Transfer of Credit - Transfer Students

At Tufts, the University’s academic departments authorize transfer credit in their particular disciplines. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions does not determine transfer of credit for accepted or enrolling students.

Upon matriculating to Tufts, newly enrolled transfer students petition the necessary academic departments for transfer credit. During each transfer orientation program in September, a transfer of credit meeting is held, allowing enrolling transfer students to meet with faculty from the academic departments to discuss transfer credit. Please be aware that only courses earned with a grade of C- or better are eligible to receive credit from Tufts. You can also submit a request for credit transfer electronically through the student services webcenter once you have enrolled.

For further information on transfer of credits, please consult pages 43-44 in the Tufts Bulletin. Information on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate can be found in the Tufts Bulletin on pages 38-43.

Tufts employs a course credit system where each semester course is equal to one credit. Students enrolled in the School of Arts and Sciences need 34 semester courses (or credits) to graduate; students in the School of Engineering need 38 semester courses (or credits). Because of the wide variety of academic schedules and course loads at colleges and universities throughout the country and abroad, Tufts does not automatically transfer credit on a course for course basis. Students may only transfer the equivalent of 17 courses in liberal arts or 19 courses in engineering. Typically, courses similar to those offered at Tufts will receive transfer credit; however the actual transfer of credit is the responsibility of the Tufts faculty. If your current institution employs a different credit system you the number of credits you receive at Tufts may not be equal to the number of credits given at the other institution. Where semester hours are used, one 3- or 4-semester-hour course equals one Tufts credit, and one 2-semester hour course equals one-half Tufts credit. Where quarter hours are used, one Tufts credit equals 5.25 quarter hours.

Descriptions of Tufts courses can be found on the Tufts Bulletin. For more information on transfer of credits please visit the Academic Forms page on the Student Services website.