Transfer Credits

CompleteDegree@Simmons

Your previous education has value at Simmons. As a student in one of our online bachelor’s programs, you will build off of the progress you’ve already made toward your degree — we require 17 prior college credits and accept up to 96 transfer credits, which can include prior college credits earned from regionally accredited institutions and credit for life experience.

Approved transfer credits will appear on your Simmons transcript as credit, however no grades will transfer in. Some transfer credit may count as a Simmons course equivalent, while some may only be counted as general credit. All CompleteDegree@Simmons students must complete their final 32 credits with Simmons. 

General Requirements for Transferable Credit

  • Only credits from regionally accredited institutions may transfer.
  • Only courses comparable to courses offered by Simmons may transfer as credits toward a particular major.
  • Only credit earned with a grade of C or above may transfer.
  • Grades of “pass” must be accompanied by proof that it represents a C or higher.
  • Quarter hours will transfer as two-thirds semester hour credits.
  • There is no expiration for credits that were previously earned/completed as it pertains to the total 128-credit requirement for degree completion — though some programs may place a time limit on whether older courses fulfill major requirements due to accrediting bodies.
  • Credit attributable to the completion of major requirements are decided with an official Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE) from the Simmons Office of the Registrar.
  • Transfer credits will be applied to your Simmons record once all official transcripts are received.

Transfer credit will not be granted for:

  • developmental, remedial, or pre-college courses
  • professional development or skills-based courses such as EMT, CPR, personal wellness, etc.
  • recreational or physical education courses
  • English as a Second Language (ESL) courses and all Boston Language Institute courses
  • credit given by exam at another institution or transfer credit granted by another institution

Transfer Credit Evaluation

As a prospective or accepted CompleteDegree@Simmons student, you will receive an individualized evaluation of your prior coursework once you provide your academic transcripts. Your Transfer Credit Evaluation will list the total number of transfer credits awarded based on each institution’s transcript, along with any Simmons course equivalencies or general education waivers.

Credit for Life Experience

At Simmons, we recognize that many important lessons are learned through work, community service, leadership, and other life experiences. Through the Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) program, you can receive credit for knowledge gained outside of the classroom. This credit counts toward the 96 maximum transfer credits allowed, and no more than 24 Credit for Prior Learning portfolio credits will be granted.

CPL does not replace the traditional transfer credit process, and CPL is not used to award credit for coursework taken at previous institutions. Students wishing to earn CPL credits must submit a portfolio documenting their prior learning and pay a fixed fee for portfolio processing.

Simmons grants elective credits only through the CPL process. Although specific degree requirements may be waived based on the information submitted, such waivers are not part of the portfolio review process, and any courses waived do not appear on the student’s transcript.

Contact your admissions counselor for more information.

Ready to learn more?

Connect with our admission team to learn more about transfer credits, the application process, and our program offerings — or complete the form below for more information.