Transferring Credits

EWU is one of the best transfer schools in the country. Each year, nearly 1,200 students transfer to Eastern.

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Transfer Credit Evaluation

In higher education, courses don’t have consistent titles at every college. The introductory chemistry course at one college might be called CHEM 101, but at hte college down the road it could be called CHEM 100, BIOC 101, or something else entirely.

Sometimes the same course means something different, too. For example, “English 101” might be a literature class at one college, but at another it might be a writing class.

So, when students transfer to EWU with credits from other colleges, we need to evaluate the transfer credits.

Remember: Your transfer credit evaluation is a unique and very complex process, especially if you have transfer credits from several schools. We take time to make sure we perform your evaluation right.

Your college transcripts will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. If an equivalent course exists, your transcript evaluation will determine whether it counts as an elective, as a prerequisite for your major, or as a Breadth Area Core Requirement (BACR).

When your credit evaluation is complete, you’ll receive an email with instructions telling you how you can access the evaluation. It typically takes two weeks to evaluate your credits.

You can get an idea of how your credits might transfer by reviewing our Transfer Guide. Questions? Let us know at ewuevaluations@ewu.edu.

Transfer Guide

Priority Consideration

Before your first advising appointment, EWU will evaluate your transcripts and determine which of your credits will transfer. You will receive priority consideration for credit evaluation once you’ve done the following:

  1. Confirmed your admission
  2. Sent official transcripts
  3. Scheduled an advising appointment

Type of Transfer Credits

Transfer credit is generally awarded for courses completed at regionally accredited two-year or four-year institutions. When determining your transferable credits, EWU follows the standards and practices of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). Questions about the transferability of credits completed at institutions which aren’t regionally accredited should be directed to EWU Admissions.

EWU will accept up to 90 lower-division credits towards your bachelor’s degree. After you’ve been admitted to a university major, additional lower-division credit may be allowed. No more than 135 credits (lower- or upper-division) may be accepted in transfer for a bachelor’s degree.

See the complete ins and outs of the policy in the transfer catalog.

A Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA), Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT), Associate of Science Transfer (AS-T) degree and the Washington 45 are restricted to the limits outlined above.

You may earn up to 45 quarter credits for military educational experiences.

Although not required, you are encouraged to submit your Joint Services Transcripts (JST) or Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcripts during your application process.

See the complete ins and outs of the policy in the transfer catalog.

If you’re on active duty or are a military veteran, or if you have a family member who is on active duty or a military veteran, be sure to explore the Veterans Resource Center. It’s the largest VRC in the Pacific Northwest and can help you plan your transition to EWU.

If you’re an adult student who has acquired substantial specialized training outside the classroom, you may earn up to 45 quarter credits for your experience. You can only earn these credits as part of a Bachelor of Arts degree in interdisciplinary studies. Visit the Interdisciplinary Studies website, call 509.359.4876 or email interdisciplinary@ewu.edu for more information.

You can transfer credits to EWU from a university or college outside the United States. To learn more, contact a credential evaluator at 509.359.2397 or visit the international student website.

Transfer Credits for Coursework Completed Outside the United States

Your transcripts from universities and colleges outside the United States must be reviewed by an evaluation service. You are responsible for making sure all required documents are sent to the evaluation service.

Approved Evaluation Services

DO NOT send transcripts for coursework completed outside the United States to Eastern Washington University for evaluation. EWU cannot review your international transcripts for transfer credit.

Choosing an Evaluation Service for International Credit Evaluation

EWU accepts evaluations from any credential evaluation service that is a member of NACES, the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. You can select an evaluation service from a list of NACES members.

Submitting transcripts, applications and funds to a paid evaluation service is your responsibility. Send official course descriptions in English with your evaluation.

Do not send transcripts to EWU for transfer credit evaluation. Documents sent to EWU will not be returned.

Follow the instructions of the credential evaluation service. Send required documents directly to the evaluation service. Request that your evaluation results be sent directly to EWU.

You can transfer some Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Running Start or College in the High School credits to EWU.

See the complete ins and outs of the policy in the transfer catalog.

You may be able to transfer as many as 90 lower-division quarter credits and up to 45 upper-division quarter credits.

You might have more transfer credits than you think.

General Rules for Transfer Credits

Official transfer credit policies are in the EWU catalog.

Speaking generally, EWU accepts transfer credit for all work completed at regionally accredited institutions of higher education:

  • Most community and junior colleges (excluding technical programs)
  • Most public and private universities and colleges
  • Some for-profit schools
  • Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)

If your credits come from a nationally accredited institution, however, your credits likely will not transfer.

  • Most technical institutes
  • Most vocational programs
  • Some for-profit schools
  • Joint Services Transcripts (JST)

EWU follows the transfer credit practices outlined by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

College Credit Earned in High School

You’ll receive college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) examinations given by the College Board after we receive your official scores. The AP chart shows current score requirements and corresponding credits awarded at EWU.

You’ll receive credit for Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) exam results of “5” or better after we receive your official scores. Acceptability of credits toward major requirements or your Breadth Area Core Requirement (BACR) is determined by individual departments. The IB chart (PDF) shows current score requirements and corresponding credits awarded at EWU.

You can receive credit for CLEP tests after we receive your official scores. Acceptability of credits toward major requirements or general education requirements is determined by individual departments. The CLEP chart (PDF) shows current score requirements and corresponding credits awarded at EWU.

