This policy applies to individuals who are applying or transferring to AUA’s graduate and undergraduate programs, including those who have international standardized exam results (e.g. from Advanced Placement (AP) programs, A Levels) and prior university-level credit. International standardized exam results from International Baccalaureate (IB) and Araratian Baccalaureate (AB) programs are considered; however, only higher level or extended level exams from these programs are eligible for transfer credit. Please see Appendix for further details.

Admitted or current students must receive prior written approval from their respective program chair to receive credit for courses taken outside of AUA, after their enrollment at the university.

Students may transfer credit earned prior to admission to AUA only from the institutions listed on the application for admission at the time the application for admission was submitted.

Students interested in transferring to the American University of Armenia should submit a Transfer Application Supplement along with their application for admission within the posted admissions deadlines.  Students must apply for transfer of such credits before their enrollment to the university. 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 Program to which a student is accepted, and General Education will complete a course-by-course evaluation of transfer credits. The Registrar notes approved transfer credits on students’ academic transcripts.

General approval guidelines:

All students wishing to transfer credits to AUA must submit complete paperwork, including a petition for credit transfer (or Transfer Application, for applicants), an official transcript of grades, an explanation of the grading system if not available with the transcript, an official certificate, and course descriptions. Incomplete requests may not be considered until they are completed.

 * Transfer credit is not awarded for non-academic courses. (See Concurrent and Non-Concurrent Enrollment and Waiver of Requirements for University-Level Courses)

 * Where the previous institution uses a quarter system, credits earned through are converted into semester hours using a multiplier of 2/3.

 * Where the institution from which credits are being transferred does not use a credit system, credits earned will be evaluated based on the number of academic hours the class carries and elements of course content indicated on the syllabus.

 * Where the institution from which credits are being transferred uses the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), credits will typically be converted into semester credits using a division of two (2).

 * Credits from courses running for less than five weeks cannot be transferred to AUA, regardless of their compliance to all other requirements.

 * 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 institution to determine the appropriate number of academic credits for each of its courses based on classroom contact hours.

 * Initial evaluations of transfer credits by the Registrar’s Office and the academic unit to which a student is accepted typically exclude courses completed for fewer than 3 credits. If students have courses worth less than three (3) credits from a previous school, requests for evaluation can be made on a case by case basis, unless the transfer credits result from an exchange semester through a program partnered by AUA.

 * In cases where the student is transferring credits after his/her enrollment at AUA, and especially for cases of exchange programs at partner European universities, ECTS credits will be transferred as indicated above, even if the result does not total 3 AUA credits.

 * Transfer credit is not awarded for courses not taken for a grade (e.g. P/F, P/NP, S/U), with the exception of Physical Education, First Aid, and Civil Defense courses taken at higher education institutions in Armenia.

 * 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.

 * Graduate and undergraduate level courses taken from institutions licensed by their local Ministry of Education and Science or equivalent and accredited by regional or national accrediting associations may transfer in on a case-by-case basis.

 * Transfer credit is not awarded without an official transcript or equivalent from the previous institution or agency.

Graduates:

 * For a graduate course to transfer, it must have earned a minimum grade equivalent to a B at AUA (3.0), and an equivalent subject area must be taught at the American University of Armenia.

 * 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, and summer classes completed elsewhere). See Residency and Graduate Continuous Enrollment policy.

Undergraduates:

 * A maximum of 45% of the total required number of credits for undergraduate students may be accepted from all transfer institutions (including study abroad and/or exchange programs, summer classes completed elsewhere, and Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate (Higher Level), Araratian Baccalaureate extended examination credits). See Residency and Graduate Continuous Enrollment policy.

 * For an undergraduate course to transfer, it must have earned a minimum grade equivalent to a C (2.0) at AUA, and an equivalent subject area must be taught at the American University of Armenia. In case an equivalent subject area does not exist, the student’s program chair will determine whether or not the course can count as a free elective on the student’s record.

 * Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Araratian Baccalaureate Examinations may be transferred into AUA if the student earned a grade of 3, 5, or C or higher, respectively (For transfer credits, AP and only higher level IB and extended level AB exams with a score of 3, 5, C or higher, will be considered); the individual programs have the discretion to determine if a higher grade is required in order to replace specific courses. AP, IB and AB credit may be applied as credits toward graduation and toward the program if allowed by the academic programs. Students must petition for transfer of such credits prior to their enrollment at AUA. Belated requests may result in non-acceptance. Belated requests submitted during the student’s final semester of study will be rejected without consideration.

Grade Point Average

The American University of Armenia only transfers the credit earned at other institutions, not the course grade or grade point. The grade point average indicated on a student’s transcript derives only from classes taken at the American University of Armenia.

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. It may also result in the student not meeting the degree requirements within the time frame and conditions of his/her initial Education Contract (although having completed the minimum number of credits required).