FAQ
Who is responsible for processing undergraduate transfer credits?
The Transfer Evaluations Office processes undergraduate transfer credits for courses taken prior to attending Brooklyn College. This includes entry of your course work into the CUNYfirst student information system and issuance of a Transfer Credit Report. Although the Transfer Evaluations Office processes your credits, each individual academic department determines the course equivalents and credits.
Who processes transfer credits for students who study abroad or take courses on "Permit" at another CUNY or non-CUNY college?
If you are a current Brooklyn College student and would like to study abroad and transfer those credits back to Brooklyn College, visit the International Education and Global Engagement webpage.
If you are a current student and receive permission to take a course on "Permit" at another CUNY or non-CUNY college, the Office of the Registrar will process your transfer credits. For more information, visit the Permits webpage.
Who processes transfer credits for graduate students?
If you are a graduate student seeking transfer credit, visit the Office of Graduate Admissions, 222 West Quad, or call 718.951.4536.
When will I receive my Transfer Credit Report?
Most undergraduate transfer students will receive a Transfer Credit Report approximately two weeks after the receipt of the acceptance letter from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. However, credit evaluations are completed only for enrolled freshmen. Read everything in your packet carefully. The Transfer Credit Report will be mailed to your home address and includes a cover letter, Transfer Credit Status Notification Form, Transfer Credit Report, and FAQ. It may also include a step-by-step procedure sheet, Evaluating Your Transfer Courses, which explains how to have courses listed as "9999" evaluated. If you are seeking a second bachelor's degree at Brooklyn College, you will also receive a Second Bachelor's Degree—Transfer Credit Request Form. Although the Transfer Student Services Center processes the credits, the academic departments determine the equivalents.
Can I receive a preliminary credit evaluation prior to being accepted to Brooklyn College?
Prospective transfer students interested in attending Brooklyn College can review how their courses will transfer by accessing the following transfer credit tools:
- For CUNY students, use "Evaluate on Transfer Credits" tool on CUNYfirst in Student Center.
- For non-CUNY colleges, including some international colleges, use the BC Credit Tool.
Do you consider credit from all colleges and universities?
Brooklyn College considers transfer credit from any regionally accredited domestic (within the United States) institution, college, or university as well as college-level courses taken in high school. Most international colleges/universities (outside of the United States) are also accepted. In addition, AP, CLEP, IB, and yeshiva/seminary credits are reviewed for transfer credit. Institutions accredited by the New York State Board of Regents are also considered. AP, CLEP, and IB equivalencies can be found under "Important Forms" on the TSSC's main webpage.
How many credits will be accepted?
All courses taken for credit at an undergraduate CUNY college with a passing grade of D- or higher, P, S, and CR, will be accepted for credit at Brooklyn College, regardless of whether a specific equivalency exists. For courses that do not have an equivalent, elective credits will be granted.
Credits are also given for courses taken at non-CUNY institutions with courses that have met the grade requirement of C- of higher. P and S grades must state the representation of a grade C- or better on the legend of the transcript. For courses that do not have an equivalent, elective credits may be granted.
Exclusions may apply for students who use Brooklyn College courses toward a degree.
I am transferring to Brooklyn College with an associate's degree. How will my Pathways be accepted?
- A.A. or A.S. degree from a domestic (within the United States) regionally accredited institution—Students are automatically exempt from the Pathways Required and Flexible Core. You must take six credits of Pathways College Option courses to complete your Core requirements.
- A.A.S. degree from a domestic (within the United States) regionally accredited institution—Students are are not automatically exempt from the Pathways Required and Flexible Core. You may receive exemptions from Pathways Core courses based upon a course-by-course evaluation.
- A.A. or A.S. degree from an international (outside of the United States) institution or an A.O.S degree from a domestic institution—Students are not automatically exempt from the Pathways Required and Flexible Core. You may receive exemptions from Pathways Core courses based upon a course-by-course evaluation.
I am transferring to Brooklyn College with a bachelor's degree. How will my Pathways be accepted?
Students transferring with a bachelor's degree from an accredited college, either domestic (inside the United States) or international (outside of the United States), receive 90 elective transfer credits and are exempt from the Pathways Required and Flexible Core, in addition to the College Option courses. Students who have a bachelor's degree from an international college will be required to take ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1012 at Brooklyn College if not received via transfer credit.
What grade must I receive in my prior college's courses for credit to be considered?
From another CUNY college, all passing grades (A through D-, including CR, P, and S grades) are transferable. From non-CUNY domestic institutions, all grades A through C- are transferable. CR, P, and S grades are transferable only if those grades are equivalent to a C- or above from that particular institution. International grading varies according to country and grading system.
Will my grades from my previous college(s) affect my GPA at Brooklyn College?
Transfer courses do not affect the Brooklyn College GPA. However, transfer course grades are taken into account if you are eligible to graduate with honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude). The Office of the Registrar re-calculates your transfer GPA when you apply for graduation from Brooklyn College.
What does it mean if my Transfer Credit Report is:
- Complete—If you have received a complete or final transfer credit evaluation, all of your transfer credits have been processed and evaluated. There are no outstanding courses, degrees, or evaluations that require further processing.
- Incomplete—If you have received an incomplete or preliminary transfer credit evaluation, additional information is needed in order to complete your evaluation. The Transfer Credit Evaluation Status Notification form, which is included in your Transfer Credit Report packet that is mailed to you, will list what is required to complete your evaluation.
