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Official Transcripts:
Students applying for either freshman or transfer admission must arrange to have official transcripts from all colleges or universities they have previously attended sent to the University of Maine System’s Shared Processing Center. Veterans must also submit an official copy of their Joint Services transcript (JST) or Form DD295.
Application Processing, University of Maine System
P.O. Box 412
Bangor, ME 04402-0412
Current degree-seeking students who have taken one or more courses at another college or university must arrange to have their official transcripts sent to the Office of Student Records (OSR). Students may instead choose to deliver sealed official copies of transcripts to OSR in person. Any transcript that has been opened before it is received by OSR will be considered unofficial when received.
Office of Student Records
5781 Wingate Hall
Orono, ME 04469
Transfer of Credit Within UMS
Current degree-seeking students who have taken courses at other University of Maine System (UMS) institutions do not need to arrange for transcripts to be sent to UMaine. Internal transfer processes will identify their courses. Once grades have been posted, credit for all courses in which the student has earned grades of C- or higher, including P grades, will be applied as transfer credit to their academic record at UMaine (except for ENG 101, which requires a grade of C or higher to qualify for transfer). It is the responsibility of the student to notify the Office of Student Records if grade changes occur at another UMS institution that would require the original credit to be reevaluated.
Credit will not be awarded for institutionally based exams completed at other UMS schools, or for courses which are defined as developmental, post-baccalaureate, graduate level, or professional development.
Accreditation for External Institutions
UMaine accepts transfer credit from accredited colleges and universities whose accreditation is recognized by either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the United States Department of Education (USDE). Colleges and universities which are accredited by one of the organizations appearing on these lists must have been fully accredited at the time coursework was completed in order for the coursework to be eligible for transfer credit.
Transfer Credit from External Institutions
In order to qualify for transfer credit, undergraduate courses must be completed with earned grades of C- or higher. Some courses may not transfer because they are not applicable to any UMaine program of study or are not normally associated with an undergraduate degree program.
Credit will not be awarded for institutionally based exams completed at other colleges or universities, or for courses defined as developmental, post-baccalaureate, graduate level, or professional development.
OSR maintains a transfer equivalency database of courses which are offered at other colleges and universities and are transferable to UMaine.
For courses taken under a pass/fail grading basis at a college or university outside the UMS, the external school must define their “Passing” grade as being equivalent to a C- or higher in order for the course to qualify for transfer credit. Only general elective credit may be awarded for courses taken under a pass/fail grading basis (see the Grading System policy).
Non-degree students, including those enrolled in certificate programs, are not eligible to receive transfer credit.
Evaluation
After a student has been admitted into a degree program, and official copies of their transcripts have been received, an official evaluation of transfer credit will be completed. Following this evaluation any applicable credits will be posted to their academic record and will be viewable in the Degree Progress Report found within the MaineStreet Student Center. Students should consult with their advisor and/or Associate Dean’s Office to determine how their transfer credits may be used to satisfy their specific degree requirements. Students who do not agree with the evaluation of their courses may file an appeal requesting that OSR conduct a secondary evaluation by contacting um.transfer@maine.edu. Appeals must include a course syllabus for each contested course as well as a statement in writing indicating A) which course or courses they are requesting a secondary evaluation for and B) what specific course equivalency or Core Curriculum requirement is being requested for each appealed course. OSR will review appeals with representatives from the appropriate academic departments and will notify students of any approved changes.
Transfer of Courses with Different Credit Hours
In some cases other colleges or universities may offer courses for a different number of credit hours than the equivalent course at UMaine. For example, UMaine offers a 4 credit precalculus course (MAT 122), where other colleges and universities may offer versions for 3 or 5 credits. In these situations, the type of credit awarded at UMaine will depend on whether the external course earned fewer or more credits than the UMaine equivalent, as outlined below:
● Lower number of credit hours earned: Only elective credit (e.g. MAT 100X for 3 credits)
will be awarded. Students seeking to appeal the elective credit awarded should refer to
the transfer appeal process.
● Higher number of credit hours earned: Credit will be awarded for any applicable direct
equivalent course at its normal number of credit hours and any remaining credits will be
awarded as elective credits (e.g. MAT 122 for 4 credits plus MAT 100X for 1 credit).
Subject Specific Credit Limitations
Physical Education skills classes will be limited to a total of eight credit hours and will be annotated on the transcript with an equivalency of KPE 100S. Participation in varsity athletics will not transfer. Emergency Medical Technician courses will be limited to nine total transfer credit hours and will be annotated on the transcript with an equivalency of KPE 100E. First year seminar type courses will be limited to three credit hours and will be annotated on the transcript with an equivalency of FYS 100X.
Grades and GPA
Grades earned in courses completed at other colleges or universities, including any other UMS institution, will appear on students’ transcripts and may be applied toward Core Curriculum and/or degree requirements as long as any minimum grade requirements are met. Such courses will not be used in the calculation of a student’s term or cumulative GPA values. Please review the GPA policy for any other guidelines.
Repeated Courses
Courses taken at other colleges or universities may transfer to UMaine for credit and to meet requirements but will not replace or remove grades earned at UMaine. To replace a grade earned at UMaine, the course must be repeated at UMaine. More information on the Repeat Policy can be found under the Grades and Grading section of the catalog.
Domestic Study Away
Current students should complete a Domestic Study Away form to insure that earned transfer credit will apply toward completion of their degree. Students who are applying for financial aid must complete a Domestic Study Away form, which is available on the OSR website at: http://studentrecords.umaine.edu/forms/
Core Curriculum Requirements
All students are required to pass English 101 or an approved equivalent with a grade of C or better, and to complete UMaine’s Core Curriculum requirements. Note: Students who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university are exempt from the Core Curriculum requirements, except for specific courses required by the major (i.e. writing in the major and capstone). Transferred courses that do not have exact UMaine equivalents, but are accepted for elective credit, may still meet Core Curriculum requirements. Students seeking credit for a specific Core Curriculum requirement may file an appeal with OSR (see Evaluation policy).
Credit from International Institutions
UMaine accepts transfer credit from accredited international colleges and universities, both for international students and for domestic students participating in education abroad programs. Academic transcripts submitted for evaluation must be certified original documents. Documents in a language other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation. The Office of International Programs may request that a student completes an external credential evaluation through an accredited agency in order for UMaine to accept the transfer credits. Contact the Office of International Programs at (207) 581-3437 international@maine.edu for information or visit https://umaine.edu/international/transfer_credit/
Credit for Prior Learning
Students seeking credit for standardized examinations (e.g. AP, CLEP, DSST, IB), Seal of Biliteracy or other foreign language proficiency examinations, departmental examinations, external training or certifications, military service, academic portfolio assessment, etc., should refer to the Credit for Prior Learning policy.
Time Limitations of Course Work
Courses over five years old will be subject to additional review to determine if there have been significant changes.
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