Credits earned through Running Start in the state of Washington are treated like any other transfer credits. Running Start credits earned at EWU are automatically accepted.

If you didn’t earn at least 40 college credits after high school graduation, you’ll need to meet freshman admission criteria even if you have more than 40 total transferable college credits.

College in the High School (CIHS) courses will be accepted as transfer credit if they are from a regionally accredited college or university and are consistent with our general transfer credit policy.

College in the High School credits earned from EWU are automatically accepted.

If you didn’t earn at least 40 college credits after high school graduation, you’ll need to meet freshman admission criteria even if you have more than 40 total transferable college credits.

Credits earned as part of dual credit programs in other states are treated like any other transfer credits. They will be accepted as transfer credit if they are from a regionally accredited college or university and are consistent with our general transfer credit policy.

If you didn’t earn at least 40 college credits after high school graduation, you’ll need to meet freshman admission criteria even if you have more than 40 total transferable college credits.

You can transfer some Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Running Start or College in the High School credits to EWU.

Our Transfer Guide

Eastern Washington University uses a transfer guide to help you discover how your credits transfer to EWU. For example, will your writing class from your community college transfer as English 101 or English 201? Our guide can probably tell you.

If you’re wondering about a course that might count toward requirements for your major but you can’t find that particular course in the transfer guide, you can email us at admissions@ewu.edu.

Transfer Guide

A Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) and Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT)

If you’ve earned an approved degree from a participating community college, take advantage of some serious benefits.

  • Automatic admission. If you earned your AA from a community college in Washington or Oregon or from a select community college in Idaho or Montana, you will be automatically admitted to EWU.
  • Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACRs). You already passed Writing 101. We’re not going to make you pass it again. In fact, you’ll be done with most, if not all, of your lower division general education requirements. Those courses have a fancy name at EWU: BACRs. Transfer students with a DTA typically have to take international studies or cultural and gender diversity courses, however.
  • Junior standing. You’ll still be a new student, but you’ll start your Eagle career as a junior.
  • Peace of mind. When you plan ahead, you can prepare for your EWU bachelor’s degree by taking courses that are prerequisites or requirements for your intended major.

EWU participates in transfer agreements with all community colleges in Washington and Oregon and with specific community colleges in Idaho and Montana. In Washington, the agreement is called a DTA, and in Oregon it’s called an AAOT.

What is a DTA or AAOT?

A direct transfer agreement (DTA) and an associate of arts Oregon transfer (AAOT) are agreements between EWU and community colleges. If you graduated from a community college that has a DTA or AAOT with EWU, your Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree credits will transfer to EWU. Once we receive your official college transcript, you’ll be treated as though you met lower division general education requirements.

You’re also given priority consideration in the admissions process, and you’ll be considered a junior.

Specific majors may have requirements that a DTA or AAOT can’t meet, so it’s important to work with an advisor to plan your courses.

Associate of Science Transfer (AS-T) Degrees

If you’ve completed an Associate of Science Transfer degree (AS-T) on either Track 1 or Track 2, you will receive junior standing (90 credits) and will be able to transfer any Breadth Area Core Requirement (BACR) courses that were required by your two-year school. In most circumstances, you’ll need to complete additional BACRs at EWU to meet graduation requirements and prerequisites for certain programs.

The Washington 45

  • ENGL 101 or ENGL 102

  • MATH 107, MATH 148 or MATH 151

10 credits must come from two different subject areas or disciplines:

  • PHIL 101
  • MUSC 105
  • DRMA 101
  • ENGL 111
  • HUM 101

For colleges where history fulfills humanities requirements:

  • HIST 116, HIST 117, HIST 118, HIST 146, HIST 147 or HIST 148

10 credits must come from two different subject areas or disciplines:

  • PSYC 100
  • SOC 101
  • POLS 101 or POLS 202

For colleges where history fulfills social science requirements:

  • HIST 116, HIST 117, HIST 118, HIST 146, HIST 147 or HIST 148

10 credits must come from two different subject areas or disciplines:

  • BIOL 100 or BIOL 160 with lab
  • ASTR 100 or ASTR 101 with lab
  • CHEM 105, CHEM 110 with lab, CHEM 121 with lab, CHEM 161 or CHEM 162
  • ENVS 100 or ENVS 101
  • PHYS 121
  • GEOL 101 with lab

Can be in a different discipline from any category listed above.

You can review the official Washington 45 document from the Intercollege Relations Commission.

Are you attending a Washington public community or technical college but not planning to finish your associate’s degree?

If you complete the first-year courses from the qualifying courses list, you will be able to transfer up to 45 quarter credits toward breadth area requirements at EWU and any other public university or college (and most private colleges) in the state.

Make sure you have a 2.0 in those courses, and be aware that you still have to meet all of EWU’s admissions requirements to be accepted.

Washington 45

What can I do if a course doesn’t transfer?

Contact EWU Records & Registration – Transfer Credit Evaluations at ewuevaluations@ewu.edu and connect with a credential evaluator. An expert evaluator will answer your questions about transfer work and how we might count your courses from another college. Evaluators review courses towards EWU general requirements and coordinate review with faculty about specific departmental requirements. Remember, developmental or remedial courses typically will not transfer to EWU.