Resolving Transfer Credit
Resolving transfer credit ensures all eligible coursework from previous institutions is accurately evaluated and applied as appropriate within your current degree program.
Transfer credit evaluation guide
When transferring coursework to Ohio State, it will typically be classified as one of the following:
- Courses considered a direct match to a specific Ohio State course (e.g., HIST 1151)
- Credits will appear with a department and course number
- View your Buckeye Degree Planner to see how these courses fulfill major or General Education requirements
- No further evaluation is typically required
- Courses that may be equivalent to an Ohio State course, but further evaluation is needed
- Credits appear as “GEN” in your Transfer Credit Report where the course number would normally appear.
- Courses do not count toward your degree or total earned credit hours until evaluated.
- Evaluation does not guarantee courses will result in direct equivalency
General credit course evaluation
Review your Transfer Credit Report
- Your Transfer Credit Report can be accessed in the Academics section of Buckeye Link.
- Look for courses where “GEN” appears in place of a course number—this indicates general credit.
If you’re unsure if you have General Credit, reach out to your academic advisor; they can help you identify general credit and discuss next steps.
- Find the department contact to review your course(s)
- The Transfer Credit Coordinators page provides department contacts.
- For example, Biology GENERAL credit should be sent to the Biology department for review.
- Note: Anatomy courses with full human cadaver experience should be evaluated by the Anatomy Department. Courses without cadaver experience should be evaluated by the EEOB Department.
- Most departments require a course syllabus from the term and year the course was taken. If you don’t have it, contact your previous institution’s registrar or department.
- The Transfer Credit Coordinators page provides department contacts.
- Contact the academic department
- Use your student email and follow the submission instructions listed under the department’s Transfer Credit Coordinator.
- Repeat this process for each course needing evaluation. As department processes may vary, it’s important to review the procedure for the department for each course.
- Await department notification
- The review process may take several weeks.
- This process will either result in receiving direct equivalency credit or special credit.
- Special credit requires further evaluation to be considered to apply to degree requirements.
- Once you receive a decision, notify your academic advisor.
- Given when no direct Ohio State course equivalent exists.
- Appear with “SPL” in your Transfer Credit Report where the course number would normally appear.
- Courses posted as Special Credit do count toward your total earned hours but may not automatically fulfill specific degree requirements.
- Students may petition to have these courses apply toward General Education requirements.
Special credit evaluation
- Review your Transfer Credit Report
- Access your Transfer Credit Report in the Academics section of Buckeye Link
- Find courses labeled with “SPL”
- Academic advisors can help identify these courses and discuss whether a petition may be appropriate.
- Review General Education learning outcomes
- Before submitting a petition, review the expected learning outcomes for each general education area at Ohio State.
- This helps determine whether a special credit course aligns with the goals of the petition area.
- Before submitting a petition, review the expected learning outcomes for each general education area at Ohio State.
- Petition for General Education use
- Email the College of Nursing’s Transfer Credit Coordinator for assistance with the petition process
- Special credit petitions for College of Nursing students will be reviewed by the College of Nursing regardless of course subject.
- Email the College of Nursing’s Transfer Credit Coordinator for assistance with the petition process
- Submit the petition
- Include the course syllabus and the petition form.
- The reviewing committee will evaluate whether the course meets the expected General Education learning outcomes.
Reminder: Approval is not guaranteed.
Credit by validation
- Allows students to earn academic credit for prior learning completed outside the standard university curriculum.
- Relevant for students who have completed coursework at non-regionally accredited institutions that are accredited by a recognized professional accrediting body, such as the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
- Commonly used by students with career or technical education backgrounds, such as those who have completed Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) programs and are now enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program at Ohio State (e.g., RN to BSN students who completed both LPN and ADN programs).
- Academic advisors can help determine whether this option is appropriate
Credit by validation process
- Contact the appropriate department
- For nursing-related coursework, reach out to the College of Nursing advising team at con-advising@osu.edu for guidance.
- For non-nursing coursework, locate the relevant department and ask whether Credit by Validation is available and what documentation or assessments may be required.
- Complete the validation process
- The department may ask students to complete an exam, submit a portfolio, and/or provide a course syllabus from the term and year the course was completed to support the evaluation.
- If successful, the credit will be posted to your Ohio State academic record.
Get support
Resolving transfer credit is essential to ensuring students have the proper academic foundation for success in our curriculum. Timely resolution helps us provide accurate academic advising, course sequencing and clinical placement planning—ultimately keeping students on track for graduation and licensure eligibility.
Schedule a time with an academic advisors for a 1:1 meeting to review transfer credit and ask questions.