Students interested in transferring to the American University of Armenia should submit a Transfer Application supplement by the Regular Admissions Deadline date. If admitted, transfer students will receive a Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE), which indicates the courses accepted for transfer to the American University of Armenia. The academic department to which a student is accepted will complete a course-by-course evaluation of transfer credits. The registrar notes approved transfer credits on students’ academic transcripts.

General approval guidelines:

• Graduate and undergraduate level courses taken from institutions licensed by their local Ministry of Education and Science may transfer in a case-by-case basis.

• Transfer credits are awarded in accordance with the number of credits earned at the previous institution, even if a comparable course at the American University of Armenia is worth a different number of credits. The American University of Armenia defers to a student’s previous school, as an accredited institution, to determine the appropriate number of academic credits for each of its courses based on classroom contact hours.

• Where the previous school uses a quarter system, students complete three terms in an academic year; in a semester system, students complete two terms. Therefore, credits earned through a quarter system are converted into semester hours using a multiplier of 2/3. Where the previous school uses a unit or point system, AUA follows the conversion scale provided by their registrar (and printed on students’ transcripts) to determine the appropriate number of semester hours for transfer.

• Initial evaluations of transfer credits by the academic department to which a student is accepted typically exclude courses completed for fewer than 3 credits. If students have courses worth 1 or 2 credits from a previous school, requests for evaluation can be made to the academic advisor.

• Transfer credit is not awarded for non-academic courses. This may include, but is not limited to, credit received at a previous institution for internships, physical education/wellness, career development courses, orientation workshops, and university seminars. For independent studies or fieldwork, detailed information about the course must be submitted for review, and transfer credit may only be granted if the course demonstrates sufficient academic content.

Graduates:

• For a graduate course to transfer, it must be completed at institutions fully accredited by their regional accrediting associations for colleges and universities* with a minimum grade of B (3.0), and an equivalent subject area must be taught at the American University of Armenia.
• Transfer credits are never awarded unless an official transcript has been provided from the previous institution.
• No more than 25% of the total number of credits for the degree for graduate students may be accepted from all transfer institutions (including study abroad and/or exchange programs, summer classes completed elsewhere, and AP examination credits).

Undergraduates:

• The course must have been completed at an accredited* institution with a minimum grade of C (2.0), and an equivalent subject area must be taught at the American University of Armenia.
• A maximum of 60 credits for undergraduate students may be accepted from all transfer institutions (including study abroad and/or exchange programs, summer classes completed elsewhere, and AP examination credits).
• Transfer credits are never awarded unless an official transcript has been provided from the previous institution. A student may be designated temporarily as a freshman on their account until the evaluation is finalized.
• Typically Advanced Placement Examinations can be transferred into AUA with a grade of 3 or higher, but individual departments have the discretion to determine if a higher grade is required in order to transfer specific courses. AP credit may be applied as elective units toward graduation and toward the major if allowed by the academic department. 

Grade Point Average

The American University of Armenia only transfers the credit earned at other institutions, not the course grades or grade points. Students therefore enter with a 0.00 GPA, and the grade point indicated on their transcripts derives only from classes taken at the American University of Armenia.

AUA Residency Requirement

All students have residency requirements to satisfy in order to receive a degree from the American University of Armenia.

• Undergraduate students must earn a minimum of 60 credits in residence at AUA.
• Graduate students may not transfer more than 25% of the total number of credits for the degree (this includes coursework taken as a Non-Degree student).

If a student would like to dispute any of the transfer credits awarded or denied once they are a registered student, the student must schedule an appointment with their academic advisor, who can review their particular concerns, approve any credit adjustments, and request any transcript corrections.

Accepted transfer credits may not meet all or any of the requirements of a given degree program. This may result in a student having more than the total number of credits needed for a degree at the time of conferral. 

*Please contact the Office of the Registrar to see if an institution is accredited and approved for transfer to AUA.