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UW Colleges Transfer

Transfer from a UW Colleges Campus

Could you explain the UW System's Undergraduate Transfer Policy agreement?

The UW System has developed an Undergraduate Transfer Policy. This policy strives to assure that students transferring between UW System institutions, as well as those transferring from other institutions into the UW System, are treated fairly when changing colleges. Among its provisions are policies stating that a General Education requirement at one University of Wisconsin institution be honored at the transfer institution and that the Associate of Arts and Sciences degree (AAS) granted by the UW Colleges meets the institution-wide General Education requirements of a University of Wisconsin Bachelor's degree (requirements found in all undergraduate degrees offered by the institution). However, some degrees have additional General Education requirements, so you will want to work with your UW Colleges' campus advisor in planning your courses appropriately.

Will my credits transfer to any of the UW four-year institutions or other colleges and universities throughout the country?

Yes, the UW Colleges is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Therefore, credits earned in the UW Colleges will be accepted by other colleges and universities in Wisconsin and throughout the country. You do need to plan carefully, however to ensure that you select the courses at UW Colleges that will fulfill the specific requirements of the program of study you expect to pursue elsewhere. The UW Colleges encourages you to consult your campus Student Services Office as early as possible for advice regarding transfer admission requirements and procedures. If you are using the Guaranteed Transfer Program you must select your UW baccalaureate institution when submitting your "Declaration of Intent to Participate." Click here for more information on guaranteed transfer.

If you are not participating in the Guaranteed Transfer Program, following articulation guidelines, or working toward an AAS degree, you may attend classes in preparation for an early transfer. Early transfer students need to satisfy the requirements of the baccalaureate campus (UW or other) and should consult the course equivalency tables available in your campus' Student Services office. You can also consult Transfer Information System (TIS).

If you are a new freshman at UW Colleges and you know not only where you plan to transfer but also what your major will be, you may want to follow articulation guidelines. Articulation guidelines, whether formal or informal, will guide you through the course selection process, placing strong emphasis on the individual program requirements of the University of Wisconsin campus from which you plan to earn a Bachelor's degree. Some articulation agreements may require an Associate degree. In most cases, however, your UWC advisor will look at the courses required by the baccalaureate campus for a particular major and apply course equivalencies between the two campuses.

What is the Transfer Information System (TIS)?

You can get more information about transfer through the University of Wisconsin System Transfer Information System (TIS). TIS provides information about each UW System institution including information on admissions, financial aid, registration, and housing.

How can UW's Transfer Information System (TIS) help me with transfer questions?

It also has information about courses and academic programs, and transfer guides and agreements between UW institutions. TIS enables students to determine how courses transfer between the UW Colleges and other UW System institutions. TIS is a useful tool for students at any time in the transfer planning process.

Why doesn't the course I am taking appear on the Transfer Information System (TIS)?
If a course does not appear in TIS, it is usually because it is a new course that has not yet been evaluated by the transfer institution. Course equivalencies are updated three times each year, so it can take several months for a new course to appear on TIS.
Could you explain the General Education and Footnotes listings in TIS?
For each TIS equivalency, there is a column available for institutions to indicate whether a course meets a specific General Education requirement, as well as one to indicate if a Footnote exists that provides additional information about a course. In the General Education column, a code will be listed for each requirement a specific course meets, and at the bottom of that web page, is a key for those codes. If a Footnote exists, a number will appear in that column, and the detail for that footnote will appear at the bottom of the web page. This allows for additional information to appear with each course.
The course I took at the UWC was designated as a Humanities course, but when I check its equivalency in TIS, it appears as a Fine Arts course. Could you explain why this happens?
The UW Undergraduate Transfer Policy indicates that if a student takes a course designated as a specific General Education requirement at one institution, the next institution should honor that designation even if it meets a different designation at that school. In practice, the transfer institutions generally do this on a case-by-case basis, defaulting to their particular General Education designation. There are times it works to a students' advantage to have the original designation assigned, but it can also be that it works better to have the new designation assigned. Therefore, it is best to work with the Admissions Office and your academic advisor at the institution into which you are transferring to see what works best in your situation. If you need any additional information about the courses you took, please feel free to contact the Student Services Office at the UW Colleges' campus you attended.

