Transfer Students

Credit earned at two-year institutions either while the student is in high school (including the summer after) or after the student has matriculated at Penn (Credit Away) will not be posted to the Penn transcript. For students who transfer to Penn from a two-year institution, however, departments may at their discretion grant credit for course work done at the two-year institution.

Students transferring into the College of Arts and Sciences from outside the University of Pennsylvania should first consult the Office of Admissions, with particular attention to information for transfer students. Any questions concerning class standing should be directed to the Office of Admissions. Questions concerning the curriculum should be addressed to an academic advisor in the College Office. Note that at least half of the overall course units required for the BA degree, as well as at least half of the course units required for the major, must be completed at Penn.

• Only the department or program advisors determine which credits transferred from another institution can count toward the major.
• At least half the courses in the major must be taken at Penn. Some departments require more.

If not yet completed, students should plan to fulfill the Language Requirement as soon as possible. Language department websites provide information about written placement exams offered in September for students who plan to continue with a previously studied language and/or receive credit for language courses taken at their previous institution. They also offer information for students just beginning college-level language study, and for students eligible for a language requirement substitution.

Prior College Math Courses 

Transfer students who took a math course at their previous college or university should speak with their academic advisor about the proper placement in a math course at Penn. Placement may depend, in part, on the approval for transfer credit received from the Math department via XCAT.

No Prior College Math

Students who did not take a math course at their previous college or university and plan to do so at Penn should see the following guidelines for determining placement.

• Students whose high school math curriculum did not provide them with the necessary foundation in algebra and trigonometry should take the half-credit online MATH 101 course before continuing with a calculus course. 
• Students who have had little or no calculus in high school, or who took AB Calculus but scored poorly on the exam, should take MATH 103 to prepare themselves for MATH 104. Students who took AB Calculus in high school and did well on the exam should register for the Calculus I course, MATH 104.
• Students with A.P. credit for MATH 104 may choose may choose to continue in the calculus sequence with either MATH 114 and MATH 115. Some majors (such as Biochemistry, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics) specifically require MATH 104 and 114; otherwise students who need a second semester of calculus may take either 114 or 115. Not all students will need to take a second semester of calculus; when in doubt, consult a pre-major or department advisor. 
• Students who are interested in math or science might also want to consider a more challenging honors version of Calculus, MATH 116 and MATH 260 (the analogues of MATH 114 and MATH 240). These courses will cover the material more in depth and involve discussion of theory as well as computations.

A transfer student who wishes a course taken prior to matriculation at Penn to be count toward the Quantitative Data Analysis (QDA) Requirement may petition the committee. The committee turns down more petitions than it accepts. To file a petition, the student should:

1. Read the criteria for QDA Requirement courses.
2. Send an email to the chair of the Quantitative Data Analysis Education Committee (c/o Kent Peterman in the College Office) stating why, based on these criteria, you believe the course should qualify for QDA credit;
3. Using attachments or links, include with your email as much relevant documentation as possible, including exams or assignments, that support your claim that the course is suitable for the requirement. The syllabus should already have been submitted with your request for basic course credit via XCAT.

Transfer students with credit for STAT 111, CHEM 053, or CHEM 054 will receive QDA credit without having to petition.

Departments evaluating courses from other institutions for transfer students assign these course numbers only if they meet the criteria for the QDA Requirement.

A representative of the appropriate Penn department will need to review external courses before transfer credits will be awarded. To request transfer credit for a College course through a Penn department, login to XCAT (External Course Approval Tool) and submit all course syllabi and other supporting materials from the previous institution.

Registration at Penn occurs at two distinct times: Advance Registration and the Course Selection Period. Each period functions differently. Read more >>

The Academic Planning Worksheet on Penn InTouch helps students plan their academic program and track their progress toward fulfilling College Requirements.

As transfer credits are approved, an academic advisor will help determine which approved courses fulfill College Requirements and what remains to be taken. ("Equivalent Credit" may be used in the same way as any course taken at Penn.)

Many departments award “Generic Credit” which counts toward the degree but does not automatically fulfill a requirement. Pre-major and/or major advisors will help determine how these credits apply. Transfer students must take half of their total courses, and those in the major, at Penn.

Students who plan to study abroad in their junior year should investigate the language prerequisites for such programs.

There are two semesters before the major must be declared. Exploration should be the top priority. Students should browse the websites of prospective major departments for more detailed information of requirements and prerequisites. At least half of the courses satisfying the major requirement must be taken at Penn.

Juniors should carefully read about any prospective majors on the department’s website. They should also speak with the undergraduate major advisor or coordinator as soon as possible in the fall. Courses taken in the major should cover material which is new to the student and for which the prerequisites have been taken.

Critical Writing Program’s website will help students determine how to fulfill the Writing Requirement and if credit from a previous institution is likely to be applicable.

Junior transfer students are not eligible for semester study abroad programs.

Students who transfer to Penn with junior standing are not eligible to apply for a dual degree with Wharton.