Transfer Credit Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs last updated August 2008...

I would like to transfer to Bucks County Community College. What do I need to do to get started with this process?

  • We are very excited that you have chosen to continue your education at Bucks County Community College! Here are some steps you will need to take in order to successfully transfer:
    • Submit an application for admission to the College. Bucks encourages all new applicants to apply online... it is free!
    • If you are a first-time applicant to Bucks, there is a $30 fee if using the paper version of the application.
    • There is no cost to re-apply to the College, regardless of whether you choose to use the paper version or the online version of the application.
  • Contact your previously attended institutions, and request that an official copy of your transcript be forwarded to the following address:

    Bucks County Community College
    Office of Admissions
    275 Swamp Road
    Newtown, PA 18940

  • Fill out the appropriate Transcript Evaluation Request form based upon your entry to Bucks and/or intended major at the College.
  • All versions of this form are available online at the Admissions, Records, and Registration Student Forms page: http://www.bucks.edu/admission/forms.php

How long will it take for you to review my transcript?

  • Please allow approximately 1 month from the time that your transcript is received by the Admissions Office for our staff to evaluate your prior coursework for potential transfer credits.

What is the maximum number of credits I could potentially transfer in to Bucks County Community College?

  • A student may transfer in up to thirty (30) credits to our College.

What is the lowest grade that will be accepted by Bucks County Community College as transfer credit?

  • A student must receive a grade of “C” or better in English courses for them to be considered for transfer credit.
  • A grade of “C-“ or better is needed for all other subjects.

How will I find out what transferred over to Bucks County Community College?

  • If we are able to accept any of your previous course work as transfer credits, you will receive notification via traditional postal mail once your transfer credits have been posted.
  • If we are not able to accept any of your previous course work as transfer credits, you will receive notification via traditional postal mail alerting you of this.
  • PLEASE NOTE: You can see what has been transferred in by checking your Program Evaluation online. You can access this tool, as well as many others, by logging in to your WebAdvisor account.

I have checked my Program Evaluation on WebAdvisor, and there are one or more courses listed at the very bottom under “Other Courses.” I even see a 998 and/or a 999. What should I do?

  • To see if these courses may be counted towards your major, you will need to submit a Substitution of Graduation Requirements form to the Assistant Academic Dean (AAD) who oversees your program of study at Bucks.

    PLEASE NOTE: Substitution waivers are not decided upon by the Admissions staff. Also, filling out the Substitution of Graduation Requirements form does not guarantee the approval of your request.

  • Here is some more information about requests for Substitution of Graduation Requirements:
    • In addition to the online version of the form, hardcopies are available from the Academic Department under which your current major falls.
    • Requests for Substitutions must first be approved by the recommendation of a Departmental Committee.
    • Next, the recommendation of the Assistant Academic Dean who oversees your major is needed.
    • The decision of the Dean of Academic and Curricular Services is the last step in the approval process.
    • Only after all three approvals are obtained, will the Graduation Specialist update your records. Once your records have been updated, your Program Evaluation will reflect any approved changes.  
    • Please allow approximately 1 month from the time you submit your Substitution of Graduation Requirements form to the Academic Department under which your major falls for it to go through the review and approval process.

I went to another college located within the United States. How do I know if you will review my credits through traditional means?

  • For “traditional” evaluations, we will only accept coursework from an institution that has been accredited by one of the following six (6) regional accreditation agencies:
    • Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
    • North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
    • New England Association of Colleges and Schools
    • Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools
    • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
    • Western Association of Colleges and Schools

My previous college is not accredited by one of the above listed regional accreditation agencies. What other methods are there to obtain credit, if I think my prior learning applies to my current major here at Bucks County Community College?

I went to a college located outside of the United States. Will you still evaluate my credits for potential transfer credit?

  • Please check http://www.bucks.edu/international/agencies.php for a list of evaluation services that Bucks County Community College accepts.
  • In order for Bucks County Community College to evaluate your credits for potential transfer, you will need to send an official copy of your foreign transcript to one of the agencies listed.
  • The agency will translate your prior coursework and will determine the United States equivalency for the credits earned at the foreign institution.

    PLEASE NOTE: In order to be considered “official” the translation that is generated must come directly to the College in a sealed envelope from the evaluating agency. Any faxes, photocopies, or documents in opened envelopes that a student provides us with from these agencies are considered “unofficial,” and cannot be accepted for transfer credit and/or for financial aid purposes.

How will transfer credits affect my application for the Clinical Component of the Nursing Program?

