Transfer is the recognition by one institution of education completed at another. It means you can start studying at one institution and then apply to another to finish your degree or diploma.

If you’re admitted, and if the courses you’ve taken are a good match, you’ll be able to use credits you’ve already earned to fulfill some of the requirements for your credential.

Knowing about transfer opportunities will help you make wise choices in your college studies so that you can continue your education toward a degree in your chosen field.

Talk to the Coordinator in your program area to select approved courses.

Please note that completion of college courses does not guarantee admission to a degree program. Admission after completing college courses, like all other admissions, is competitive. Also, there may be limitations on the numbers of students admitted to the degree program. Higher grades improve your chances of successful admission.

Northern College can provide a pathway to a remarkable assortment of post-secondary institutions and programs.

For example, you can start your post-secondary education in a college program such as arts and science. To finish a Bachelor’s degree in arts and science, you have to move to a university or university-college. To finish a degree in a specialized area such as Business, Human Services, Computers or Engineering Technology, you need to transfer to an institution offering an undergraduate degree in your specialty.

You can also transfer to non-degree programs. For example, you can start a Business Diploma at one college and finish it at another. Or you can take distance education courses from a variety of places and transfer the credits to your “home” institution.

Please note that most colleges have a residency requirement that will require you to complete at least one full semester of study (or 25% of the program) at your ‘home’ institution in order to graduate.

Many students feel that starting their post-secondary education at a college is a good move. Colleges are close to home, class sizes are smaller, and tuition may be more affordable.

Northern College has negotiated a number of partnerships which allow Northern students to utilize credits earned at the College for direct admission to specialized programs at other colleges and universities. Other more general transfer agreements apply to all the colleges and certain universities.

Completed Programs: A Block Transfer occurs when a group of courses, often in the form of a certificate or diploma, is recognized for transfer credit.

Example: If you completed a three-year Business diploma at college, you will receive a block credit if you are transferring into a Business degree program at an institution with which Northern College has an agreement. You should be able to transfer directly into the second year or third year of a degree program depending on the agreement.

Individual Courses: You may receive equivalency course credits or unassigned credits. When institutions grant unassigned credit (sometimes called level credit), it often means they don’t offer a course similar to the one you took and therefore can’t assign a course equivalency.

Many credential have room for “elective” courses (those you can choose freely or from a list) that can be used to build credits and fulfill certain requirements. If there’s room, and if your unassigned credits are relevant to the program, you can often use them as electives.

Be sure to keep your course outlines. You will need these to show what was included in the courses you have taken.

Bottom Line – Transfer is based on equivalency. If your courses match the content and standard of the program you are applying to, you will probably get transfer credit. But if the programs are totally unrelated, you may be unable to transfer any credits and will have to start from scratch.

Some of the reasons you might not get transfer credit even if your courses are identified as equivalent: You took only one course where a two course combination was required.

• You failed the course
• You took the course too long ago
• You took too many credits in a certain area or at a certain level. Examples could be including too many electives or introductory level courses
• You didn’t get a high enough grade
• You didn’t get approval first to take a certain course
• You took equivalent courses at two institutions