Transfer Students

As a transfer student at YSU, know that all transfer coursework from any regionally accredited college or university will be accepted and applied to either general education, major coursework, or elective credits. Please note, however, that developmental/remedial courses do not count toward a degree. For additional information on how your courses will transfer, review the Transferology tool.

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Transfer and Adult Student Visit Day

Admission Process
Credit Transfer
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Resources
Frequently Asked Questions

Beginning the Transfer Process

As a student currently attending another college/university, and interested in transferring to Youngstown State University, we encourage you to review the information and guided step-by-step instructions below to assist with this process. Answers to any additional questions may be found in the Frequently Asked Questions section of the website, or by contacting Kim Avery in the Office of Admissions at 330-941-1662, or by email at kaavery@ysu.edu.

Students must meet the following requirements to be admitted as a transfer student to Youngstown State University:

Be in good standing at the previously attended school.
Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
- Students with less than a 2.0 cumulative grade point average may still be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis and admitted on a warning, or probationary status.

Please note that applicants suspended or dismissed from their most recent institutions are not eligible for admission for at least one semester (excluding summer) following the term in which the suspension occurred. Transfer students with multiple suspensions or dismissals may not be eligible for admission. Please contact Admissions with any questions, or for further instruction.

Are you a former YSU student?

Students who previously attended YSU, leave, and attend another college or university must reapply through the Office of Admissions as a Former/Transfer student. See application steps below.

A student who previously attended YSU and has not attended another college or university since leaving must complete the Readmission form through Records.

If you were previously suspended/dismissed from YSU, in order to return to school after a suspension and register for classes, you must be reinstated by the dean (or the dean’s designee) of the college from which you were suspended, or if you wish to change colleges, by the dean of the new college. Reinstatement is not guaranteed and you may be required to fulfill certain terms and conditions to be reinstated. For Former/Transfer students, the reinstatement must be completed prior to you being readmitted to YSU.

Application Steps

First time transfer students must submit:

A completed Youngstown State Transfer Application (click “I’m transferring…” to access the “Transfer Student Application”)
$45 application fee (waived for veterans and active duty military)
Your official high school transcript or GED score report (if you have not completed an associate degree or higher)
Official transcripts from each regionally accredited institution which you have attended

Former YSU and transfer students who attended another college or university since leaving YSU must submit:

A completed Youngstown State Former/Transfer Application (click “I’m transferring…” to access the “Former/Transfer Student Application”)
- Create a login by clicking “Create Account” (only used for the application)
There is no application fee for former YSU students!
Official transcripts from each regionally accredited institution which you have attended since leaving YSU

Note: Official Transcripts must be sent from the previous institutions directly to the Office of Admissions either by mail or electronically through a third party secured server company (e.g. Parchment, eScrip Safe/Credentials Inc, or National Student Clearinghouse, etc). Open transcripts are not considered official.

After all your documents have been received, your file will be reviewed for admission. Once accepted to YSU you will be notified by mail with instructions on your next steps, so please review all contents with your acceptance letter. Those steps include setting up your Penguin Portal, checking your transfer courses posted in Penguin PASS, contacting your academic area to make an advising appointment, enrolling in classes, and completing all final details.

Transferring Credits

Youngstown State University is committed to assisting transfer students with making the most out of their previously earned credits and applying them toward finishing their degree. The information provided below gives an overview of the transfer credit process including reviewing, evaluating, and appealing. If there are additional questions after reviewing the information, please contact the Office of Admissions directly.

General Transfer Credit Info

YSU will accept all college level courses you take at a regionally accredited college or university. Your courses will apply in either general education, major coursework, or elective credits. Please note that developmental/remedial courses do not apply to a degree, but they will be posted to your file and can be used as a prerequisite to the college level course required.

You can find the course requirements to each degree through the YSU Academics page or the YSU Catalog.

All courses with a grade of "D" or better will generally transfer to YSU; however, a "D" grade may not satisfy a prerequisite for which a higher grade is needed and will not be applicable to some major specific requirements. Most courses required for the major, and certain general education courses, have a minimum requirement of a “C” or above grade to apply to the degree.