- Closed—If you have received a closed transfer credit evaluation, your evaluation was incomplete but you did not submit your outstanding course work by the transfer credit deadline. As a result, your transfer record is closed and no further documentation will be accepted.
Why are some of the Brooklyn College equivalents listed as "9999R" on my Transfer Credit Report?
Transfer courses that have not been previously evaluated by an academic department at Brooklyn College are listed on your Transfer Credit Report as “9999R” Need Review (e.g., ENGL 9999R, BIOL 9999R). These courses are considered electives. These courses can indeed have a departmental equivalent, however the student has the option to keep the course as "9999R" or get it evaluated as a major course by the respective academic departments. If you have decided to get the courses evaluated you must submit it to the Transfer Evaluations Office, room 306 West Quad or via email: tcevaluation@brooklyn.cuny.edu.
How do I have the courses listed as "9999R" evaluated?
Courses listed as "9999R" can be evaluated by visiting the academic department that best suits the course listed as "9999R" (e.g., a course listed as ENGL 9999 would be evaluated by the English Department) . For step-by-step procedures, refer to the "Evaluating Your Transfer Courses" step sheet under "Important Forms" on the TSSC's main webpage. These procedures do not apply if you are attending or have attended a yeshiva or seminary in the United States. We encourage you to have as many courses evaluated in time for your advisement appointment for registration.
Course descriptions should be printed out from your prior college's website, with a valid URL listed on the bottom of the page, or copies can be made from the college's bulletin with the academic year listed. A course syllabus is also acceptable. If the descriptions/syllabi are not in English, they should be translated by an official translation agency and submitted to the academic department with the original transcript in your native language.
Why does it say "Rejected" in the Status column on my Transfer Credit Report?
Transfer courses may be "rejected" for several reasons:
- The course was evaluated by Brooklyn College and is determined not to have a suitable course equivalent.
- The grade received for the course is not sufficient for transfer credit (see transfer grading policies). If this is the case, it will say "Grade too low" in the Notes section of your Transfer Credit Report.
- Two transfer courses on your report received the same Brooklyn College equivalent (e.g., ENGL 1010). A student cannot receive credit twice for the same course unless the course is listed as "repeatable" in the Brooklyn College Undergraduate Bulletin. If the course is not "repeatable," one of the courses will be listed as "rejected."
What is the transfer credit deadline?
The Transfer Credit Deadline is a set date by which students must submit their transfer credit documentation. This date is always during the first semester of attendance. This includes having all courses listed as "9999R" evaluated by an academic department, submitting official final transcripts with outstanding course work and/or degrees, and any other transfer credit related material. The transfer credit deadline is listed on the email sent to you once your Transfer Credit Report has been created or updated.
My final semester grades from my previous college are not listed on my Transfer Credit Report. What should I do?
If final semester course work is not included on your Transfer Credit Report, you will need to submit a final official transcript from your college to the Transfer Evaluations Office. If you are transferring in from another CUNY College, you do not need to send in a transcript. Please contact the Transfer Evaluations Office to inform us that your transcript has been updated. If you are sending a transcript from outside of CUNY you should send the transcript directly to the college at the following address:
Brooklyn College
Transfer Evaluations Office
306 West Quad Center
2900 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11210
You may also submit your final transcript in person to the Transfer Student Services Center. In order to submit a transcript in person, the transcript must remain unopened in its original envelope with the registrar's signature across the seal. If the transcript is opened by anyone other than a Brooklyn College administrator, it is considered unofficial and cannot be accepted.
How can I receive credit for AP, CLEP, or IB exams?
An official score report or transcript is needed in order to receive credit for AP, CLEP, or IB exams. Student copies or letters cannot be accepted. The official score report should be sent directly to Brooklyn College. See "Submitting Official Transcripts" under "Important Forms" on the TSSC's main webpage. AP, CLEP, and IB equivalencies are also listed on our main webpage.
Does Brooklyn College consider transfer credit from yeshivas and seminaries?
Yes. If you attended a yeshiva or seminary outside of the United States, you are required to take a capstone course from the Judaic Studies Department to receive any amount of credit. A maximum of 27 Judaic Studies credits will be awarded. The Transfer Evaluations Office will process the credits and list all courses as JUST 9999 or "Pending Credits." You would then need to bring your Transfer Credit Report, course descriptions for each of the JUST 9999 courses, and a copy of your transcript to the Judaic Studies Department. After you complete the capstone course, the Judaic Studies Department will send the Transfer Evaluations Office your evaluation. We will process your transfer credits and send you an email to view your Transfer Credit Report via CUNYfirst.
If you attended or are attending a yeshiva or seminary in the United States, you would need to provide the TSSC with a full- or part-time letter to determine the amount of credits you may receive. Those students who study full-time may be eligible to transfer up to four credits per semester, up to two semesters (eight credits). If a student wishes to receive nine credits or more (up to a maximum of 27 credits), he or she needs to complete a three-credit Judaic Studies Capstone Course and receive a grade of B or better in the course. These credits will be granted as elective credit in Judaic Studies. For further information, feel free to contact the Judaic Studies Department, 3111 James Hall, 718.951.5229.
I am unable to visit the Transfer Evaluations Office during office hours. Can I contact you by phone or e-mail?
If you are unable to visit us in 306 West Quad Center, you can contact Transfer evaluations via phone 24 hours a day at 718.951.5263. Note that a representative is available only during office hours. You may leave a message any other time, and a representative will return your call as soon as possible. E-mail inquiries may be made 24 hours a day.