Transferring credits to SMU

• Courses below college level, such as developmental English, math, and reading courses, as well as ESL courses
• Vocational-technical courses, including Workforce Education courses
• Physical education activity courses exceeding two credit hours
• Correspondence courses
• Courses completed at non-regionally accredited institutions
• Courses with a grade below C- (Note: While these courses are non-transferable, the grade is factored into the all-college GPA, which is used for admission eligibility and calculating Latin honors at graduation.)
• Credit by examination earned at another college or university

SMU accepts transfer courses from regionally accredited colleges and universities. Vocational and remedial courses are not eligible for transfer.
Here are two tools to assist with transfer planning:

• The Equivalency Course Tool shows how courses transfer to SMU. It includes courses that have already been reviewed by the university, and new courses are added as they are evaluated. Transferable courses without a direct SMU equivalent are awarded elective credit with a generic course number like “XX” or “YY.”
• Transfer Pathway Guides help you match your transfer coursework with SMU's degree requirements. These guides provide details on admission procedures, academic programs, and how your courses will transfer to SMU.

Upon admission, you'll receive a Transfer Evaluation Report (TER) that shows which courses have been approved for SMU credit, and also the reasons why other courses were deemed non-transferable.

This will be emailed to your SMU email address and posted in your my.SMU account. Information on how to access your SMU email is available in your admission portal.

Courses not directly offered at SMU may receive generic course numbers or free-elective transfer credit. These courses, completed with a grade of "C-" or better, must come from regionally accredited institutions. Generic course numbers include designations such as “XX,” “YY,” “U1,” or “U2.”

Current SMU students planning to take transfer courses must complete a Petition for Advanced Approval of Transfer Credit through their academic records office.

If a course is deemed non-transferable, a code explaining the reason is provided on the right side of the Transfer Evaluation Report. Refer to the table below for explanations of these codes.

If a course on your Transfer Evaluation Report is marked as NTCN (non-transferable due to content) or NTPL (non-transferable due to policy), but you believe it should transfer, email Transfer Student Services at transfer@smu.edu for assistance.

SMU accepts “Pass” grades for transfer courses if the awarding institution's grading scale defines "Pass" as equivalent to a grade of C- or better. For example, if a course is marked as “P” at the transferring institution and meets the C- or better standard, SMU will evaluate it as “Pass” and award credit.

SMU students are limited to a total of 12 hours of Pass credits, which includes grades from accepted transfer courses. This requirement cannot be waived.

If a course isn’t listed in the Equivalency Course Tool, it will be evaluated after SMU receives your official college transcript. If you’re planning for a future transfer, contact Transfer Student Services at transfer@smu.edu to inquire whether the course is transferable.

Current SMU students planning to take transfer courses must complete a Petition for Advanced Approval of Transfer Credit through their academic records office.

If a course on your Transfer Evaluation Report is marked as NTCN (non-transferable due to content) or NTPL (non-transferable due to policy), but you believe it should transfer, email Transfer Student Services at transfer@smu.edu for assistance.

By reviewing the course description, textbooks, objectives, assignments, credit hours, prerequisites, and program quality. This review is conducted by the SMU school that oversees the specific course discipline.

Yes. SMU accepts online and hybrid courses (partly online and partly face-to-face) as long as they meet all transfer requirements. Current SMU students planning to take transfer courses must complete a Petition for Advanced Approval of Transfer Credit through their academic records office.

Yes. SMU awards credit for select Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and some international exams such as the General Certificate of Education A-Level (UK), the Baccalaureate (France), the Abitur (Germany), and the Maturita (Italy).

SMU also offers credit for departmental exams in various disciplines. However, credit for exams awarded by other institutions does not transfer to SMU.

To see the scores required and credit awarded for approved exams, visit the Credit by Examination section.

Yes. Official transcripts are required for all college-level coursework attempted, regardless of transferability.

Transcripts must be sent directly to SMU from the issuing institution to be considered official. Transcripts issued to you are acceptable if they are received in a sealed, letterhead envelope with the Registrar’s Office stamp.

SMU only accepts electronic transcripts sent securely by the issuing institution (e.g., via Scrip-Safe, NSC, or GreenLight). Transcripts sent by students will not be accepted.

Transcripts must be dated fewer than three years prior to processing.

No. Coursework from one institution that appears on another institution’s transcript will not be accepted for transfer credit. An official transcript must be issued by each institution attended. Copies of transcripts provided by other institutions are also not acceptable.

