Am I a Transfer Student?
A transfer student is someone who has completed 12 or more college credits at another institution after high school and chooses to attend the University of Lynchburg.
Transferable Credits and the Evaluation Process
The University of Lynchburg accepts transfer courses numbered 100 and above with a grade of “C” or higher (not “C-”). A grade of “C-” will not transfer. Courses graded on a pass/fail basis typically do not transfer to Lynchburg. Credits from courses relevant to your degree are eligible for transfer. The Office of the Registrar and relevant faculty determine the transferability of specific courses in accordance with established standards and procedures.
Upon admission, a transfer evaluation will be conducted to clarify which credits will be accepted. You can receive an unofficial transfer credit evaluation during a campus visit if you bring copies of your transcripts or by contacting the Office of Admissions. The registrar’s office will complete an official credit evaluation after you are admitted, typically within two weeks of your acceptance. To ensure your evaluation is up-to-date, you should request that final transcripts be mailed to the University of Lynchburg upon completing all coursework in progress.
Limitations on Transfer Credits
A maximum of 76 credit hours may be transferred to the University of Lynchburg. Additionally, a minimum of 30% of the required semester hours must be completed in residence at Lynchburg to earn a degree. Furthermore, at least 50% of the major and minor requirements must be completed through Lynchburg courses. Your senior year, defined as the last 33 semester hours, must also be completed at Lynchburg.
Credits from quarter-hour systems are converted to semester hours, with one-quarter hour equivalent to two-thirds of a semester hour.
Transferring Credits and Graduation Requirements
To graduate, you must complete at least 120 semester hours. Transfer credits, when accepted, contribute towards this total. However, it is essential to note the limitations on the number of transferable hours and the requirements for completing a certain number of hours, as well as major/minor coursework, at the University of Lynchburg.
Transfer for Qualifying Associate Degree Students
Through its Articulation Agreement with the Virginia Community College System and other regionally accredited community colleges, the University of Lynchburg offers guaranteed admission to students who have earned associate degrees in arts, science, or arts and science. Students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 are eligible for guaranteed transfer, up to 76 credit hours from VCCS institutions or up to 30% of required semester hours from other regionally accredited colleges.
These associate degrees satisfy the University of Lynchburg’s general education requirements, except for the Senior-Year Integrative Seminar (DELL 400W-level seminar).
Transfer for Qualifying VCCS Passport and UCGS Students
The University of Lynchburg partners with the Virginia Community College System to accept partial general education credit for the Passport and the Uniform Certificate of General Studies programs. Passport and UCGS are micro-articulation agreements wherein students are awarded a portion of their DELL general education credits based on their completion of respective “blocks” in the distinct programs. You can use the VCCS Equivalency Guide to determine which credits will transfer to Lynchburg.
The Passport program consists of six blocks or 16 credit hours. Students who complete the Passport program will receive credits toward graduation for ENG 111 (Block I: Written Communication), but will be required to successfully complete ENGL 123W with a minimum grade of C- to fulfill the DELL general education requirements. The UCGS program consists of seven blocks or 30-32 credit hours.
Writing Enriched Requirements
To complete the Writing Enriched requirement (WE), students must complete at least four writing-enriched courses (WE) to graduate. As a general rule, WE courses must be completed at the University of Lynchburg. For example, transfer credit for ENGL 123 will not automatically apply to the ENGL 123 Writing Enriched requirement. Students with a designated writing-intensive course at another university may request review of the course as a potential substitute for a University of Lynchburg WE course.
The following review process must be followed:
Documentation: The student must provide the following documentation to the Designated Office (e.g., Registrar’s Office, English Department):
An official transcript from the transferring institution, showing successful completion of the course.
Course syllabus from the transferring institution, including a detailed description of writing assignments, grading criteria, and learning outcomes.
Examples of the student’s written work from the course, if requested.
Review: The [Designated Office/Department] will review the submitted materials to determine if the transfer course meets the following criteria for WE course equivalency:
Substantial Writing Component: The course must have included a significant and demonstrable focus on writing, with multiple writing assignments that contribute substantially to the final grade.
Emphasis on Writing Process: The course must have addressed the writing process, including drafting, revising, and editing.
Clear Learning Outcomes: The course learning outcomes related to writing must be comparable to those of the equivalent University of Lynchburg WE course.
Decision: The [Designated Office/Department] will notify the student in writing of the decision regarding the equivalency of the WE course.
Limitations:
Even if deemed equivalent, the transfer credit will not count towards the specific course number (e.g., ENGL 123) but will fulfill the WE requirement. The student’s transcript will reflect the transferred course and the fulfillment of the WE requirement.
The University of Lynchburg reserves the right to make the final determination regarding course equivalency for WE courses.
Appeals: Students who disagree with the decision may appeal it by submitting a written request to the Dean within 14 days of receiving notification.
The WE requirement for students who enter the University of Lynchburg with transfer credits will be amended as follows (based on the number of credit hours completed before enrollment at Lynchburg):
• Two courses for students with 12 or 62 transfer credits
• One WE course for students with 62 or more transfer credits
Impact on Class Standing
Once the transfer credit evaluation is complete, your student classification (first-year, sophomore, junior) will be determined solely by the number of transferable credits. The number of semesters completed at previous institutions does not determine your class standing. The student classifications are defined as follows:
- First-year: 0-24 transferable credit hours
- Sophomore: 25-55 transferable credit hours
- Junior: 56-76 transferable credit hours
