Transfer Course Policies

ISU follows a semester hour credit system.  

• Transferable credit hours are determined based on the credit hour system used by the originating institution (semester, quarter, unit).
• Credits earned on a system other than semester hour will be converted to semester hours during the transfer evaluation course review. 
  

• Credits transfer to Idaho State University at the course level designated at the institution of origin (upper or lower division).
  • lower division (1000-2000 level) credit MAY NOT be used to meet the university's upper division (3000-4000) credit minimum regardless of the appropriate course equivalencies.

• Courses are evaluated on a course-by-course basis for transferable credit.
• Credit earned from Regionally accredited institutions are transferable (see accreditation tab for more information).
• Credit earned from Non-Regionally accredited institutions will not automatically transfer (see accreditation tab for more information).
• Transfer grades are converted to the ISU grade system with a proceeding T (TA, TC, etc) and do not affect the ISU GPA.

Quarter Credit hour conversion

Credits transferred in from a quarter school have to be converted to the semester system. A quarter credit is equal to 2/3 (0.667) of a semester credit. If a course has been evaluated as equivalent, you will not need to repeat it to make up deficiencies in credit. You will, however, be responsible for earning the minimum total hours required for graduation. See chart below for conversion example:

 If there is a question as to whether or not a transfer courses satisfies a specific departmental requirement, the head of the department concerned will make the interpretation.

Awarding of Credit from Non-Regionally Accredited Institutions

The process for considering possible transfer credits and recognizing undergraduate degrees granted by non-regionally accredited colleges and universities is as follows:

The student must petition the appropriate academic department at Idaho State University.  In addition to formal evaluation of the request, the department may require competency verification.

In the petition, the student must explain how s/he wishes to deviate from university policy.