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Transfer Credit Process

Initiating the Transfer Credit Process:

After admission to the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) a general credit evaluation of any official foreign transcripts on file will be done. Once the general credit evaluation has been completed, students will receive an email notifying them of the results. This evaluation is very basic and will not usually result in specific UMSL course equivalencies. At this point, if further transfer credit is desired, students must complete the Foreign Transfer Credit Request form and submit it along with official course descriptions for all courses that need evaluation. Higher level courses and courses that can be applied to the student’s UMSL major must be evaluated by faculty. In order for the faculty evaluation process to be completed, course descriptions are required.

If you did not submit an official transcript from your foreign institution at the time you applied to the University, the general evaluation process will not be initiated for you. You will need to have an official transcript sent to the Office of International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) and contact the International Academic Advisor, Jamie Zurliene (ZurlieneJ@umsl.edu) to initiate the transfer credit process. Please note that all applicants to the University of Missouri-St. Louis are required to provide a complete list of colleges and universities attended on their application for admission.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the general transfer credit policies?

  • The transfer credit process can only be initiated for students who have been admitted to the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
  • Students must complete the Foreign Transfer Credit Request form before the faculty course evaluation process can begin.
  • Evaluations can only be done based on official, final transcript
    • A transcript is considered official when it has been sent directly from the issuing academic institution to the University. Transcripts must be in a sealed envelope and in the original language of issue accompanied by an English translation. If a degree or credential was conferred, the degree certificate(s) must also be included.
  • Foreign courses in a student’s UMSL major must be evaluated by faculty. Official course descriptions are required for this process. Documents that have been created by or translated by students are not acceptable.
  • Documentation that is submitted as a part of the transfer credit process becomes a permanent part of the student’s academic file. Original documents cannot be returned.

Do I need to get a credential evaluation report?

No. The University of Missouri-St. Louis evaluates foreign transcripts for authenticity. In general, credential reports will not be accepted in place of an official transcript. See the next question for information on what to do if you are unable to access an official transcript.

I have an extenuating circumstance that prevents me from obtaining my official transcript. What do I do?

In circumstances where students are unable to get access to an official transcript we will accept a credential evaluation report from one of the agencies listed below. 

  • American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) – http://ies.aacrao.org

In some cases a general evaluation report will be sufficient, but a course-by-course evaluation may be necessary. Before requesting a report, students should discuss their situation with staff in the Office of International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS). If this course of action is recommended for your situation, you will need to submit the unofficial copy of the foreign transcript and have an official credential report sent directly to ISSS from the credential evaluation agency.

What is a course description?

A course description is a detailed description of what topics were studied in a course. For the purposes of foreign transfer credit, a course syllabus works best. The more information that is provided in a description, faculty evaluators are able to get a better sense of the content that was covered in the foreign course. This allows for better comparison to UMSL courses.

How can I appeal a transfer credit decision?

Appeals are carried out in coordination with the International Academic Advisor and faculty evaluators. Generally, if a course has been evaluated by the designated faculty member and a decision has been made, the student must supply additional information in order to have the course reviewed a second time.