Undergraduate Admissions
Transferring Credit

Transferring Credit to SUNY ESF Undergraduate Degree Programs

The following policies govern the transfer of college level credit to meet degree requirements for undergraduate programs at SUNY ESF.

All transfer credit will remain tentative until official, final college transcripts and score reports for college level examinations (AP, CLEP, IB, etc.) are received and reviewed by Office of Undergraduate Admissions staff under the direction of the faculty. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that official, final transcripts or score reports are received by the College.

Transfer Credit from Accredited Colleges and Universities

Course work appropriate to the ESF curriculum can be transferred to the College, but grades and grade points cannot be transferred. Courses to be transferred to meet graduation requirements for any curriculum must be acceptable in content, and credit will be awarded only for those completed with a grade of C or higher (a C- is not acceptable). Only coursework completed at institutions that are fully accredited by one of six regional accrediting agencies will be considered for possible transfer credit toward ESF degree requirements. These agencies are the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Advanced Placement and Other College Level Examinations

The College will consider for advanced standing credit the results of examinations from standardized testing agencies such as the College Entrance Examination Board's Advanced Placement Program (AP) or the College Level Examination Programs (CLEP) as well as the Higher Level Exams of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program (see AP score requirements for transfer of credit in table to the right). Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for information on IB and CLEP score requirements for transfer of credit.

Transfer Credit Evaluations

Transfer students must submit official copies of transcripts and examination score reports of all college level course work attempted or completed as part of their application for admission. Preliminary evaluations of transfer credit are provided to transfer students at the time of admission.

Entering first-year students who complete college level course work while in high school must submit official transcripts or examination score reports for transfer credit evaluation prior to the beginning of the semester they first enroll. Transfer credit granted will be reflected on the degree progress report distributed at New Student Orientation.

International transfer applicants are required to submit a detailed course-by-course evaluation of all international academic credentials in English. This evaluation must be completed by an approved international credentials evaluation agency.

All transfer credit will remain tentative until official, final transcripts are received. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that official final transcripts are sent to and received by the College as outlined in conditions of admission.

SUNY Student Transfer Credit Appeal Process

Transfer students who are completing or have completed an associate degree program at a SUNY campus and who do not agree with their preliminary transfer credit evaluation should first contact the ESF Office of Admissions to request a further review of potential transfer credit. The student’s academic record and the preliminary transfer credit evaluation will be reviewed, in consultation with the Academic Department if appropriate, to determine whether additional transfer credit is applicable to degree requirements. If the student does not agree with the review of the transfer credit evaluation by the Office of Admissions they then have the option of appealing the evaluation with the ESF Dean of Instruction and Graduate Studies.

Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at esfinfo@esf.edu or (315) 470-6600 for further information on transfer credit policies and evaluations.