Colorado State maintains transfer guides with all community colleges in Colorado. Each guide consists of policies and practices for the acceptance of college credit, a list of courses which transfer to Colorado State, and an outline of academic programs. Students considering transfer are encouraged to meet with transfer advisers at their current institution as early as possible.

The General Examinations measure college-level achievement in five basic areas of the liberal arts: English composition, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and social science/history.  The test material usually covered in the first two years of college is often referred to as the general or liberal education requirement.  Therefore, if a student takes a college-level course in a particular area, credit will not be allowed for the CLEP General Examination covering that area.  Prior to July 1, 2001, students scoring 500 or higher on the General Examinations will be awarded a minimum of 3 semester credits for each examination or a maximum of 30 semester credits for all 5 examinations.  Beginning July 1, 2001, students scoring 50 or higher on a computer-based examination will be awarded a minimum of 3 semester credits for each examination or a maximum of 30 credits for all 5 examinations.

The Subject Examinations measure achievement in specific college courses and are used to grant exemption from and credit for these courses.  Students scoring at or higher than the mean scaled score through June 30, 2001 on specific Subject Examinations will be granted credit in the amount allowed for the Colorado State equivalent course or courses.  Beginning July 1, 2001, students scoring 50 or higher on a computer-based specific Subject Examination(s) will be granted credit in the amount allowed for the Colorado State equivalent course or courses, except for French and Spanish Languages - 4 semesters (see chart below).  Students who are enrolled in or who have successfully completed a course at a higher level may NOT receive credit for a lower level prerequisite.

The International Baccalaureate is a comprehensive course of study for academically-talented, high school students in select high schools throughout the world.

Questions about the IB Program should be directed to International Baccalaureate North America, 475 Riverside Dr, Suite 1600, New York, NY 10115, (212) 696-4464 or IBNA@IBO.ORG.

Colorado State University awards credit for most examinations on which a score of 4 or higher is earned and credit for any given exam is awarded at the standard level or higher level.  Credits awarded may be used toward the 120 credit minimum requirement for graduation and may be used toward general education requirements.

The number of credits awarded for successful completion of an IB Diploma program will be a minimum of 24 semester credits. If a score of less than 4 is received on an exam, the number of credits granted will be reduced accordingly.

Enrolled students who expect to take undergraduate courses at another institution for transfer to Colorado State University must obtain a Request for Permission to Take Off-Campus Course Work from the Degree and Transfer Evaluation Office, Centennial Hall (formerly Adminstration Annex). The appropriate academic department must determine if courses will fulfill Colorado State degree requirements before the students enroll for the transfer work.

Students are responsible for insuring an official transcript will be sent to the Degree and Transfer Evaluation Office after the completion of the off-campus course work. No credit will be evaluated until an official transcript has been received. Courses with less than a C- grade are not accepted as transfer credit toward a degree at any time, in any major. The mailing address is: Degree and Transfer Evaluation, Colorado State University, 8021 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-8021.

The student must file an Application for Readmission with the Office of Admissions prior to leaving campus if the course work is taken any term other than summer session.

Colorado State will award transfer credit for academic work done under the sponsorship of non-collegiate institutions, if the courses proposed for transfer:

Those who wish to request such transfers should contact the Degree and Transfer Evaluation Office of the Registrar's Office, Centennial Hall (formerly Adminstration Annex), (970) 491-7147 or 491-7159.

Regular academic courses completed with a "C-" or better grade are generally accepted in transfer to Colorado State.  Courses that are not equivalent in content to any course at Colorado State will be accepted as elective credit.  Credit will be allowed in transfer for all academic pass/fail courses in which a passing grade that is equivalent to a "C-" or better has been awarded.

Not all courses accepted in transfer to Colorado State are accepted with the assurance that they will count toward a specific degree.  The departmental requirements for the various bachelors' degrees vary considerably and, therefore, the department head for a particular degree program determines which courses must be completed to satisfy departmental curriculum requirements.

A maximum of 64 semester credits may be accepted in transfer from an accredited two-year institution.  Credit earned at a two-year institution cannot be assigned as equivalent to Colorado State's 300- and 400-level courses.

Completion of an AA or AS from a Colorado community college, and/or completion of the gtPathways curriculum, waives any unfulfilled requirement of the All-University Core Curriculum (AUCC) [with the exception of Category 4 - Capstone Requirements].

1.  Sub college-level courses, which by name or description are developmental, remedial, or preparatory, such  as remedial English, developmental reading, preparatory mathematics, and pre-college math.
2.  Courses of a vocational/technical nature are generally not transferable.  However, if such work is judged to be pertinent to the needs of a particular curriculum, credit will be granted upon the recommendation of the department head and college dean responsible for the student's curriculum.  Likewise, vocational/technical courses similar in content and level with courses taught at Colorado State may be accepted for credit upon the recommendation of the Colorado State department offering the course.
3.  Terminal courses offered at many two-year institutions, if not offered for the purpose of transfer to a  university, usually are clearly labeled as nontransferable in the two-year institution's catalog. 
4.  Nursing courses are considered to be included under the Colorado State policy regarding courses of a  vocational/technical nature (see 2).
5.  “D” grades are not accepted in transfer by the University.
6.  Courses in religion taught at any accredited institution will be evaluated on the basis of the particular orientation of the course, as determined by the department offering similar courses at Colorado State.  Extension courses in religion are not accepted for credit unless they appear on the transcript of an accredited institution

Colorado State encourages qualified students to study abroad through approved study abroad programs.  Programs include the Colorado State University Reciprocal Exchange Programs which provide for study in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, France, and Spain for the same tuition charged at Colorado State.  Also offered are Colorado State sponsored Study Abroad programs which allow study in the Czech Republic, Wales, Italy, New Zealand, Australia and Spain for a semester at a very reasonable cost.  In addition, students may also study abroad throughout the world on approved programs sponsored by other institutions which range in cost and duration from three weeks to one year. Pre-approved credits do transfer back to the University and may be used toward the upper division in-residence requirement.  Financial aid can be used in most study abroad programs.  Pre-approved programs beginning with Summer 2000 fulfill the All-University Core Curriculum (AUCC) Category 3E Global and Cultural Awareness requirement.

For more information contact:

Office of International Programs
Colorado State University
Laurel Hall
Fort Collins CO  80523-1024
Phone:   (970) 491-5917
FAX:      (970) 491-5501                                
e-mail:  studyabroad@colostate.edu
web: http://www.international.colostate.edu/