Transfer Credits
It is generally expected that undergraduate students in the College of General Studies will complete their required courses at Boston University. Students will only receive Boston University credit if courses have been approved (see below). Students may not earn BU Hub units with external courses. Grades earned outside of Boston University are not computed in the student’s Boston University grade point average, and course credit will only be given for approved external courses if the grade earned is “C” or higher. Pass/Fail and audited courses are not accepted. In the event that a three-credit course is approved, the student might require additional course work toward the BU degree due to a deficiency in credit hours. Information on CGS’s Transfer Credit Policy can be found in the BU Bulletin.
Transfer Credit Instructions for each CGS program of study can be found below.
Gap Semester Courses
During the Gap Semester, you may take external courses. It is critical that you discuss external course(s) selection with a CGS academic advisor first, before enrolling in a course. Students can only take classes part-time as a non-matriculated, non-degree student. Gap Semester courses can not be used towards CGS Program Requirements.
STEP ONE: Make an appointment with your CGS Advisor
One week after you establish your BU email, schedule an appointment with your advisor through Advisor Trac. Call Student Services at 617-353-2850 if you have any questions. To prepare for the meeting with your advisor, you may want to review the pathways to a degree.
STEP TWO: Check the transfer equivalency site
After discussing course selection with your CGS academic advisor, go to Boston University’s transfer equivalency site and check to see if the course(s) you plan to take is listed. Boston University’s transfer equivalency site is provided as a guide to how classes taken at other colleges or universities may transfer to Boston University.
STEP THREE: Submit appropriate forms
If the course(s) you plan to take is listed on the transfer equivalency site, complete the Gap Semester Course Request Form. Your advisor will send you an email confirmation that the course(s) is approved for transfer credit. Courses taken without advisor approval are not guaranteed to transfer to Boston University.
If the course(s) you plan to take is not listed on the transfer equivalency site, you will have to have the course evaluated. The University Registrar’s external course approval process can take up to three weeks. Please plan accordingly. In order to evaluate an external course equivalency, please follow the instructions on the External Course Evaluation Request, and email it to credeval@bu.edu. You will need the full course description and the course syllabus in order to have an external course evaluated.
STEP FOUR: Request an official transcript
You must earn a final grade of ‘C’ or higher for BU to accept credit for approved external courses. To get the credits posted on your BU transcript, after completing the approved external course(s), request that an official external transcript be sent directly to CGS using the following address:
Boston University College of General Studies
871 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
All electronic transcripts must be sent to cgs@bu.edu. Transcripts should be sent after you have received your course grade.
Please follow these instructions carefully to ensure that your external transcript arrives to the proper destination so it can be processed in a timely manner.
Current Students
Students who are matriculated on campus as a current freshman or sophomore are permitted to take external courses during summer semesters towards either an elective(s), and/or to make up a CGS required course. It is critical that you discuss external course selection with a CGS academic advisor first, before enrolling in a course.
Elective Credit Evaluation
Go to Boston University’s transfer equivalency site and check to see if the course(s) you plan to take is listed. Boston University’s transfer equivalency site is provided as a guide to how classes taken at other colleges or universities may transfer to Boston University.
If the course(s) you plan to take is listed on the transfer equivalency site, you must talk with your CGS academic advisor before enrolling in the course(s) to ensure that the elective you plan to take fulfills the appropriate BU requirement.
If the course(s) you plan to take is not listed on the transfer equivalency site, you will have to have the course evaluated. In order to evaluate an external course equivalency, please follow the instructions below:
Gather the following materials and bring them to the appropriate Boston University department (contacts can be found in the Bulletin) for evaluation:
- Full external course syllabus
- Full external course description
- Transfer Credit Form – The relevant BU department will either provide this form, or provide instruction on where to obtain one
Once the Boston University department has evaluated the submitted materials, it will notify you whether the course(s) have been approved or not. If the course has been approved, you must submit the approved course form to CGS Student Services, room 211.
You must earn a final grade of ‘C’ or higher for BU to accept credit for approved external courses. To get the credits posted on your BU transcript, after completing the approved external course(s), request that an official external transcript be sent directly to CGS using the following address:
Boston University College of General Studies
871 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
All electronic transcripts must be sent to cgs@bu.edu. Transcripts should be sent after you have received your course grade.
Please follow these instructions carefully to ensure that your external transcript arrives to the proper destination so it can be processed in a timely manner.
CGS Required Course Evaluation
Students planning to transfer credit for a CGS required course must follow the evaluation process outlined below and additionally make an appointment with the appropriate CGS Divisional Chair for course evaluation.
- Humanities: Room 307, 617-353-2876
- Natural Sciences: Room 407, 617-353-2886
- Rhetoric: Room 119, 617-358-2917
- Social Sciences: Room 517, 617-353-2907
You should go to the scheduled appointment with the appropriate CGS Divisional Chair, with the following materials:
- Full external course syllabus
- Full external course description
- External Required Course Approval Form – available online and at CGS Student Services, room 211 (Note: A separate form is required for each course)
Once the CGS division has evaluated the submitted materials, it will notify you about whether the course(s) has been approved. If the course has been approved, you must submit the approved course form to CGS Student Services, room 211.
You must earn a final grade of ‘C’ or higher for BU to accept credit for approved external courses. To get the credits posted on your BU transcript, after completing the approved external course(s), request that an official external transcript be sent directly to CGS using the following address:
Boston University College of General Studies
871 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
All electronic transcripts must be sent to cgs@bu.edu. Transcripts should be sent after you have received your course grade.
Please follow these instructions carefully to ensure that your external transcript arrives to the proper destination so it can be processed in a timely manner.
Courses Taken Abroad Evaluation