Transfer of Credits

Lincoln University welcomes applicants transferring from other institutions of higher education and/or having previous program related professional experience. LU allows transfer of credits earned from colleges accredited by a recognized accrediting agency, licensed by a state authority, or foreign institutions approved by a local Department or Ministry of Education or may grant credits for prior learning received through work experience, in-service training, involvement in professional organizations, and noncredit coursework.

For transfer of credits taken earlier an applicant should submit official transcripts of all university courses taken at a university or college she/he studied before. Credits may be granted for coursework with a satisfactory grade taken at an academic institution offering programs similar to the one at LU and are applicable to the student’s curriculum at LU, as determined by the Registrar.

Credits received from institutions using other than semester academic calendars are recalculated to semester units. So, one (15-week) semester unit may be equated to 1.5 (10-week) quarter units.

Prior learning (PL) is learning acquired outside of conventional academic environment. This learning is not reflected in transcripts from institutions of higher education. Lincoln University may grant credit for learning from experience; however, the experience itself does not guarantee the granting of credit. Students interested in receiving Credits for prior learning (CPL) must contact the Registrar Office and provide learning materials detailing the content learned (i.e., hours, subjects, texts, completed work, etc). PL are evaluated by the Registrar Office in consultation with an academic advisor who determines the appropriate way of evaluating prior learning, which may include standardized exams, third-party evaluations, oral interview/examinations, portfolios, and projects, and individualized assessments). Prior learning must be deemed college level by the faculty and must meet or exceed the “C” level work. The process ends with the interview with the Provost, who makes the final determination. CPL is not used in calculations of academic progress or to satisfy requirements for letter-grade work (i.e., a student is not eligible to claim prior learning to receive credit for the letter-grade course or its elements in which the student is enrolled). If awarded, credit for prior learning will be indicated as a transfer credit with a “CR” (credit) grade. To qualify for consideration for CPL transfer, a student must be admitted to the University and enrolled in a degree program.

High school AP courses can be transferred to satisfy General Education requirements of LU undergraduate programs provided a student passed the relevant AP exam with a of score at least 3 out of 5. The syllabus of the course is required to verify the course content and level.

Credit units transferred to LU from other universities or colleges or credited for PL are recorded, but quality points and grades from other institutions are omitted. Transfer of credits after enrollment to the university or cross enrollment is not allowed without a valid reason and should be approved by the Provost. Students who seek to earn an additional degree at LU and wish to use a part of credit units received at LU earlier are treated as students transferring credit from other schools, however the number of credits accepted for the new degree is to be determined but not restricted.

Limitation for Credit Transfers

A maximum of 92 academic semester units of transfer credit with passing grades “C” or better may be applied to the BA degree. A maximum of 72 educational and 6 externship credit units with passing grades “C” or better (as evaluated by the Registrar) can be transferred to the BS degree.

A maximum of 12 and 33 units of graduate work with a grade of “B” or better from recognized schools may be accepted as transfer credit for the Master’s and Doctor’s degrees respectively. In some cases, additional graduate credits may be transferred at the discretion of the Chief Academic Officer or for courses taken from affiliated institutions / articulation partners or cooperation programs.

Credits earned more than 10 years prior to matriculation at LU cannot be transferred. Exemptions may be granted to students with college degrees for general education or foundation courses. CPL can be granted to the bachelor level courses only.

All credits transferred from other institutions of higher learning or accepted for prior learning through work experience should be evaluated during the admission process and included into students’ enrollment agreements prior to the registration. The maximum time for transferred students to complete a degree program is evaluated and reflected in the student satisfactory academic progress (SAP).

Notice on Transferability of Credits Earned at Lincoln University

The transferability of credits earned at LU is at the complete discretion of an institution to which the student may seek to transfer. LU does not imply, promise, or guarantee that any credit earned at the University will be transferable or accepted by other institutions. The student is responsible for contacting an institution to which he/she is transferring, after attending LU, to determine if credits are transferable.