Transfer Student Information

Identifying how previously completed courses will transfer to SDState is one of the most important questions for transfer students. A good starting point is the transfer credit evaluator. This easy- to-use tool helps transfer students identify which of their already completed courses will transfer and how. At times, courses may not be included in the calculator database thus no equivalency is identified. In these cases check with the transfer services coordinator at 605-688-4067.

An important first step in transferring to SDState is to request that ALL final, official transcripts be sent to the SDState Enrollment Services Center, Box 511, Brookings, South Dakota 57007. Once SDState has received ALL final and official transcripts from ALL previous universities and colleges attended processing may take 4 - 6 weeks. If you have not received a completed evaluation of transfer credit contact the transfer services coordinator at 605-688-4067.

When the transfer credit evaluation is complete the review can be viewed on Self Service. Consult with your academic adviser on the transfer credit evaluation to inform further course selection and remaining requirements for degree completion.

Courses may transfer to SDState as specific SDState courses (i.e. ENGL-101), remedial or developmental courses (i.e. ELEC-000T), or as specific department (i.e. MATH-100T) or general elective credit (i.e. ELEC-300T).

Students who have been accepted to SDState and who wish to transfer credit from colleges or universities outside the United States must provide SDState with an ICAP Comprehensive Course-by-Course evaluation ($205 for online application/$235 for paper application) from World Education Services Inc. The cost of the evaluation will be paid by the student. In the case of an undergraduate international student, this process should be started as soon as the student receives his or her visa.

If a student has already completed a course-by-course evaluation from another National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member, he or she can submit this evaluation to the Records Office. Upon review, the Record’s Office may be able to use this evaluation to assist in the transfer of credits to SDState. If it is determined that the current evaluation is not sufficient the student will then need to submit their transcripts to WES for evaluation.

To ensure that evaluations are based on documents that are accurate and valid WES adheres to strict and specific document requirements for each country of education.

WES verifies documents for authenticity and adheres to the standard used in North America for the submission of academic records. To learn more about WES procedures, please visit their website.

Be sure to submit clear and legible photocopies of word- for-word English translations along with your foreign language documents. Please do not send original translation documents as they cannot be returned.

Upon completion of the WES evaluation, credit will be awarded for courses taken at international universities that are considered to have the equivalent of regional accreditation. Limited credit will be awarded that has been taken at international institutions that are considered to be technical institutions. English and speech courses taken from an international institution are not accepted for credit unless English is the official language of the country. With official notification from the transferring international institution that English and/or speech course(s) were taught in English, students can petition to transfer English or speech. For those international institutions that have an articulation agreement with SDState, the agreement determines the courses that transfer for full credit.

SDState reviews courses with consideration to institution type and vocational or academic program. Vocational/technical credit transfer is limited to 30 credits. Technical credit will not be entered in the cumulative or semester grade point averages, but will be entered on the SDState transcript as "CR" (credit) grades. Academic transfer credits are recorded as semester credits and are incorporated into the cumulative and semester grade point average.

Prior Learning Credit is available at SDState. Listed below are the primary types of prior learning experiences, which may count for credit.

• AP Credit
• Credit By Exam
• Challenge by Portfolio
• Dual or Concurrent Credit
• Military Experience

For specific information about one of these areas contact the transfer services coordinator at 605-688-4067.

A program to program transfer agreement or articulation agreement is an agreement between two or more institutions, which allows for a smooth transition of credits earned at one institution to another by minimizing duplication of coursework. Courses may satisfy general education requirements, major requirements or elective credit.

For specific information on articulations agreements contact the transfer services coordinator at 605-688-4067.

Interested in transferring with fewer obstacles while saving time and money and most importantly - your credits? South Dakota State University participates in the Interstate Passport Network, a network of regionally-accredited institutions that agree to transfer completed general education requirements as a block in a seamless and efficient process among its members. Students who transfer into South Dakota State University with a Passport from another Network-member institution will not have to repeat or take additional courses to satisfy lower-division general education requirements. Earning a Passport recognizes that a student has achieved learning outcomes in the following nine knowledge and skill areas, which all Network member institutions agree are consistent with their own general education learning outcomes:

• Foundational Skills: oral communication, written communication, quantitative literacy
• Knowledge of Concepts: natural sciences, human cultures, creative expression, human society and the individual
• Cross-cutting Skills: critical thinking and teamwork/value systems.

If you are interested in learning more, contact SDSU's Transfer Student Coordinator at 1-800-952-3541 or by email.