Undergraduate Transfer Student Guidelines

General Information: At the University of Central Arkansas, transfer credit is evaluated at the time a prospective student applies for admission. The Registrar is the institutional transfer officer responsible for the initial evaluation. This evaluation is based on a recommendation of course acceptability as determined by academic department and college standards.Transfer of Credit: UCA has several opportunities for qualified students to transfer academic credits from Arkansas institutions.

• Course for course, when equal, or as a general elective.
• The Arkansas Course Transfer System (ACTS).
• The Associate of Arts degree articulation agreement developed by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. This option pertains only to students transferring from a two-year Arkansas institution.

Transfer credit is designated by the level at which it is earned. Accrediting, licensure, or certifying agencies may prevent the University form accepting work from two year colleges that is indicated as upper division work at UCA. Transfer courses may require validating for use in some majors and/or minors. A student suspended from UCA who earns academic credit from another accredited college or university during the period of suspension may, if the course is transferable, receive credit for the course at UCA when readmitted. A course is transferable if it is identified as transferable to UCA in the Arkansas Course Transfer System (ACTS) and meets a requirement for a degree at UCA. Courses not part of ACTS may be evaluated by the appropriate academic department chairperson for transferability.Transfer credit is awarded for courses in which an A, B, or C grade is earned. The grade earned for a transfer course does not transfer, only the credit hour value of the transfer course. The University will, however, accept for transfer a maximum of six hours of credit with D grades, subject to the following conditions:

• The transfer of credits with D grades is available only to first-time entering transfer students at the time of admission to the University.
• Prerequisite rules shall apply to transfer of credits with D grades the same as they do to UCA credits.

Admission to the University: An application for admission form may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and should be returned to the office with all required information.

Entering transfer students are required to have a least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. After enrollment at UCA the GPA accumulated in residence at the University shall be the cumulative grade point average.

An official transcript will need to be sent directly to the Director of Admissions by the appropriate institutional official (e.g., Registrar). For placement in freshman Writing and Mathematics, ACT, SAT, COMPASS or ASSET scores are required.

Readmission to the University: Former UCA students who have not been enrolled for one full semester (Fall or Spring) must reapply to the University. An application for re-admission form may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and should be returned to the office with all required information.  An official transcript will need to be sent directly to the Office of the Registrar by the appropriate institutional official (e.g., Registrar) from any institutions attended after separation from UCA. Transfer credit is awarded for courses in which an A, B, or C grade is earned. The grade earned for a transfer course does not get included with the institutional UCA GPA for purposes of standing, forgiveness, honors, graduation requirements, or other similar institutional practices.

Residency Requirements: Eligibility to receive a degree requires the completion of the equivalent of nine months of full-time work taken in residence at the University, during which time at least thirty semester hours of residence credit must be earned. Anyone transferring to the University will be required to earn at least fifteen hours credit in the major and nine hours credit in the minor in residence prior to graduation. Of the last thirty two semester hours offered for graduation, at least twenty four must be completed in residence at the University. This provision does not reduce the minimum residence requirement stated above. This regulation is binding even though the student has sufficient hours of credit otherwise to meet requirements of the major and minor.

There is no limit on the number of credit hours that may be transferred to the university, and the residency requirements will insure the residence credit hours.