Post-Secondary Education Transfer Credit
If you have attended a recognized post-secondary institution, you may be awarded transfer credit at TRU.
What is transfer credit and why request it?
Transfer credit refers to the credit received when an educational institution assesses and recognizes a student's prior studies as being equivalent to a course, part of a course, a block of courses, or a program. This assessment of prior learning results from a student receiving credit toward their new program for studies previously completed. (Source: CICIC)
A recognized institution is an institution that is authorized to award credentials by a Ministry of Higher Education or similar government/quality assurance authority. Professional bodies sometimes do not meet that higher education quality assurance.
If you have completed courses at another recognized post-secondary institution, you may be eligible to transfer those academic, for credit courses, to TRU; thus, avoiding duplication of course work and extra expense for your education.
At TRU, comparison of course curriculum forms the basis for considering credit recognition. Specific credit will be given for courses that have similar content and learning outcomes. When equivalency cannot be determined, unallocated credit may be granted.
Generally, all academic courses completed at a recognized institution will normally receive some type of transfer credit at TRU, potentially on a course-by-course or block basis. At the program level, TRU faculty or the program advisor will determine how and which of these courses will apply to your TRU program.
Courses successfully completed at institutions in the BC Transfer System (this includes Canada-wide and international institutions) will be granted transfer credit in accordance with TRU equivalencies published in the BC Transfer Guide. For quick reference, the tool below can be used to search for academic courses from other institutions to determine how they may transfer to a TRU course.
Transfer In
Courses not listed in the BC Transfer Guide and courses completed at recognized institutions outside of the BC Transfer System will be assessed on a course-by-course basis.
How are transfer credits awarded?
You have accepted an offer of admission from TRU, or you are enrolled in a TRU program, and the TRU Admissions office (Campus, Open Learning, or International) has received all your official transcripts directly from all previous post-secondary institutions.
Once you are enrolled in a TRU program and your official transcripts are on file, the admissions office reviews your previous education and either automatically processes potential transfer credits or will contact you to advise further steps to apply for transfer credits. Have your course outlines from your study period available as you may be asked to submit these.
Transfer credit will only be processed when you are admitted in a TRU program and all required documentation is on file.
Official transcripts (also see Definitions) from all prior post-secondary institutions you have attended must be sent to TRU Admissions directly by the issuing institution. Transcripts with courses in progress will be accepted but incomplete courses will not be added to your TRU student record until a final transcript is received. Please remember to order another copy when final grades are available so that your TRU record can be updated. For transcripts in a language other than English or French, please provide a translation by a certified translator in addition to the original transcript (see Definitions).
What is required to receive a transfer credit assessment?
Once you are admitted to a TRU program and your official documents are received, your previous post-secondary education will be assessed for transfer credit.
If the courses you have taken have not been evaluated previously by TRU, you may be asked to provide detailed course outlines from your study period. Course outlines in a language other than English or French require translations by certified translators in addition to the original outlines.
Once your transfer credits have been processed, it is your responsibility to review them carefully in myTRU and follow up with your program advisor if you have any questions.
A course outline from your study period should contain all of the points listed below. If key information is missing, you may be requested to find adequate outlines or provide a direct confirmation from the institution that the information provided is true and accurate. For course outlines in a language other than English or French, please provide translations by a certified translator in addition to the original outlines. These do not need to be notarized by a lawyer or notary.
Note: Brief course descriptions are insufficient for a course-to-course comparison.
- Institution logo and name, the division/faculty/school, the year
- Course code and title
- Number of weeks duration and hours per week, including lab hours, if applicable
- Credit value
- Pre- and co-requisites, if applicable
- Detailed description of the course content and the course objectives
- A list of the topics covered in the course (may include a detailed list of assigned readings)
- Assessment method and assignments
- Textbooks and course materials
Outlines from when you took the courses are acceptable, even if you have made notes on them.
What is the deadline to expect completion of a transfer credit assessment?
Your transfer credit request will be evaluated as quickly as possible in the sequence received. However, a number of factors can cause delays. You can help by submitting all required documentation (official transcript, detailed course outlines, etc.) right away, so that you and your program advisor will be able to make informed decisions regarding course selection and program planning. Plan to apply for transfer credit well in advance of when you are registering or planning to take courses.
Note
If official transcripts, credentials and other supporting documents have not been submitted by the end of your first term of study at TRU, your registration for subsequent semesters may be put on hold.