For example, the Composition general education sequence courses (ENGL 1550 and 1551) require a C or better for all majors. An academic advisor at YSU will be able to assist in reviewing your individual transfer credits and evaluating how the grades achieved will apply to an intended major as they pertain to their eligibility to satisfy YSU’s general education or major coursework minimums.

Youngstown State University does not have a minimum or maximum amount of credits that will be accepted or applied, however, to graduate with a degree from YSU, there is a minimum credit hour requirement. Students must complete their last 20 semester hours leading to an Associate degree, or their last 30 semester hours of a Bachelor’s degree, at Youngstown State University.

As a state institution, YSU adheres to the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s (ODHE) policy on course credit transferability among state institutions. If you are transferring from any other 2 or 4-year State of Ohio institution, please refer to the Resources tab on this website for more detailed information on ODHE’s transfer policy, guaranteed transfer credit information, community college partnerships, and YSU system information.
Credit Posting and Evaluation Process

Once a student applies and is admitted, transfer courses will be posted to the student’s file. A student can then see their posted courses within the unofficial YSU transcript located in the Penguin Portal under Banner Self-Service, Student, Student Records, and View Academic Transcript. If there were any courses that were transferred and did not have a YSU equate, this means that it was sent out to be evaluated by the individual academic department. Courses that need to be evaluated will not show up on the unofficial transcript until a course equate is determined. Students can also run a degree audit in the Penguin PASS (Plan for Academic Student Success) system to see how their transfer courses apply to the YSU degree program they are accepted to. There is also a “What-If” option to see how credits apply to other majors at YSU.

Students will be contacted at their YSU email address (@student.ysu.edu) when the official evaluation has been completed or updated, thus students are encouraged to activate their Penguin Portal and create a password as soon as they receive their acceptance letter in an effort to ensure immediate access to their YSU email inbox.
Credit Appeal Process

In the event that a student disputes the evaluation and transferability of a transfer credit, they have the option to undergo an appeal process, which is detailed in the document link below, as well as within the Undergraduate Academic Catalog.

The applicability of credit will vary from institution to institution, and it is specified in the policy as subject to appeal. The appeals process is initiated at the campus level, and if not rectified, may be appealed to the state.

To further protect the interests of students, the policy includes a statewide appeal review committee to which students may appeal if all institutional appeals procedures have been exhausted.

The acceptance of credit is carefully delineated in the Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy and should be uniformly practiced by all institutions. Please refer to the Transfer Credit Appeal Process for steps to appeal a transfer course equate.
Types of Alternative Transfer Credit
Students have the ability to earn credit through alternative means including credit by exam (e.g. AP, CLEP), life and work experiences via Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), and courses earned at non-regionally accredited colleges and universities. Please see the detailed information on each alternative below. Additional questions can be referred directly to the Office of Admissions.
- AP, or Advanced Placement Tests: Students earning a 3 or above are guaranteed college credit through the Ohio Department of Higher Education State policy. See the YSU AP test grid to review what college level credit(s) you will receive for each test taken.
- CLEP, The College-Level Examination Program®: CLEP gives the student an opportunity to earn college credit based on previously gained knowledge and qualifying scores on one or more CLEP examinations, which tests the knowledge of introductory college-level subjects. Youngstown State University's Comprehensive Testing Center offers all 33 CLEP exams. Lists of the exam(s) for which credit is granted, the required scores, and the courses for which a student could receive credit can be found via the Testing Center CLEP page.
- PLA, Prior Learning Assessment: PLA allows a student to apply relevant learning, work, and life experiences toward college credits through the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process. Students may be able to fulfill some elective, major courses, and/or general education courses by going through the PLA process. For more information on PLA, please visit the Prior Learning Assessment page.
- Non-regionally accredited institution courses may be accepted by Youngstown State University on a case-by-case basis due to a new Ohio Department of Higher Education policy. Credit will not be blanketly posted to the student’s file, but a student may request that courses earned at such institutions be reviewed and evaluated to determine if the course can be accepted and applied to the student’s program of study. Courses may not be evaluated from certain non-regionally accredited institutions if a student applied for loan forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education. Any courses reviewed will go through the same process as those from regionally accredited institutions, which may require the student to provide additional information on each reviewed course (e.g. course description, syllabus, etc). All approved courses must be a minimum of 1 credit and cannot be developmental. Please refer to the full Ohio Department of Higher Education policy.
Articulation Agreements and State Guaranteed Transfer Pathways

