Transfer Credit

Courses are accepted in transfer if they were earned at a regionally accredited college or university and are either comparable to courses offered at Elmhurst University or commonly regarded as study in the liberal arts. Coursework completed at grade level D or better will be awarded transfer credit. Although transfer courses in which F grades were earned will not receive Elmhurst University credit, these grades are posted on the Elmhurst University transcript and calculated in the combined grade-point average. All official transcripts or score reports of  prior  work,  including  alternate  sources  of  credit (see following page), must be submitted  to  the  University within the first term of enrollment at Elmhurst University.

Unit of Credit: One unit of credit at Elmhurst University is equivalent to four semester hours or six quarter hours of transfer credit.

Acceptance of transfer credit toward the major is determined by the appropriate department chair. Students must successfully complete credits in the major field at Elmhurst University equal in number to at least one-half the total units of credits required for the major.

Courses taken at a community college will not fulfill any of the 10 course credits required at the 300/400 level.

Transfer Grade-Point Average

Transfer students begin with a grade-point average based on all college-level courses attempted for letter grades at previous institutions. Graduation honors are based on the combined grade-point average of all transfer and Elmhurst University courses attempted for a letter grade.

Collegiate Instruction

A maximum of 24 units of credit (96 semester hours) may be presented from four-year institutions toward the fulfillment of the minimum course requirement. Under certain circumstances, the University may accept courses taken at four-year colleges beyond the 24 credit limit (96 semester hours) as excess credit, raising the number of credits needed to graduate.

A maximum of 17.50 units of credit (70 semester hours) may be presented from two-year institutions toward the fulfillment of the minimum course requirement. Under certain circumstances, the University may accept courses taken at two-year colleges beyond the 17.50 credit limit (70 semester hours) as excess credit, raising the number of credits needed to graduate.

Concurrent Enrollment and Transfer Credit

Under exceptional circumstances, students enrolled at Elmhurst University may wish to enroll in courses at other institutions and apply credits earned toward their degrees at Elmhurst University. Appropriate forms are available in the Office of Advising. The written permission of the Vice President for Academic  Affairs  (VPAA),  or  their  designee,  must  be  obtained prior to registration at any other institution.

Once students are enrolled at Elmhurst University, they may present courses from accredited institutions toward the graduation requirements for Elmhurst University only if they received prior endorsement from their advisor and received permission from the VPAA or their designee.

Alternate Sources of Credit

Elmhurst University provides alternatives by which students may obtain credit for areas in which they are competent. Three general principles govern:

  • A maximum of eight units of nontraditional credit (32 semester hours) may be counted toward the graduation total.

  • Credit cannot be awarded that duplicates credit awarded through regular courses or other nontraditional sources.

  • Requests for nontraditional credit are subject to approval by department chairs,

Credit from all alternate sources must be awarded and recorded in the Office of Registration and Records no later than six months prior to the date of graduation.

Credit for Noncollegiate Instruction

Students may be eligible for college credit for coursework completed through associations, corporations, unions, government agencies and the military services. To be considered for such credit, students present the University with documentation of coursework upon submission of the application for admission. Credit for noncollegiate instruction applies only to lower-level elective requirements and cannot duplicate any prior or required coursework.