  • Following is the list of admission requirements for conditional acceptance into the clinical component of Nursing:
    • Currently enrolled in the College, and have taken the three assessment tests
    • Met all high school requirements
    • Curriculum Code of 2035 (Nursing)
    • Have a grade of C or better in ALL courses required in the Nursing Program of Study, taken before applying for admission into the Clinical component of Nursing.
    • All required courses, with a grade of less than C, taken prior to entry into the clinical component of the Nursing Program MUST be repeated before acceptance into the clinical component.
    • Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 at Bucks. If additional seats are available a sliding scale will be used to accept students with a GPA of minimally 2.0.
    • SAT of 900 or above, OR ACT of 20 or above OR, NLN-RN Pre nursing exam of 50th percentile or above.

      PLEASE NOTE: Students who are Bucks County residents and have completed the highest number of credits in the Nursing Program of Study at Bucks with a final grade of C or better will be considered first, after meeting all of the above criteria.

  • As opposed to transfer credits, Bucks credits can be earned by taking prior courses over again through our college or by completing testing (such as CLEP exams) through Prior Learning Assessment.
    • It is recommended that you first discuss these guidelines and options with a Nursing Advisor, with the Director of Nursing, or with the Assistant Academic Dean of Health, Physical Education & Nursing.
    • After discussing your previous coursework with a nursing advisor, if you would like your transcript(s) to be reviewed for potential transfer credit, then you will need to (1) fill out the Transcript Evaluation Request Form- for Nursing students and (2) have your official transcript(s) mailed to the Office of Admissions at Bucks, attention Lizanne Watts.
  • For more details regarding Bucks County Community College's Nursing Program, please visit the Nursing Frequently Asked Questions page.

What do I do if I think a course should have transferred to my Bucks record, but it did not? 

  • A student may request to have their transcript(s) reevaluated by filling out a Transfer Credit Resolution form
  • Once this form has been submitted to the Office of Admissions, please allow approximately 1 month for your reevaluation to be processed.

What do I do if I want a course that transferred to my Bucks record to be removed?

  • A student may request to have their transcript(s) reevaluated by filling out a Transfer Credit Resolution form
  • Once this form has been submitted to the Office of Admissions, please allow approximately 1 month for your reevaluation to be processed.

What do I do if I want to change my major, and I think that will affect how my transcript was previously evaluated?

  • If you have changed your major, or are planning to do so, and you would like to have your transcript(s) reevaluated for your new major, please fill out a Transfer Credit Resolution form.
  • Once this form has been submitted to the Office of Admissions, please allow approximately 1 month for your reevaluation to be processed.

Do I still need to take the placement/assessment tests?

  • You may be exempt from placement testing if you meet one of the following criteria:
    • Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution within the United States.
    • Have previously taken a college-level course in English composition and/or mathematics at a regionally accredited institution within the United States, and have earned a grade of C or better.
    • Are 65 years of age or older.
  • If you meet one of the criteria above, please fill out a Placement Test Exemption Request Form and supply the required documentation (as outlined on the request form).
  • Students who have completed coursework outside of the United States must have verifiable English skills commensurate with the level studied at Bucks County Community College.
    • To show this, the TOEFL is preferred.
    • Even with TOEFL results, you must take the Placement Tests prior to registration.
  • Only if the applicant resides in the area, will the Bucks County Community College Placement Test be administered instead.
  • Please read http://bucks.edu/international/applicationprocedure.pdf for more details regarding the application requirements and procedures for international students.

Do I still need to take an Integration of Knowledge (INTG) course in order to get a degree from Bucks?

The course I want to take at Bucks has a prerequisite. What do I need to do in order to prove that I have satisfied this prerequisite at another institution?

  • Documents related to proof of having met a prerequisite should be submitted at least 10 business days before you plan to register, along with a note indicating which Bucks course(s) you wish to register for.
  • The Admissions and Registration staff will try to accommodate a student's request as quickly as possible, but please note that we will always process these types of requests in the order that they are received by our office.
  • Alternatively, a student may contact the Assistant Academic Dean (AAD) of the offering Academic Department. With proof of having met the prerequisite at another institution, the AAD may be able to grant the waiver request for a student.

Where do I find information about transferring out of Bucks County Community College to another college or university?

The college I plan to transfer to is requesting an official copy of my Bucks County community College transcript. How do I get this?

  • Submit a Transcript Request Form to the Office of Admissions, along with a $2 fee for each transcript ordered.
  • Along with being available online at WebAdvisor, hardcopies of the Transcript Request Forms are available at The Hub.
  • To check on the status of your transcript request, you may contact our Transcript Specialist, Li Cleal, at (215)968-8115 or by email at cleals@bucks.edu.
  • I have more questions about my transfer credits. Who should I contact for additional information?
  • If you have further questions related to your transfer credits, please contact the Office of Admissions at (215)968-8100.