Transferring Credits to an Online Degree Program: How to Save Thousands and Graduate Faster

If you have any previous college coursework, military training, or professional certifications, transferring credits to your new program can save thousands of dollars and months or years of time. Most online universities are surprisingly generous with transfer credits - you just need to know how to maximize them.

How Many Credits Can You Transfer?

Transfer policies vary by institution, but major online universities are among the most generous. SNHU accepts up to 90 credits toward a 120-credit bachelor's (75% of the degree). WGU evaluates all prior learning and awards competency units for demonstrated knowledge. Purdue Global accepts up to 75% of program credits from qualifying sources. University of Arizona accepts up to 90 credits. The practical impact: a student with 60 transferable credits from a community college can finish a bachelor's at SNHU for roughly half the cost and in half the time of a student starting from scratch.

What Qualifies for Transfer

Previous college coursework: Credits from any regionally accredited institution typically transfer. Community college credits, coursework from a previous bachelor's attempt, and credits from other online schools all qualify. Generally, credits must be from courses where you earned a C or better.

Military training: The American Council on Education (ACE) evaluates military training and recommends college credit equivalencies. Most online universities accept ACE recommendations generously. An Army sergeant with 10 years of service might have 30-50 transferable credits from military training alone.

Professional certifications: Many industry certifications (CompTIA, Project Management Professional, SHRM, Six Sigma) translate to college credits. WGU is particularly generous here - IT certifications can cover entire courses in their programs. CLEP and DSST exams: These standardized exams let you test out of college courses for $90-$100 per exam. Passing a CLEP exam can earn 3-6 credits that would otherwise cost $990-$3,000+ in tuition.

How to Maximize Transfers

Gather all transcripts before enrolling. Contact every school you've ever attended and request official transcripts. Include military transcripts (Joint Services Transcript for Army, Navy, Marines; CCAF transcript for Air Force). Submit professional certifications. Provide documentation of all industry certifications. Even expired certifications may qualify for credit at some schools. Take CLEP/DSST exams. Before enrolling, review the CLEP exam catalog and take exams in subjects you're confident about. At $90 per exam vs. $990+ per course (at $330/credit x 3 credits), the savings are enormous. Many military members can take CLEP exams free through DANTES funding.

Ask for a preliminary transfer evaluation before committing. Most online universities will evaluate your transcripts and tell you how many credits they'll accept before you enroll. This lets you compare transfer generosity between schools and estimate your true time-to-completion and cost.

The Community College Strategy

One of the most cost-effective paths to a bachelor's degree is completing your first 60 credits at a community college ($100-$200/credit) and transferring to an online university for the remaining 60 credits. This "2+2" approach can reduce total bachelor's degree cost by 30-50%. Many online universities have formal transfer agreements with community colleges that guarantee credit acceptance and smooth transitions.