Transfer Student Admission and Transfer Credit Review

Admission Requirements

The requirements for admission to UM-Dearborn depend upon the particular program of study to be followed. Admission is based on preparation, ability, and probability of success. All applicants should be in good standing and eligible to return to their previous institution.

Each of the four academic colleges of the University has its own GPA admission criteria:

CASL 2.5
COB 2.5
CEHHS:
Teacher Certification,* Health and Human Services, and Non-Teacher Certification 2.5
CECS:
CECS without Calculus 2 with a C or higher 2.75
CECS with Calculus 2 with a C or higher 2.5

* Students in Teacher Certification (elementary/secondary) must graduate from UM-Dearborn with a 2.75 or higher for this program.

Admission Procedure

Prospective transfer students are required to submit an application for admission and a transcript from each college or university previously attended. Although unofficial transcripts may be used for admission, an official transcript is required to register for future semesters at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a hold is placed on a student's account until final/official transcript(s) are received. To be considered official, transcripts must come directly from the previous college/university to UM-Dearborn’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Failure to list all schools attended on the application may result in revocation of admission.

The prospective student is responsible for contacting each previous school attended to request that official transcripts be sent. While all transcripts are required for admission, only courses taken at an accredited college or university will be considered for transfer to the University of Michigan-Dearborn. 

It is free and easy to apply online and students can check the application status online. Information provided on the  Undergraduate Admission Application must be accurate and complete. Falsification or omission of information or credentials may result in the revocation of admission.

When the application and all official transcripts have been received, they will be reviewed and the student will be notified regarding admission status.

Transfer students with less than 24 credit hours will be required to submit final official high school transcripts or GED scores.

Admission granted while the student is enrolled at another institution is conditional and will become final upon receipt by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions of the final official transcript from the student's former institution(s). It is the student's responsibility to see that the final transcript is provided following the completion of all courses. Students will not be allowed to register for subsequent terms until the final official transcript has been received.

Official corrections made to transcripts by previous schools, whether high schools, colleges, or universities, must be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions within six months of the first day of classes of the term of admission.

Transfer Resources

Students transferring to UM-Dearborn from other two- or four-year institutions can use one or more of these resources below to ensure maximum number of transfer credits.

Course Transfer System

The Course Transfer System (CTS) website is a valuable resource. While it is not an official credit evaluation, the CTS can serve you in determining the transferability of courses from an accredited community college or four-year school.  The information is always current and reflects courses that potentially transfer to UM-Dearborn, but does not necessarily indicate if or how these courses will be used toward your particular degree program.

Transfer Guides

Our Transfer Guides from select community colleges in Michigan outline courses that can be applied to specific majors. To view transfer guides by academic college for community colleges, visit the Transfer Hubs website.

Transfer Hubs

Students transferring to UM-Dearborn from a community college located in the metropolitan southeastern Michigan area should check out the customized Transfer Hub websites for each of the community colleges.

Transfer of Credits

UM-Dearborn uses the Transfer Credit Practices published by the American Association for Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers (AACRAO) as a guideline to determine transferability of courses based on accreditation status and other criteria.  It is the policy of UM-Dearborn that normally any transfer courses accepted for credit must have been taken at a regionally accredited institution in the United States. A list of accredited U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Education website.

Incoming courses will be evaluated to determine whether the nature, content, and level of the course is equivalent to any UM-Dearborn course, as lower-level, upper-level, general credit, or no credit. When available, syllabi and course descriptions may be reviewed during this process.

Transfer credit will only be awarded for courses completed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better.   Transfer credit can only be awarded from an official transcript from the institutions that originally awarded the credit, credit can not be taken from another institutions transcript.

Maximum Transfer Credit

The University of Michigan-Dearborn no longer limits the amount of transfer credits from community colleges or universities. However, students must meet all graduation requirements and complete their last 30 consecutive credit hours at UM-Dearborn for graduation (Any extenuating circumstances to this consecutive credit policy will be handled on an individual basis by the academic college).

Additional, Transfer Credit Policies and Practices:

  • Transfer courses may also be earned and accepted from institutions outside the United States if the institution is a recognized part of the system of higher education of another country and offers programs of study equivalent to degree programs at UM-Dearborn. 
    • Transcripts must first be evaluated by an approved international credential evaluation organization for admission and credit determination. Syllabi may be requested after the evaluation is received to make the determination of how credit will transfer.
  • Any accepted transfer course must have a final grade posted of a C or better, however, all courses used in a posted grade point average will be utilized in the calculation of the admission GPA, regardless of grade. 
  • The grades earned in classes for which transfer credit is awarded do not factor into a student’s UM-Dearborn GPA. However, these grades are recorded and may be used to evaluate whether minimum grade requirements for course prerequisites and/or requirements within majors, minors, and/or concentrations have been fulfilled
  • Courses will transfer in with the number of hours earned at the previous institution. All coursework is transferred in under the semester system.  Coursework taken under a different calendar system will be adjusted accordingly.
  • Transfer credit may be awarded regardless of how long ago a course was taken, as long as sufficient information is available to determine an equivalency. However, courses are expected to be reviewed and equivalencies updated through the course review process. Some departments may require that coursework be completed within a defined time frame in order to be counted toward a degree.
  • Students admitted to a non-degree programs (rather than to a degree program) such as certificates, dual enrollment, prospective degree, etc, will not receive a transfer credit evaluation at the time of admission. 
  • There are additional academic policies related to Armed Forces/Military Credit, Credit for Prior Learning, and Credit by Examination under the academic policies section of the catalog. 

Transfer Equivalency Information

Prior to enrollment, a transfer student will receive access to our Degree Works system. Degree Works is a web-based degree audit tool that allows students to view their transfer and exam credit (if applicable). It outlines the requirements of students expected degree and shows which requirements are met by their transfer credit and which requirements remain. This initial access is a provisional degree audit and may change prior to enrollment.  Students meet with academic advisors at Orientation who explain total credit applied, which requirements are met, and which requirements are remaining. The number of hours that apply to a particular program will determine the number of additional UM-Dearborn hours necessary for degree completion. Visit our Degree Works website to learn more. 

Michigan Transfer Agreement

In the spring of 2014, UM-Dearborn signed the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) to participate as a receiving institution. The program permits transfer students to complete the 30-credit hour MTA at a Michigan community college and transfer it as a block to satisfy most of the general education requirements at Michigan universities.

Students transferring to UM-Dearborn who want to take advantage of the MTA must have the “Michigan Transfer Agreement Satisfied” designation posted on their transcript. An Associate’s degree is not required to use MTA. Students planning for transfer to UM-Dearborn are strongly encouraged to check with their community college to determine what courses are approved for inclusion in the above MTA categories and to learn the details for obtaining an MTA endorsement on their transcript. During the planning and course selection process at the community college, students are encouraged to refer to UM-Dearborn transfer guides to determine which MTA courses would be the best fit in their intended program. Community colleges will have a website for detailed information including approved courses for completing the MTA. Additional information can be found on the MTA webpage. For information on how Michigan Transfer Agreement applies to the Dearborn Discovery Core, please see the academic policies section of the catalog. 

Mi Transfer Pathways

The University of Michigan-Dearborn is participating in MiTransfer Pathways, a statewide initiative among Michigan colleges and universities. MiTransfer Pathways aims to make the transfer experience more efficient and easy to navigate, while enabling students to optimize credit transfer.

Designed as a way to encourage and simplify degree completion, pathways courses will apply to both an associate's degree at a community college and a bachelor's degree at a university. Completion of the MTA is also recommended.  Visit our MiTransfer Pathways webpage to get additional information.