How Transfer Credit Works

What Can I Get Credit For?

Transfer credits are awarded at the discretion of the receiving institution (the institution you want to transfer to). You can receive credit for:

• An individual course 
• A block of courses 
• A completed program or credential 

What Institutions Consider

The post-secondary institution you are applying to will base their decision on:

• Transfer decisions they have with the post-secondary institution that awarded you the credits
• If there is an existing course-level or block transfer decision for the course(s) you have taken
• If the courses you completed match the content in courses and/or learning outcomes for the program you want to take

You may not receive course credit if your education doesn't meet one of these 5 criteria:

1. Residency requirement - most post-secondary institutions/education providers require you to complete a specific number of credits at their institution to receive a credential. How many and what courses varies from program to program.
2. Minimum grade requirement - you must pass a course to obtain transfer credit. Some programs and institutions may also require a minimum grade higher than the passing grade (see undergraduate student 4.0 Alpha Grading Scale and GPA calculation for additional grading information).
3. Room in your academic program - courses you want to transfer must fulfill the requirements of an academic program. For example, a completed course such as SOCI 123 may be transferable, but if the academic program you want to transfer to doesn't allow room for this course, it will not transfer.
4. When the course was taken - some academic programs require that acquired learning be current. Therefore, they may not award credit for courses taken 5 or more years ago.
5. Course combination - sometimes a combination of 2 or more courses is needed to receive transfer credit. For example, ACCT 100(3) + ACCT 200(3) = Elective (3). In this case if you took only ACCT 100(3) you may not receive credit for Elective (3).

Search for Transferable Courses or Programs

Find out if specific courses or programs are transferable to your post-secondary program of study.

Note: For information/agreements prior to Sept. 1, 2010, please see the Transfer Agreements Archives page.

Confirm Your Results With Your Institution

If you don't see your post-secondary institution and/or course in your search results, we suggest you contact the post-secondary institution you want to attend for more information. We also suggest you confirm the transferability of your course or program with your institution.

Start Early

Remember that assessment of transfer credit (especially when courses are not listed in the Transfer Alberta Search Tool), may take time - so plan ahead!