and in good standing at one college or university and taking courses at another college or university to fulfill the home institution's degree requirements.

If you are advising such a student, assist the student in completing the following steps:

Step 1:

Find an equivalent course. Search for Equivalencies to find a course that is equivalent to the requirement you need to fulfill at your home institution.

Remember placement testing or prerequisite courses may be required.

Step 2:

Check with your academic advisor or college registrar concerning your college’s academic and transfer policies. For instance, many colleges only transfer courses with a grade of C or better and do not allow students to repeat courses at other institutions. Knowing these policies ahead of time may save you time, money and frustration in the long run.

Step 3:

Obtain written approval. As a guest student, you will most likely need to receive written approval from your home institution before scheduling courses at the transfer institution.

Step 4:

Apply for admission, if required. At some institutions, students must apply for admission before registering for classes. A call to the transfer institution’s Admission Office or Registrar/Registration Office should tell you whether admission is required.

Step 5:

Complete the appropriate forms. Some institutions require guest students to complete a guest student course approval form before registering. Check with the transfer college registrar or registration office and complete any forms that may be required.

Step 6:

Register for classes and pay tuition and fees. Check the transfer college website and catalog for registration information and payment deadlines.

Step 7:

Discuss financial aid options. Guest students are generally not eligible for financial aid through the transfer institution. However, a student may be eligible for financial aid through his/her home institution.

For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office at your home institution and request that a Consortium Agreement be processed.

A Consortium Agreement is a contract between two colleges that helps to determine financial aid eligibility while ensuring that any financial aid is processed through the home institution.

Step 8:

Obtain a photo ID and parking permit. You may be required to obtain a photo ID specific for the new college. Again, it is up to you to contact the transfer college’s student services office or campus police for more information.

Step 9:

Request an official transcript. To properly transfer credit back to your home institution, you must request an official transcript be sent from the transfer institution to your home institution. Remember, this is not an automatic process and your course(s) will not transfer until a transcript is sent and evaluated!