Transfer Credit Information for Currently Enrolled UW–Madison Students
UW–Madison students sometimes choose to take courses at other higher education institutions while pursuing their undergraduate degrees at UW–Madison. The majority of these students take courses at other colleges or universities during their summer break. Others choose to leave UW–Madison for a semester or more, attend other institutions, and later return to finish their degrees at UW–Madison. The Office of Admissions awards transfer credit for UW–Madison undergraduates who take courses elsewhere. (Note: Engineering students should request transfer credit from the Engineering Student Services office at 1150 Engineering Hall.)
Transfer Credit Policy
Credit is awarded for college-level course work completed at institutions accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). (Foreign institutions must be recognized by the Ministry of Education in that country.) Courses must be similar in nature, level, and content to a course in our undergraduate curriculum and applicable to one of our academic programs. Continuing education courses, graduate-level courses, and courses that are remedial, technical, vocational, or doctrinal in nature are not transferable.
If a course is transferable based on the criteria listed above, it will transfer either as a direct equivalent to a UW–Madison course or as elective credit within the respective department. For example:
- An introduction to microeconomics course taken at another institution would transfer as a direct equivalent to UW–Madison’s Economics 101 Microeconomics.
- A course such as The Geography of Hawaii taken at a college or university in Hawaii would receive elective credit in geography because UW–Madison does not offer a similar course.
Both direct equivalents and elective credits can satisfy general education, degree, and major requirements.
Identifying a Course Equivalent
The Transfer Information System (TIS) lists transfer equivalencies for most freshman and sophomore-level courses at institutions in the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Technical College System. If you plan to take a course at one of these institutions, you can refer to TIS to see how the course will transfer to UW–Madison prior to enrolling in the course.
If you plan to take a course at an out-of-state institution, check our Transfer Equivalency Database (TED) for the school you plan to attend. If your school is listed, you will see how courses from this school transfer to UW–Madison.
If you plan to enroll in a summer course that is not pre-equated on TIS or TED, you may request course equivalencies via the Summer Course Equivalency Service.
After using TIS, TED, or the Summer Course Equivalency Service to establish whether a course is transferable, you may need to consult with your academic advisor to determine whether the transferable course work will satisfy particular degree or major requirements.
Deadlines for Submitting Transcripts
After completing a course off campus, request that an official transcript be mailed to the Office of Admissions.
If the transcript is received in the Office of Admissions by September 15, the transfer credit will be applied to your record before spring course enrollment. If the transcript is received in the Office of Admissions by February 1, the course work will be applied to your record before fall course enrollment.
Understanding your Transfer Credit Evaluation
Once your transfer credit has been applied to your record, a transfer credit evaluation will be sent to you in the mail. If you do not understand your transfer credit evaluation or have questions about your evaluation, please see the Guide to Your Transfer Credit Evaluation (PDF, 1.81M) or contact the Office of Admissions. If you wish to appeal the evaluation decision, submit a written request with an explanation of the change you desire and your rationale to the Office of Admissions. You must include a detailed course syllabus with your appeal.
Taking Courses at Two Institutions Concurrently
UW–Madison schools and colleges have rules regarding concurrent enrollment. If you are considering taking a course at another institution while you are enrolled at UW-Madison, check first with your academic advisor or dean. This also applies to online courses.
Reentry and Study Abroad
If you plan to leave UW–Madison for a semester or more to take courses elsewhere (either at a U.S. or foreign institution), you will need to submit a reentry application prior to returning to UW–Madison. For additional information on reentry admission and transfer credit for reentry students, refer to our Reentry Admission Web site. For additional information on study abroad and reentry admission, refer to our Study Abroad Readmission Web site. (Note that students who study abroad through a UW–Madison sponsored program do not need to apply for reentry admission.)