Email transcripts to ugadmission@smu.edu or mail to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
SMU
P.O. Box 750181
Dallas, TX 75275-0181

Your Transfer GPA is calculated using all transferable coursework and is considered for both admission and transfer scholarship eligibility.

The most recent grade is used for repeated courses where the original grade was "F" or "D." For repeated courses where the original grade was C- or higher, all grades are included in the transfer GPA calculation, but credit is awarded only for the first successful attempt.

To qualify for transfer grade replacement, the repeated course must be taken at the same institution where the original grade was earned or must carry the same course number under a statewide course numbering system.

A grade of W (Withdrawn) is not included in the transfer GPA. A grade of I (Incomplete) or a missing grade is calculated as an F. A grade of IP (In Progress) for a current term is not calculated.

Coursework completed in probationary or conditional programs is also included in the Transfer GPA calculation.

For majors requiring a subset of courses and specific GPAs for entry, the subset GPA is calculated using the first graded attempt of these courses, regardless of whether the course was failed or later repeated.

No. Transfer course grades are not included in the calculation of major or minor GPAs.

Yes. SMU recognizes that students may occasionally need to complete courses elsewhere. However, post-matriculation transfer credit is only granted for coursework taken at regionally accredited four-year colleges and universities.

You must submit a Petition for Advanced Approval of Transfer Credits before enrolling in courses at another institution, along with approval from the following:

• Academic advisor
• Chair of the SMU department offering the equivalent course
• Course’s records office, academic dean, or director
• Student’s records office, academic dean, or director
• Assistant Provost for General Education (required for courses with Common Curriculum implications, even if a CC component is not requested)

Equivalent courses are evaluated based on course description, textbook, course objectives, assignments, number of credit hours, course prerequisites, and program quality.

No. Transfer credit is evaluated for equivalency but does not necessarily fulfill degree requirements. Students must work with their academic advisors to determine if transfer credits meet specific degree requirements. Students should also consult the SMU Undergraduate Catalog and/or the academic dean of their college or school for additional information.

Students who fail to obtain prior approval may later petition for transfer credit, but there is no guarantee it will be granted.

SMU advises students to:

• Select courses as similar as possible to those offered at SMU.
• Avoid deferring basic required courses with the expectation of completing them elsewhere.
• Complete foundational courses at SMU to better prepare for subsequent courses.

After matriculating (officially enrolling) at SMU, students may transfer a maximum of 30 credit hours. This limit does not apply to transfer hours earned before officially enrolling in SMU.

You can designate which of their courses will apply to the 30-hour limit.

Yes. You may revise transfer-credit designations. These changes should be made in consultation with your records offices to ensure proper credit allocation.

Yes. SMU accepts “Pass” grades for transfer courses if the awarding institution’s grading scale defines “Pass” as equivalent to a grade of C- or better. For example, if a transferring institution considers “P" as passing with a C- or better, SMU will evaluate and award credit for the course.

You are limited to a total of 12 hours of “Pass” credits, including grades earned for accepted transfer courses.

No. The 12-hour limit is a firm requirement and cannot be waived.

SMU has partnered with several institutions to help students transition seamlessly to the university. These include:

• Collin College
• Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD)
• McLennan Community College
• Tarrant County College District (TCCD)
• University of New Mexico - Taos

To check your courses that transfer to SMU, use this tool.

The University Honors Program offers highly motivated students of all majors the opportunity to enhance their academic experience. To be eligible, you must have a transferable GPA of 3.7 and complete a short application process.

Contact your admissions counselor for an application.

UHP students satisfy the University Curriculum through small, discussion-based honors classes and engage in a vibrant honors community. This community hosts a variety of optional events, including lectures, field trips, book discussions, lunches, and dinners. Fellowships for independent research are also available. Students who complete the UHP graduate with honors from the University.

SMU allows students to exclude coursework taken 10 or more years prior to the term of admission. These courses will not be considered during the admission review, will not count toward the transferable GPA, and will not be included in the calculation of hours earned for transfer to SMU.

To request academic forgiveness, applicants must:

• Submit official transcripts
• Complete and submit SMU's Academic Forgiveness Form
• Include all required application materials at the time of admission

Yes. You may petition SMU Abroad for approval to study through a non-SMU-affiliated program or university. Petitions must be submitted by October 1 of the academic year preceding the intended semester of study. The review process evaluates the collegiate quality of the program or institution, which is not guaranteed and may take several months.

If approved, students must still complete the regular study abroad application process by the standard deadline. Approval will not be granted for coursework already started.