Transfer Credit Guidelines

Evaluation of Transcripts from Other Postsecondary Institutions

Regionally Accredited Institutions

In accordance with specific guidelines, Eastern Florida accepts college credit earned as transfer credit if the institution is regionally accredited and the course is equivalent to that taught at Eastern Florida. The mode of delivery (online, open-entry/open-exit, or hybrid) or the term design (compressed, fast track, traditional 15-16 weeks) does not factor into credit transferability. (Per F.S. 1004.09 and Rule 6A-14.0304.)

View Regionally Accredited Process

Non-Regionally Accredited Institutions

Courses taken at a non-regionally accredited institution approved by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) will be evaluated for transfer based on criteria such as level, content, quality, comparability and degree program relevance. Credit accepted must represent collegiate course work appropriate to the degree, with content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in Eastern Florida’s degree programs.

View Non-Regionally Accredited Process

Transfer Credit Awarded:

Credit is awarded provided the course was earned with a grade of "C" or higher
- By exception, a student may submit a written request to transfer a grade of "D". If approved, the earned grade (e.g. a “D”) will transfer at face value and will calculate into the student’s cumulative GPA.
- Course must satisfy the student's program requirement
Transfer credits are awarded with a “grade” of TA, TB, or TC. Courses will count in attempts and satisfy prerequisites, but will not calculate into the student’s grade point average at Eastern Florida.
Courses taken by Eastern Florida students as “transient” at another institution will transfer back with the earned grade (e.g. a “C”) which will transfer at face value and will calculate into the student’s cumulative GPA.
Credits earned at Eastern Florida are based on semester hours; therefore, all transfer work is converted to equivalent semester hours, i.e. quarter hours will be multiplied by .66 to obtain equivalent semester hours.
Transfer work awarded prior to January 2013 and courses without a “T” in front of the grade contribute to the cumulative GPA of the student's Eastern Florida record.
Credits earned at regionally-accredited institutions and non-public institutions participating in the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) for which there are comparable courses or requirements at Eastern Florida are posted to the student's academic record as defined by the SCNS.
EFSC will consider and evaluate credits from a non-regionally accredited institution in keeping with our guidelines.
Credits at the upper-division college level are not generally accepted for transfer for associate degree programs. Upper-division courses are accepted for transfer toward associate degrees only if the course meets a specific lower-division requirement or is equivalent per the SCNS.
Credits awarded for online courses are evaluated in the same manner as face-to-face courses and the same policies for transfer apply. Also see section titled Credit for Online Courses, which includes information about Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC).
Developmental courses in English, Reading, and Math are not transferred. If the course was taken at a Florida College System (FCS) institution, the student’s record will be annotated so that the student can take the next level course. Out-of-state or private college developmental credit does not qualify for transfer or placement purposes. Students who transfer without a college-level English or Math course must take the placement exam unless otherwise exempt.
Transcripts from international institutions, including those in the English language, require an official evaluation (at the expense of the student) from an external agency recommended by Eastern Florida. Students may find qualified agencies at: www.naces.org. For more information, see our International Transcripts page.

All credit that is transferred to Eastern Florida will become part of the student's permanent academic record and will appear on the transcript. The credits will be applied in the most appropriate manner to the student's program of study in the areas of general electives, general education, program courses, and other academic requirements. In some cases, credit will contribute to excess hours on the student record.

Student Responsibilities for Award of Transfer Credit:

Student must be active and degree seeking. See the EFSC Transfer student application steps.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all transcripts from other colleges are sent to EFSC Registrar's Office to complete the admissions requirement. Transcripts may be sent electronically or by paper, and they must be sent directly from the institution to Eastern Florida and must be official, final transcripts. Consideration for transfer credit will be made only from an official transcript.
An EFSC academic advisor may be able to provide an unofficial evaluation, but official evaluations of transfer credit will only be done by the Office of the Registrar upon receipt of final, official transcripts.
Students are advised to submit transcripts at least six weeks before the beginning of the semester.
Financial aid will not be awarded until all required transcripts are on file. Check the website for financial aid deadline dates.

Students play an active role in collecting required data for evaluation and may be asked to provide documentation from the sending institution about course content, faculty credentials, textbooks or other criteria used in the evaluation process.

Emails are sent to the student’s EFSC email account the evening that a transcript evaluation is completed. Students can also view the applicability of transfer work to the degree through the myGPS degree audit on their myEFSC portal.

Students may appeal a transfer decision by contacting the Office of the Registrar at registrar@easternflorida.edu. Students are advised to provide thorough and complete documentation with the appeal, including a course description. The request will be reviewed by two or more members of the Office of the Registrar and appropriate faculty when necessary. If a course is not accepted by EFSC for transfer credit, you may contact the appropriate department chair to discuss the possibility of a course substitution.

Credit for Online Courses

In compliance with F.S. 1004.0961 and Rule 6A-14.0304 - Beginning in the 2015-2016 school year, the State Board of Education shall adopt rules and the Board of Governors shall adopt regulations that enable students to earn academic credit for online courses, including massive open online courses (MOOC), before initial enrollment at a postsecondary institution. The rules of the State Board of Education and regulations of the Board of Governors must include procedures for credential evaluation and the award of credit, including, but not limited to, recommendations for credit by the American Council on Education; equivalency and alignment of coursework with appropriate courses; course descriptions; type and amount of credit that may be awarded; and transfer of credit.

Credit may be awarded when the following conditions are met:

Faculty have determined the online course content and learning outcomes to be comparable to a course offered at the institution.
Online courses meet the quality and accreditation standards intended for a transfer course; AND
The student’s intended program of study is relevant to the online course as determined by subject area faculty. Nothing in this rule should prohibit a Florida College System institution from establishing additional mechanisms for the award of college credit for online courses.

Other ways MOOCs can produce college credit are through the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendation for credit, or the MOOC may contribute to prior learning assessment credit as one of the components considered for accelerated education. If credits are earned via ACE, an official ACE transcript must be submitted for credit consideration.

Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS)

Several non-public institutions have chosen to participate in the SCNS and as such have submitted courses for number assignment. The staff of the SCNS has provided state universities and community colleges a list of eligible schools and courses, and identified the transfer practice the institutions are to use when evaluating transcripts.
The college will follow the guidelines provided by the Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) in awarding credit for courses taken at non-public institutions participating in the SCNS. Click for a pdf about the SCNS or visit the SCNS online.