SMU Students

The University recognizes that there are times when students need to complete courses elsewhere. To increase the likelihood that students will succeed in subsequent courses at SMU and to ensure the quality of SMU degrees, the university has established the following transfer course policies:

  • Post-matriculation transfer credit is only granted for coursework taken at regionally accredited four-year colleges and universities.
  • Equivalent courses are determined based upon a review of the following course characteristics: course description, textbook, course objectives, assignments, number of credit hours, course prerequisites, and program quality. Current SMU students must submit an Petition for Advanced Approval of Transfer Credits prior to enrolling in courses at other institutions.
  • Coursework completed at another college or university is evaluated for equivalent transfer credits, not necessarily for degree requirements. Students are responsible for working in conjunction with their advisors to determine if equivalent courses satisfy specific degree requirements.
  • In addition to working with an advisor, students should refer to the SMU Undergraduate Catalog and/or the academic dean within the appropriate college or school for additional information on degree requirements.
  • Students who fail to get prior approval for transfer work may petition later for transfer credit, but they have no assurance that it will be awarded.

SMU students considering taking courses at another institution after matriculating at SMU should:

  • select courses as similar as possible to what they would experience at SMU.
  • not defer basic required courses in the expectation of taking courses elsewhere.
  • best ensure that they will be prepared for subsequent courses at SMU by completing foundational courses at SMU.

Once students have matriculated (officially enrolled) at SMU, students may transfer no more than 30 hours to SMU. This limit does NOT apply to transfer hours earned prior to matriculation.

Students who complete more than 30 transferable hours after matriculating can designate which of their courses apply to the 30-hour limit. Students may change the designation of the courses. Students should make these transfer-credit designations in consultation with their records offices.

To ensure that a course taken at another college or university transfers and that proper credit is awarded, continuing SMU students should complete an Advanced Approval of Transfer Credit Petition. Approval from the following people is required:

  • Academic Advisor
  • Chair of SMU department offering equivalent course
  • Course's Records Office/Academic Dean/Director
  • Student's Records Office/Academic Dean/Director
  • Assistant Provost for General Education (required for any course numbers that have CC implications - even if CC component is not being requested)

Students who fail to get prior approval for transfer work may petition later for transfer credit, but they have no assurance that it will be awarded. Permission may be denied for educational reasons.

Post-matriculation transfer work taken by continuing SMU students must be completed at accredited, 4-year institutions. It is imperative that SMU students petition ALL post-matriculation transfer courses PRIOR to enrollment in courses. Students who fail to get prior approval for transfer work have no assurances they will receive credit for their courses.

Official college transcripts are required for all college-level work attempted, regardless of courses ability to transfer.

  • To be considered "official," transcripts must be received at SMU directly from the transferable institution.
  • A transcript issued to a student is acceptable provided it is received by SMU in a sealed, letterhead envelope with the Registrar’s Office stamp.
  • SMU only accepts electronic transcripts sent from the transferable institution. We will not accept electronic transcripts sent by students.
  • Transcripts must be dated fewer than three years prior to processing.
  • Coursework from one institution which appears on an official transcript from another institution will not be accepted for transfer credit. An official transcript must be issued by each institution attended. Also, copies of transcripts provided by other institutions are not acceptable.
  • For standards applied to transcripts issued by non-U.S. institutions, see our International Transfer Students page.

New transfer students from U.S. institutions should have their transcripts sent to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
SMU
P.O. Box 750181
Dallas, TX 75275-0181

Electronic transcripts from the transferable institution via a secure means (e.g., Scrip-Safe, NSC, Greenlight) should be sent to ugadmission@smu.edu.

Transfer students from foreign institutions should have their transcripts and related documents sent to:

The International Center
SMU
6185 Airline Road, Suite 216
Dallas, TX 75205
USA

Current SMU students should have their transcripts sent to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
SMU
P.O. Box 750181
Dallas, TX 75275-0181

Electronic transcripts from the transferable institution via a secure means (e.g., Scrip-Safe, NSC, Greenlight) should be sent to ugadmission@smu.edu.

SMU accepts the grade of "Pass" for transfer courses as long as the grading scale used at the awarding institution awards a P for courses passed with a C- or better. For example, if the transferring institution defines "P" as passing with a C- or better, then SMU will evaluate the course as a "P" and award credit.  SMU students are limited to a total of 12 hours of Pass credits. This includes grades earned for accepted transfer courses. This requirement cannot be waived.

Courses taken at a U.S. institution where the instruction is in an international location and courses taken at a non-U.S. institution: SMU students who wish to study abroad through a program or university not already affiliated with SMU can petition SMU Abroad for special approval of the requested program or university. Programs must be petitioned no later than October 1st of the academic year preceding the intended semester of study. Students working with the Office of National Student Fellowships should consult the Director for important internal deadlines. Approval of such abroad programs is not guaranteed and can take several months to obtain. If the special request to study abroad is approved, the student will still be required to apply for abroad study through the regular process by the regular deadline. Detailed instructions and approval forms can be found on the SMU Abroad website. The approval review will consider the collegiate quality of the program and/or institution. Approval for transferability will not be given after the coursework is started.