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Transfer Credit Overview (Undergraduate)

The Office of Transfer Evaluation Services (TES) provides services to undergraduate students who wish to transfer credits to NSU and to students who wish to obtain college credits for learning experiences outside the class room.

For detailed information on the various processes to transfer credit, review the following information: 

NSU will transfer a maximum of 90 degree-applicable credits toward a degree, including credit for the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), proficiency exams, and prior experiential learning. NSU will transfer courses from previous regionally-accredited colleges and universities for which a student has earned a grade of C or higher. Remaining credits and at least 50 percent of credits in the student's major must be earned at NSU in regular academic offerings.

Applicable credits will be transferred based upon received transcripts. The evaluation of transfer credit will be performed on both unofficial and official transcripts. However, a student will not receive full acceptance to the university until all final official transcripts have been received. Students will be advised to take courses at NSU based upon the completed transfer evaluation.

Admissions and Transfer Policy for Students Transferring from Institutions Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Nova Southeastern University (NSU) has established a university-wide undergraduate transfer policy regarding admission and transfer credit for students who have attended a postsecondary institution that is accredited by SACSCOC.

Transfer students who have earned an Associate in Arts degree or 60 credits from a SACSCOC-accredited institution and are in good academic standing, as defined by the transfer institution, shall be admitted to NSU with junior standing.

Transfer students under this policy shall be governed by the graduation requirements published in the NSU Undergraduate Student Catalog at the point of matriculation.

Transfer students may be required to complete additional courses at NSU prior to the awarding of the baccalaureate degree. The additional courses may include general education requirements and may result in students graduating with more than 120 credits. Should the maximum timeframe for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) be exceeded, their financial aid may be impacted.

Transfer credit will be accepted for a grade of D provided credit has been earned and the student’s academic program at NSU permits the grade. 

Transfer credit will be accepted at NSU for students who have earned an Associate in Arts degree or 60 credits from a SACSCOC-accredited institution and are in good academic standing since the 1992 inception of the Articulation Agreement between Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF) and the Division of Florida Colleges.

Foreign Transcripts

An official course-by-course evaluation must be submitted to be fully admitted to the university and to receive a final transfer credit evaluation. Courses completed at foreign institutions must be evaluated by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)-approved foreign credential evaluation service. For a listing of agencies, visit NACES at www.naces.org/members

NSU's Transfer Credit System is an interactive tool that allows you to view and create an unofficial equivalency review of credits you have earned at other institutions. 

In the event that you are unable to locate an institution or a course in NSU's Transfer Credit System, please complete the Transfer Course Equivalency Request Form for us to determine course equivalencies. You may expect a response within one week of submission. For questions, please contact us at (954) 262-8117 or 800-806-3680, ext. 28117. 

  1. Submit your application for admission.
  1. Submit your unofficial and/or official transcripts from all previously attended institutions to:

Nova Southeastern University
Enrollment Processing Services
Attn: Undergraduate Admissions
P.O. Box Office 299000
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33329-9905

Electronic transcripts can be sent to: electronictranscript@nova.edu 

  1. Once at least one transcript from each previously attended institution has been received and you have been admitted to the university, your transcripts will be evaluated.
  1. You will receive your transfer credit evaluation in the mail with instructions on how to run an online degree audit (DegreeWorks).
  1. If your transfer credit evaluation was completed with an unofficial transcript or any courses in progress, you must submit a final official transcript in order to be fully admitted to the university and to receive your final transfer credit evaluation with instructions on how to run an updated version of your online degree audit (Degree Works).

  2. Schedule an appointment to meet with your academic advisor who can advise you on which courses to take.

We look forward to assisting you during this process.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with a Transfer Evaluation Services Counselor, please contact the Office of Transfer Evaluation Services at (954) 262-8117 or 800-806-3680, ext. 28117.

Please visit our Examinations page.

NSU undergraduate students may convert prior professional and other life experiences into academic credit. All requests for prior learning credit must be initiated before a student completes 24 credits at NSU. Credits earned through prior learning will be posted to the student's academic record after 12 credits are successfully earned at NSU.

1. Full Portfolio (Course Challenge)

Students who intend to challenge a specific college-level course must submit a full portfolio that presents their knowledge of the course topic. Full portfolios are evaluated by an appropriate faculty member. Students may earn a maximum of 25 percent of their credits through the full portfolio process. Full portfolios include course syllabus or course description, resume, autobiography, written skills inventory that compares learning experiences with equivalent course subject matter, and other relevant documents, including certificates, training documents, and verification of employment. Students interested in submitting a full portfolio for academic credit should work directly with the Office of Transfer Evaluation Services.

Sample Portfolio

2. Standard Grants

NSU has established a series of standard college credit grants for common, documented learning experiences. These experiences include certain training courses, certificates, and licenses.

3. Military Service Credit

If you are an active duty service member or a veteran of the United States Armed Forces, you can receive college credit for your military service. All active, retired, and veteran service members from all Army components, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and the Navy, can obtain their Joint Services Transcript (JST)* online and have it directly sent to NSU. Air Force personnel may order a transcript at the Community College of the Air Force.

*JST has advised NSU that some users’ computers may not trust the JST site’s security certificate. If you are unable to click through the warning, you should be able to click the padlock icon in Internet Explorer (it will appear in the address bar) and click “view certificate” and then install the certificate. For Firefox users, you should get an option to add an exception. Chrome procedures should be similar to Internet Explorer. For JST technical issues, please email jst@doded.mil.

Transcripts may be mailed to the address below. The quickest and most secure way to have your transcripts sent is electronically to electronictranscript@nova.edu.

Mail to:

Nova Southeastern University Enrollment Processing Services Attn: Undergraduate Admissions P.O. Box Office 299000 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33329-9905

Transfer credit for physical education and marksmanship is not accepted.

NSU is a proud recipient of the 2017 Military Friendly School designation by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs, STEM Jobs, and Military Spouse. More information and NSU resources for active-military students and veterans is available at the following links:

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