An articulation agreement provides a smooth transition for students with an Associate degree to YSU. Through this special agreement, both institutions have provided for a maximum number of credits to be applied toward a Bachelor's degree. In most cases, that means if you graduated in a special transfer program, you will be admitted to YSU with junior standing. Please visit the Office of Degree Audit for more detailed information regarding articulation agreements.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) has created guaranteed transfer pathways for certain academic areas from 2-year to 4-year State institutions. This enables students to streamline credit transfer among the State’s public institutions. Visit ODHE’s Guaranteed Transfer Pathways for more information on the various academic clusters included and additional explanation of the pathways.

Transfer Student Financial Aid Options

The first step in applying for Federal Financial Aid for YSU students is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

For a more detailed step-by-step guide to completing the financial aid application process, see the How to Apply page on the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships website for further instruction. YSU's FAFSA school code is 003145.

Individual assistance is also available, by appointment, with a financial aid counselor by contacting our appointment line, 330-941-3506.

If you have already completed applying for aid and have received a financial aid award offer, please see our How to Accept Your Financial Aid Offer guide for completing the acceptance process.

Special note for mid-year transfer students: If you have a Federal Pell Grant, YSU's six-digit code must be listed as one of your college choices on the FAFSA to have your aid transferred. If not, update your FAFSA to include YSU's code (003145). If you had a Stafford or PLUS loan, you will have to reapply. You will also need to cancel any pending disbursements (if any) on the loan you had at your previous school by contacting your previous school's financial aid office.

Transfer Student Scholarships

Transfer scholarships are available and offered through the generosity of the YSU Foundation. Transfer students are encouraged to apply early for financial aid and to observe the February 15 deadline for our transfer scholarships. Awards will be prorated if attending part-time (minimum 6 hours required).

YSU Foundation Scholarship Application:

The Youngstown State University Foundation (YSUF) is an independent, non-profit organization that distributes resources from privately held funds to support YSU students through scholarships. The YSU Foundation is the designated philanthropic entity of Youngstown State University. Upon completion of the application, students will be considered for a number of YSU Foundation scholarships awarded.

In addition, applicants will also be considered for a number of scholarships awarded through the university, local organizations and private donors. If you are a student enrolled in the Beeghly College of Liberal Arts, Social Sciences and Education (BCLASSE), the Bitonte College of Health and Human Services (BCHHS), the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), or the Williamson College of Business Administration (WCBA) you must complete this application to qualify for scholarships awarded by the college.

We recommend you continue your search by using the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships' online scholarship search and by checking with your college/department for additional opportunities.

If selected, you will be notified by letter.

Note: A completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a requirement of many scholarships.

Merit-based Transfer Scholarship
Scholarship	Value	Minimum Criteria	Renewal
Transfer Level 2	$1,000 per year (split between fall and spring semesters) $3,000 total for three years	12 Transfer hours earned at a regionally accredited college/university 3.0 GPA Must be enrolled in at least 6 or more hours (scholarship is pro-rated if less than full time)	12 credit hours per academic year 3.0 GPA Renewable for up to 3 academic years
Transfer Level 1	$1,500 per year (split between fall and spring semesters) $4,500 total for three years	12 Transfer hours earned at a regionally accredited college/university 3.5 GPA Must be enrolled in at least 6 or more hours (scholarship is pro-rated if less than full time)	12 credit hours per academic year 3.0 GPA Renewable for up to 3 academic years

Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
Scholarship	Value	Minimum Criteria	Renewal
Phi Theta Kappa	$1,500 per year (split between fall and spring semesters) Stackable on top of Transfer Scholarship (Student will either receive a total of $2,500 or $3,000 per year with both transfer scholarships	Must provide proof of active membership to Kim Avery in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions either by email at kaavery@ysu.edu or fax at 330-941-3674 (e.g. membership card or certificate) Must be enrolled in at least 6 or more hours (scholarship if pro-rated if less than full-time)	12 credit hours per academic year 3.0 GPA Not available for new freshman who may be PTK members

Note: Spring semester transfers qualify for half of the scholarship amounts.

Additional Transfer Scholarship Opportunities

Resch Foundation Scholarship

Available for transfer students from Mahoning, Trumbull, and Columbiana counties with financial need. These funds are limited and determined by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for awarding. Please contact Gina McHenry, Associate Director in Financial Aid and Scholarships, at 330-941-1594 or gcmchenry@ysu.edu with your questions regarding this scholarship.

Ohio transfer council scholarships

The David Gall scholarship is available through the generosity of the Ohio Transfer Council (OTC) in memory of David Gall. This is a one-time $1,000 scholarship for students transferring from an OTC member institution to an OTC member institution (YSU is a member of OTC). For more information, and to fill out the application including essay, please visit the OTC website.

The Jason Gibson scholarship is available through the generosity of the Ohio Transfer Council (OTC) in memory of Jason Gibson. This is a one-time $1,000 scholarship for students transferring from an OTC member institution to an OTC member institution (YSU is a member of OTC). For more information, and to fill out the application including essay, please visit the OTC website.

Ohio Department of Higher Education guaranteed credit transfer information

As a state institution, Youngstown State University participates in the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s (ODHE) Guaranteed Credit Transfer program which ensures state-to-state institutional credit transfer. Please see the information on this policy provided below. For additional questions, please contact the Office of Admissions.

Ohio Transfer 36 (formerly Ohio Transfer Module)

The Ohio Transfer 36 is a cluster of general education courses a student can take at any State institution and will transfer as a general education course to any other State institution. More information, including the approved Ohio Transfer 36 courses, can be found on the ODHE course reporting system.

Transfer Assurance Guide (TAGs)

State approved TAGs are courses within certain academic disciplines that have been approved to transfer by committees of those specific academic departments among the State Institutions. These are guaranteed to transfer and apply toward the specific major at any State of Ohio public college or university. To see if any of your courses are approved as a TAG, please see the TAG course grid on the ODHE TAG course reporting system.

Military Transfer Assurance Guide (MTAGs)

The State provides a guarantee that certain military training and experience can translate to college level credit at any State institution in Ohio through MTAGs. To see if your military training is a guaranteed MTAG please review the ODHE MTAG system. You can also submit your Joint Services Transcript (JST) to the YSU Office of Veterans’ Affairs to see what other college level credit you can receive through your military experience.

Career Technical Assurance Guide (CTAGs)

The State approved CTAGs are courses approved to transfer from any State career or technical center to any State college or university. To see if any of your Career or Technical courses are approved as a CTAG, please review the CTAG course grid on the ODHE CTAG course reporting system. Additionally, connect with your Career and Technical Center to have the proper documentation sent directly to Youngstown State University. The YSU contact person for these credits is Sharon Schroeder.

Ohio Guaranteed Transfer Pathways (OGTP)

The OGTP allows students to streamline credit transfer among the public colleges and universities in Ohio within certain subject areas/disciplines. For example, students can find pathways within business, STEM, education, as well as social and behavioral sciences among other areas. This is a relatively new initiative in Ohio, thus some pathways are still being finalized for approval. To see if your area of study is an approved OGTP, or for more information, please visit the ODHE OGTP website.

