Transfer Credit

There is no separate process for applying as a transfer student. Students who have attended another college should complete the standard application process as described under Admissions.

As part of the application process, the Admissions Committee will evaluate your credits, and in the case of studio classes, your portfolio, to make sure that your classes are not repetitive of work you have done at another college.

We also want to make sure you take many of the crucial classes that make an ArtCenter education unique. For this reason, a maximum of 60 units of studio and academic credits may be transferred from another accredited institution.

ArtCenter does not require specific courses to be completed prior to applying or transferring.

Transfer Credit Policies

ArtCenter recognizes two types of transfer credits: credit for studio art classes, and credit for Humanities and Sciences or liberal arts classes. Due to our series of important required studio classes, awarding of studio transfer credit, not Humanities and Sciences credit, determines the length of a student’s program at ArtCenter. Advanced standing is awarded only if the student receives sufficient studio art credit.

Transfer credit will be accepted from colleges or universities that are accredited by one of the U.S. regional associations of schools and colleges—Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)—or by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). International programs will be evaluated on an individual basis. 

Advanced Placement (AP) credit is awarded for Humanities and Sciences classes with an official score of 4 or 5. Official exam reports must be sent directly from CollegeBoard.org. International Baccalaureate (IB) credit is offered for Higher Level courses with a score of 5, 6, or 7. Official IB exam results must be sent directly from IBO.org or from the awarding institution. A-Levels credit is offered for relevant classes with a grade of “C” or better. A-Level Subsidiary courses are not eligible for credit. ArtCenter does not offer credit for any AP, IB, or A-Level studio art/design classes.

It is the student’s responsibility to provide final official transcripts from all colleges attended and AP/IB/A-Levels exams taken. Credit will not be awarded based on unofficial transcripts or transcripts from colleges not previously disclosed on the application for admission.

Upon acceptance to ArtCenter, the acceptance letter will indicate the term level at which you’ve been admitted. A transfer credit evaluation report will be sent within approximately 1-2 weeks of your acceptance notification with detailed information of the transfer credit awarded. If no transfer credit is awarded, no evaluation report will be sent.

All transfer credit must be finalized by the end of a student's first term at ArtCenter. If a student attends another college after enrolling at ArtCenter, those classes will not be eligible for transfer. Students matriculated in ArtCenter’s degree program cannot use ArtCenter Extension courses to meet their degree requirements after enrollment.

Studio Art Credit

Studio art credit is awarded based on a combination of portfolio work and prior college credit. It is never awarded solely on a listing of courses on a transcript. The Admissions Committee will determine whether similar content was covered in a comparable class based on the portfolio work. Portfolios and transcripts are evaluated for studio credit at the time of admission.

Studio courses taken through ArtCenter Extension, ArtCenter's non-degree continuing education program, are considered for transfer if the course is listed as transferable at the time of entry, is applicable to the major, and if a grade of “B” or better is achieved. Exceptions to the policy can be made only by the Admissions Committee based on the portfolio review. The transfer of these courses will depend on the admissions policy in effect at the time of entry to the degree program. Please contact an Admissions Counselor with questions regarding transfer eligibility of ArtCenter Extension courses.

A transfer student's overall length of program will be shortened only if one or more semesters of studio art transfer credit is awarded.

Humanities and Sciences Transfer Credit

Forty-five credits of Humanities and Sciences (H&S) are required for graduation. All classes can be taken at ArtCenter, or some credits may be transferred. A number of required liberal arts and sciences courses can be taken only at ArtCenter. These vary by major.

Major Transfer Credit

Requirements by major can be viewed and downloaded on our website under Transfer Credit.

Please note that transfer credit for graduate programs is limited in nature and is offered at the discretion of the individual graduate program, with some graduate programs allowing for no transfer credit at all. Studio transfer credit is evaluated based on portfolio equivalency to ArtCenter classes and a transcript demonstrating eligible classes and is evaluated by the Graduate Admissions Committee, which includes the department chair, faculty and admissions staff.

Graduate Programs Transfer Credit

Transfer credit for graduate classes is limited in nature and is offered at the discretion of the individual graduate program. Studio transfer credit is evaluated based on portfolio equivalency to ArtCenter classes and a transcript demonstrating eligible classes.

Only graduate-level classes with a B grade or better on an official transcript are eligible for consideration. In order to be considered, any prospective transfer credits must be from colleges or universities that are accredited by one of the six regional associations of schools and colleges. International transcripts will be evaluated on an individual basis.

A maximum of 15 credits may be transferred. Notification of any prematriculation transfer credit will be provided at the time of admission.

For a detailed description of eligible transfer credit by category, visit our website.