ADMISSION OF TRANSFER STUDENTS

Admission Requirements

Applicants who have attended other colleges or universities after high school graduation are considered transfer students. The applicant must submit official transcripts of all previous college courses attempted whether or not credit was earned and regardless of whether the applicant wishes to transfer any credit. An official transcript must be sent directly to the Office of Admission from each institution attended. All transfer students must

(1) have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.00 on all course work attempted, and

(2) be in good standing (eligible to return) at the last institution attended. Grade-point average is calculated on all course work attempted, including courses which may have been repeated.

Students who have completed fewer than 24 transferable semester hours must, in addition to the above requirements, meet all requirements for freshman admission (see Admission of Entering Freshmen). Test scores and transcripts are also evaluated to determine whether State of Arkansas requirements for developmental course placement have been met. (See page 27.)

Provisional Admission

If a student is currently enrolled at another institution at the time the admission decision must be made, a provisional admission may be granted during the semester immediately prior to the student's registration at the University, provided the following requirements are satisfied:

1. at the time of application, the student must
(a) present the most recent official transcripts (if any) from every college attended,
(b) have an overall grade-point average of at least 2.00 on all college course work attempted, and
(c) have maintained a grade-point average (if any) of at least 2.00 on the last semester of work.

2. prior to registering, the student must present final official transcripts from every college or university attended, demonstrating an overall grade-point average of at least 2.00 on all course work attempted.

NOTE: Transfer students entering in terms immediately following enrollment at another institution may, in special cases, make arrangements to register if a final transcript is not yet available from the previous institution. All other official documentation must be on file. In those cases, final official transcripts showing an overall grade-point average of at least 2.00 on all college course work attempted will be required within a specified time and prior to registering for a second term or semester at the University. Failure to demonstrate the required 2.00 average will result in immediate administrative withdrawal.

International students should refer to the section on "Admission of International Students" for requirements.

Arkansas Assessment of General Education (AAGE) or Rising Junior Exam

All undergraduates in Arkansas public institutions who have earned at least 45 hours of credit toward a degree are required to take the Arkansas Assessment of General Education Exam (AAGE), also known as the Rising Junior Exam.

Students transferring from other Arkansas institutions who have earned 45 or more transferable hours must take the exam during the first week of class, unless the student has documentation that the AAGE was completed at another college or university in Arkansas. The only students who are exempt from the AAGE requirement are those transferring at least 61 degree credit hours from out-of-state or private institutions.

Students who do not meet the AAGE requirement by the last day to register for classes will have their classes canceled for that semester.

Testing Services, 730 Hotz Hall, mails exam registration packets to students' local addresses. For more information on the AAGE, contact Testing Services at 575-2824.

Transfer of Credit

The following policies shall control the granting of credit for course work taken at other institutions:

1. Transfer credits are subject to a two-stage evaluation process. First, the eligibility of the hours for transfer are evaluated by the Office of Admission. However, the student is not promised that credits which are found to be eligible for general transfer will count toward the minimum requirements for a degree at the U of A. The second step in the evaluation will be performed by the academic dean's office or department responsible for the program of study, which will determine whether or not the specific hours satisfy degree program requirements.

2. Grades earned at other institutions are not calculated in the student's grade-point average earned at the University.

3. General transfer credit is awarded for courses in which a grade of "C" or higher has been earned. Course work must be applicable to a baccalaureate degree; credit is not granted for course work that is remedial or technical in nature.

4. In the case of course work taken at institutions not fully accredited by a regional accrediting agency, transfer credit may be denied altogether or may be granted provisionally subject to successful completion of specified courses at the University. Normally, credit is provisionally granted only if the institution is a candidate for regional accreditation.

5. No more than 68 semester hours of lower-division (freshman or sophomore level) course work will be accepted. There is no limit placed upon the number of upper-division (junior or senior level) credit hours that may be awarded in general transfer, but a student must complete at least 30 hours in residence to meet graduation requirements (see Requirements for Graduation in this catalog). Please also refer to the appropriate college section of this catalog for any additional transfer policies that may be specified for a specific degree program.

6. The State Minimum Core (SMC). Act 98 of 1989 requires each institution of higher learning in Arkansas to identify a minimum core of general education courses which shall be fully transferable between state-supported institutions. Under guidelines from the State Board of Higher Education, the SMC consists of 35 hours distributed among the following education areas: English, U.S. history or government, mathematics, science, fine arts and humanities, and social sciences. Students transferring credit with grades of "C" or better from the approved SMC of another state-supported institution in Arkansas may expect to have all these hours applied towards their degree at the University of Arkansas. Each college at the University of Arkansas reserves the right to set additional general education or core requirements above and beyond those in a particular 35-hour SMC, however. The evaluation of transfer credit performed by the receiving college dean's office will determine the extent to which courses transferred as part of a SMC will satisfy degree requirements.

Students should be prepared to submit course descriptions of transfer work if there is any question concerning acceptance of credit toward a degree program. The University reserves the right to revise credit for advanced standing after the student has been in residence.

Please refer to the appropriate college or school section of this catalog for additional information concerning acceptance into specific degree programs.

Arkansas Common Course Index System (ACCIS)

The University of Arkansas participates in the Arkansas Common Course Index System which was developed in 1998 by the Arkansas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers for the purpose of facilitating the transfer of general academic courses between higher education institutions in Arkansas. It is an index of the State Minimum Core courses that are common across all Arkansas institutions. The numbering of indexed courses does not reflect any other state's numbering system. ACCIS course numbers are noted in a footnote to SMC courses on page 39 and 40 under "University Courses that Qualify for the 'State Minimum Core.'" For more information you may contact the University of Arkansas Office of Admission or visit the ACCIS web site at http://www.gccc.cc.ar.us/ arkacrao/ACCIS.HTM.