Advanced Placement (AP)

The State of Ohio’s AP policy has been in effect since 2009, and allows for students earning a 3 or higher on an AP exam to be eligible for credit in that discipline. Please visit the YSU AP website to review potentially eligible associated credits/courses for AP exam scores.

Lorain County Community College Partnerships

Current Lorain County Community College students may be eligible to earn a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at YSU through the LCCC University Partnership. Click the link, then scroll to the bottom of the page to review a listing of all majors offered at YSU through the partnership.

Lakeland Community College Partnership

Current Lakeland Community College students may be eligible to earn a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at YSU through the Holden University Center. Click the link, then scroll to the bottom of the page to review a listing of all majors offered at YSU through the partnership.

Transferology

Prior to transferring to YSU, students can view how credits equate (match) to Youngstown State University courses using Transferology by setting up a free account, entering in earned credits by course number or title, and match those courses to YSU. YSU updates equates in Transferology each week, so you can be assured that the information is accurate.

If you have any courses listed in the “Maybe” column, once you match to YSU, just click on the “Request Information” area in the upper right corner of the page to start the course evaluation process. Click the items you want more information on, or write a question in the Custom Message box, and click “Send to Youngstown State University.” This inquiry will generate an email to Admissions and Degree Audit. Course information will be sent to the academic department for review and evaluation. Once an equate can be established, you will be notified by YSU.

Penguin PASS (Plan for Academic Student Success)

Penguin PASS is YSU’s Degree Audit system to see how your credits apply to the program you are accepted to, which is accessible through the Penguin Portal under the e-Services for Students. Please allow a few weeks following the receipt of your acceptance letter for your credits to be posted to your file and the official evaluation to be deemed complete. Students will be contacted at their YSU email address (@student.ysu.edu) when the official evaluation has been completed or updated with equates. For additional information on Penguin PASS, view the student instruction guide.

Community College General Education Transfer Guides

Youngstown State University has established guidelines indicating which community college courses can transfer within the general education requirements at YSU. Some majors require specific general education courses, thus students are encouraged to verify the YSU curriculum for their intended major prior to selecting the general education courses for enrollment at their community college. For further guidance, please select your community college below to view the general education guide:

Don’t see your community college? Use the Transferology system to set up a free account and enter your course numbers or titles to see how they match at YSU.

Articulation agreements

Youngstown State University has many formal articulation agreements with a variety of institutions to promote transferability. An articulation agreement is an agreement documenting what and how credits/courses transfer from one institution to another for a specific academic program. It provides a roadmap from the initial institution to YSU on how the courses transfer from the sending institution and what the student must complete for the Bachelor’s degree at YSU. All articulation agreements are housed in the Degree Audit Office where the list of agreements is maintained.

Am I a transfer student?

Transfer students are those who have attended a regionally accredited college or university the fall semester after graduating high school, and/or beyond, and would like to attend YSU. There is no minimum or maximum of credits needed to be earned to transfer. You are NOT a transfer student if you only took college courses while in high school (e.g. CCP, college in high school program, etc.) or during the summer between your high school graduation and the fall semester of your freshman year of college.
What do you mean by regional accreditation?

Regional accrediting bodies including: The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Middle States Association (MSA), Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), North Central Association (NCA-HLC and NCA-CASI), New England Association (NEASC-CIHE and NEASC-CTCI), Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC-ACCJC and WASC-ACSCU) are all acceptable at YSU. If you are unsure whether your current school has one of these accreditations, there are a number of places you may be able to locate the school's status. You can find this information on the school's website, the school's catalog, your transcript, the school's Registrar's office or the website of the above accrediting agencies.
What if my institution is not regionally accredited?

The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and YSU’s regional accrediting body, Higher Learning Commission (HLC), allows YSU to accept credits from non-regional accredited institutions on a case by case basis. Credit will not be blanketly posted to the student’s file, but a student may request that courses earned at such institutions be reviewed and evaluated to determine if the course can be accepted and applied to the student’s program of study. Any courses reviewed will go through the same process as those from regional accredited institutions, which may require the student to provide additional information on each reviewed course (e.g. course description, syllabus, etc). All approved courses must be a minimum of 1 credit and cannot be developmental. See the full policy on the Credit Transfer tab.