What is the Guaranteed Transfer Program?

Click here for more information on guaranteed transfer.

One of the courses I took at the UWC transfers to the baccalaureate institution as an elective credit. What does this mean?

If a course transfers as either a department elective or as a general elective (with no department specified), it usually means that the transfer institution does not offer a course that is exactly the same as the course you took at the UW Colleges. Most elective credits also meet general education requirements, and many also apply towards requirements in majors. If you have any questions, you should work with your UW Colleges' campus academic advisor. You can also check out courses on the Transfer Information System (TIS), as this resource includes additional information such as whether a course meets a general education or major requirement.

What do I do if my credits don't transfer to the baccalaureate institution as I expected?

If you have a problem with transferring your credits, you should first contact the Admissions Office at the institution where you are planning to transfer. The staff should be able to answer questions about individual courses and inform you of their process of how to appeal a course transfer. If you need additional information for that appeal, or assistance in making the appeal, contact the Student Services Office or your academic advisor form the UW Colleges campus you attended.

What steps do I need to take to transfer?

  • You must apply for admission to the university or college and provide official transcripts of all high school and postsecondary course work (such as work from the UW Colleges) you have attempted. At some schools, the particular department or program in which you wish to enroll may require a separate application or you may be required to meet separate entrance requirements. Contact your campus Student Services Office and the transfer university for information on specific application procedures, deadlines and entrance requirements.
  • Most colleges and universities limit the number of credits that can be transferred from a freshman/sophomore institution and applied toward a bachelor's degree. Students transferring to University of Wisconsin baccalaureate-granting institutions may generally transfer up to 72 semester credits. University of Wisconsin institutions may accept additional credits toward the degree where appropriate. This does not alter the regulations concerning credits to be earned in residence at an institution. The UW Colleges considers 72 credits to be its program length for purposes of its Financial Aid Office Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Before you have earned half the credits necessary to complete a bachelor's degree, you should consult an advisor about the total number of credits you can transfer to the university of your choice.
  • If you wish to receive financial aid at your transfer university, indicate this on the admission application and request information about application procedures and any separate application form the university may use. Ask the UW Colleges central Financial Aid Office in Madison and the financial aid offices of any other colleges you've attended to send a financial aid transcript (FAT) to your transfer institution. (This is different from the academic transcript required for admission.) Forms to request a FAT are available in the campus Student Services Office. There is no charge for the FAT.
  • Arrangements for housing at a university campus are handled in various ways. Usually you are required to file a separate application for housing or you must make your own arrangements for private housing. Housing arrangements should be considered early in your transfer process.
  • If you have questions regarding the transfer of credit, consult your campus Student Services Office. If you have specific questions about other University of Wisconsin System institutions, contact the admissions office on the specific campus, visit UW HELP, or call the toll-free number 1-800-442-6459.
  • If you want your official UW Colleges transcript sent to another institution, or if you want a copy for yourself, the request must be submitted in writing (telephone requests are not accepted). See below for more information.

How can I get my transcript?

If you would like your official UW Colleges transcript sent to another institution, or if you would like a copy for yourself, the request must be submitted in writing (telephone requests are not accepted). There is a $6.00 charge per transcript. The Transcript Request Form is available to download. All requests must include your signature to be valid.

There are five ways to request an official transcript:

In Person
fill out the online Transcript Request form, print form, sign form and pay the fee at the Campus Business Office if your campus accepts in-person payment.
Via Mail/Form
download Transcript Request form, fill out form online, print form, sign form include check or credit card information and mail.
Via Fax
download Transcript Request form, fill out form online, print form, sign form, and fax form with credit card information.
Via Email
download Transcript Request form, fill out form, print form, sign form, scan form and email with credit card information.
Via Mail/Letter
to send a letter of request include your name, social security number, campus attended, dates of attendance, and name and address of the recipient. Sign your request letter, include check and mail.

Mail requests to:

UW Colleges Office of the Registrar
780 Regent Street
Suite 130
Madison, WI 53715-2635

Please allow 7-10 working days for the transcript to arrive at its destination.

For specific campus information on admissions, click here.

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