Admissions

Frequently Asked Questions - Transfer Students

The transfer process can be confusing, but don't worry. Below you will find questions that many students have throughout the process. 

 

What are Cincinnati's admission requirements?

Use the links below to determine the course prerequisite(s) and GPA requirements for admissions. If pre-requisite courses are taken outside of the US, please provide admissions with course descriptions and/or syllabi (translate in English if needed).

If you do not currently meet the academic college requirements, you can apply to our Exploratory program. Contact the Transfer Center to advise you or answer questions:

In the Exploratory program, you will complete the requirements needed for your intended program and then complete the process to transition into the program. The links below include transition requirements as well as transfer.

Can I change my major preferences after I've already applied?

If you have already submitted your application but have yet to enroll in your classes, the Office of Admissions can help you change your major preferences. Please contact our Transfer Center and we will will walk you through the steps necessary to change your preferred major.

  • Call us at 513-556-1100 Monday through Friday 8AM to 5PM or an email anytime to  transfer@uc.edu.
  • Drop-In On Campus Monday through Friday 8AM to 5PM.
  • Questions about your application? (5–10-minute conversation) Drop-In Virtual Hours are Monday through Friday 9AM to 4PM.

Does my current college or university have an articulation agreement with the University of Cincinnati?

An "Articulation Agreement" defines a relationship between two institutions of higher education that enables students to more easily transfer from their former institution to the University of Cincinnati. Cincinnati has articulation agreements with several colleges across the country and each agreement is outlined below. Consult the list of agreements below or ask your current academic advisor if your school has an articulation agreement with the University of Cincinnati. If they do have that agreement, you can count on your credits transferring to the University of Cincinnati.

If your current institution does not have an articulation agreement, you can still transfer to the University of Cincinnati.

Articulation agreements are at the discretion of the colleges and are subject to change.

To view a list of the University of Cincinnati's current articulation agreements, please visit the Transfer Pathways website.

Will credits I've already earned transfer to Cincinnati?

The College Credit Services Credit Evaluation Team evaluates how your credits translate to credit at the University of Cincinnati. They only evaluate your overall transfer credit, not how your credits will be applied to the specific program you are applying to. The Cincinnati college which offers the program you wish to enter will determine how your transfer credits are applied toward degree requirements.

For transfer credit to be granted, the institutions you have attended must be accredited by one of six regional accrediting agencies: The Higher Learning Commission, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, New England Commission on Higher Education, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission, and Western Association of Colleges and Schools. You can check your school's accreditation online at www.chea.org.

  • Although you have already earned credits from another institution, you will need to meet the University of Cincinnati's residency requirements in order to be awarded a University of Cincinnati degree. Programs require at least 30 semester hours be earned at Cincinnati. Students are also expected to meet other degree requirements. For specific information about your degree, check individual program requirements.
  • Students transferring from foreign universities must submit a course-by-course credit evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the Transfer Center to schedule an appointment with a Transfer Center team member or transfer@uc.edu. Students can also visit Transferology.com to create a self-serve credit evaluation.

Can I appeal a decision about my transfer credits?

As an enrolled UC student you can work with your academic advisor to go through the Transfer Credit Appeal process.

If you are a transfer applicant, please contact the Transfer Center: transfer@uc.edu. Provide course descriptions & syllabi if possible.

How does my Advanced Placement (AP) credit transfer to Cincinnati?

Credit for Advanced Placement examinations (AP) is granted for scores of 3 or higher. To find AP equivalencies, consult the AP key. Send your original AP scores to the Undergraduate Office of Admissions directly from CollegeBoard. AP credit cannot be granted based on other college's transcripts.

Will my financial aid transfer to Cincinnati?

You can "transfer" your aid when you come to the University of Cincinnati, but the nature of your aid may change when you change schools. Here are some factors that affect how your financial aid transfers to the University of Cincinnati:

  • If you are eligible for aid at one school, your eligibility transfers with you. However, your aid must be re-awarded at the new school. Cincinnati will make the award for an incoming transfer student based on the terms remaining and the amount of federal and state aid that has already been used at the other school.
  • If your current school begins its academic year in the summer, funds already awarded for summer will be counted when reviewing your funding-to-date.
  • Federal Stafford Loan annual limits are based on class level. Therefore, some transfer students' loans will show as freshman-level loans until our system shows that you have been given advanced standing that puts you at a higher class level. Usually, any increase can be retroactive to the point you started at the University of Cincinnati.
  • Institutional aid does not transfer. The University of Cincinnati will not be able to match or replicate scholarships or grants specific to your previous school or type of school (private school Ohio Choice Grant). Also, some federal programs are exhaustive, and we would not be able to give Federal SEOG or Federal Perkins Loan to a mid-year arrival.

How do I transfer my financial aid to Cincinnati?

To receive aid at the University of Cincinnati, you will need to add Cincinnati to the list of schools for which you are requesting aid. Below are a few ways to complete this.

University of Cincinnati's school code: 003125.

If requesting by phone, have a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR) with you. If you do not have a copy of the form, you will need to request a duplicate by mail. After you receive it, you can call back and add Cincinnati to your report.

For information on scholarships for transfer students at UC, visit our transfer scholarships page.

What is Ohio Transfer 36/OT36?

Ohio Transfer 36 | Transfer Credit Ohio : “Students are guaranteed the transfer of applicable credits among Ohio's public colleges and universities and equitable treatment in the application of credits to admissions and degree requirements. This site provides information on general education coursework that students can complete and transfer. Students can complete specified General Education courses anywhere in the public system.”

Click here to see a listing of approved courses to transfer and apply to a degree/major at Ohio's public institutions of higher education.

Contact the Transfer Center to see how OT36 applies at UC!

What are my responsibilities as a transfer student during my admissions process?

To transfer with maximum applicability of transfer credit, prospective transfer students must plan a course of action to meet the requirements (both academic and non-academic) of the institution into which they wish to transfer. Planning for transfer should begin as early as possible. Delays in developing and following an appropriate plan or changing one's plan (e.g. changing majors) may reduce the applicability of transfer credit to the degree program ultimately selected.

Prospective transfer students should:

  • Contact the the Transfer Center to gain program/degree and transfer information and work with an advisor to assist in preparing a course of study to meet the academic requirements for the intended program/degree. When possible, courses should be selected which satisfy requirements at the receiving institution to maximize applicability of transfer credit. (Articulation agreements between schools facilitate transferring.)
  • Be aware that remedial and developmental courses generally are not applicable to any degree program.
  • Be aware that changes in course of study (e.g., change of major) will most likely reduce the number of credits which are applicable to the program ultimately selected at both the sending and receiving institutions.
  • Understand the policies and procedures of the institutions to which they are applying, including application fees, transfer admission, course transfer, financial aid, scholarship, and housing. This includes being aware of deadlines, restrictions, and other criteria, such as the policies on deposits required prior to enrollment and the dates when refunds of those deposits are available (if refundable).
  • Complete all material required for application and submit the application on or before deadlines.
  • Request your transcripts to be sent to the University of Cincinnati. University of Cincinnati staff cannot request transcripts from another college or university on a student's behalf.
  • Notify each college or university where they are offered admission, whether they are accepting or rejecting the offer, as soon as they have heard from all the institutions, or by the deadline date set by the respective institution.
  • Confirm their intention to enroll and submit a deposit to only one college or university by its required notification date.

How do I access my UC email and Catalyst?

You should receive an email within 2-3 business days of confirming your admission to UC with instructions on accessing your UC email and Catalyst. Once you have obtained your username, new students will need to set up your profile using the initial password: Uc!MMDDYYYY (where MMDDYYYY is your full date of birth). If you have difficulty with your login, click here for self-service information on recovering your username and password.

How do I get into contact with my academic advisor?

  • Fall Enrollment – Starts in March 
  • Spring Enrollment – Starts in October
  • Summer Enrollment – Starts in February 

Staff within your academic college will assist you with your advising needs. Once enrollment opens for your admitted term (see above), it typically takes 1-2 weeks after you confirm your offer of admission for your academic advisor information and link to schedule a meeting to show in your Bearcat Portal (under the Bearcat Bio tab).

Do I need to send transcript(s) to UC?

You are required to send an official transcript from every college or university you have attended besides the University of Cincinnati regardless of the number of credits you received. Please visit our Application Infomation page to see how to request transcripts.

You are only required to send an official high school transcript if you earned fewer than 24 college credit hours after graduating from high school. If you have completed 24 or more semester credits, your high school transcript requirement will be waived once your official college transcripts are received.

How do I send my transcript(s) to UC?

Your transfer application will not be reviewed until we receive official transcripts sent directly from every college or university you’ve attended. We cannot accept transcripts emailed by you or uploaded copies—transcripts must come from your institution or their approved third-party vendor.

If you have in-progress coursework, request your transcript before the application deadline. It will show your in-progress grades and meet the requirements. After final grades are posted, request a final transcript so you can receive credit. Final grades must appear on the transcript to earn credit. If your school cannot send a transcript showing in-progress coursework, ask them to send an Enrollment Verification letter instead, which will meet the requirement in that case.

To request your transcripts, search on your institution website for their transcript delivery service (and all previous institutions) and request that they send your official transcript directly to UC using one of the following approved methods:

Electronic delivery options:

Put UC as the recipient.

  • Parchment
  • E-Script/Credentials
  • National Student Clearinghouse (NSC)
  • SCOIR
  • Overgrad
  • Scribbles
  • Need My Transcript
  • DiplomaSender

If electronic delivery isn’t available, transcripts can be mailed to:

University of Cincinnati

Office of Admissions

PO Box 210091

Cincinnati, OH 45221-0091

Attn: Processing

If a street address is required:

University Pavilion Visitor Center

2618 University Circle

Cincinnati, OH 45221

If your college/university is outside of the US, please consult our Transferring from a University Outside of the USA guidance.

How do I find housing at UC?

It’s optional for transfer students to live on campus:

UC also provide off-campus housing information: Off-Campus Housing Search

UC offers free Shuttle Services, and for those who drive, learn more about Student Parking Services here.

When should I apply to UC?

Please use this link to see UC’s Deadlines.

What should I do after being accepted to UC?

Review the Admitted Transfer Students  page.