If you only attended a non-regional accredited college or university since graduating high school or earning your GED, then you will apply to Youngstown State University as a new freshman.
Will YSU accept military credit?

Yes! Veterans and active duty/reserve military personnel will receive college credit for their military training, which includes (but not limited to) credit for basic training, military courses and military occupations among others. YSU also accepts DSST Standardized Subject Test (formerly DANTES) and Defense Language Proficiency Tests (DLPT). For individuals who were in the Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy please request your military transcripts at the Joint Services Transcript website. For individuals who were in the Air Force please request your Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcripts online. Some training may also be awarded through the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process.

The JST will show what credits a student has earned due to being recognized by the American Council on Education (ACE).

If you have other questions related to your veteran status, please contact the Office of Veterans Affairs at 330-941-2503, or veterans@ysu.edu, or visit the website.
Will the grades I earned at my previous institution count towards my grade point average at YSU?

No, you will start with a fresh gpa, so if you earn all A’s your first semester at YSU then you will have a 4.0 gpa to build off of. Each institution has different grading policies and scales (some institutions have “+” and “–“ with grades), so only your credits come over. Some majors will look at your previous grades to make sure you meet the minimum grade requirement as a pre-req or grade specific to a major course.
What if I am currently a YSU student, but wish to take summer courses closer to home and transfer them back to YSU?

Current students must seek approval from the Dean’s Office of the college they are being advised. Please connect with your academic advisor to get the appropriate approval form.
What if I'm not sure of the major I want?

YSU offers over 100 majors, so we typically have something for everyone. We can help you to decide which program is right for you depending on your goals, your schedule, and your previous work completed. YSU’s Career and Academic Advising Office can also assist in helping you choose a major if you are undecided. The major you choose to pursue at YSU will have a significant impact on how many of your credits apply to your program.
If I have an associate degree, how long will it take to complete my bachelor's degree?

The time it will take to complete your degree will depend heavily upon your choice of major, your previous courses taken, the type of program you choose, and the number of credits taken each semester. YSU has several programs that will accept your entire associate degree, having you enter into the program either full time or part time as a junior.
What class standing will I come in as?
Your class standing is determined by how many credits you have earned. Please see the class standing below:
- 30 semester hours: Sophomore standing
- 60 semester hours: Junior standing
- 90 semester hours: Senior standing
Is campus housing available for transfer students?

Yes. Full-time transfer students are welcome to apply for on-campus housing. YSU does not require transfer students to live on campus, so you have many housing options, both on and off campus.
Where can I view my transfer credits and how they apply?

Your courses are posted from your official transcripts to the uAchieve system. uAchieve can be accessed through logging into your Penguin Portal and is listed under "e-services for Students". You will be able to run a degree audit and see how your courses apply to the degree program you are coded to.
Is there a minimum GPA requirement to transfer to YSU?

In order to be admitted to YSU, transfer students must have a cumulative GPA of a 2.0 or higher from all colleges and universities attended.

Note: Certain majors may require a higher GPA or additional requirements.
Is there a minimum number of hours I have to take at YSU in order to obtain my bachelor’s degree from YSU?

Yes. Here at YSU, in order to obtain your bachelor’s degree, you must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours from Youngstown State University. This residency requirement ensures each student becomes an engaged scholar while attending YSU and keeps the integrity of the program.
How much will it cost me to complete my degree?

Youngstown State University has the Penguin Tuition Promise that locks in tuition for students for up to 4 years for you to complete your degree! Please visit the YSU Tuition Estimator to see what your tuition and general fees will be frozen for four years. Please note: additional fees (e.g. specific program/course fees, lab fees, books, and supplies) are not included in the estimated tuition.
How do I get credit for my Post Secondary Option (PSEOP), College Credit Plus (CCP), or college in high school courses?

If you are applying as a new freshman and you took CCP or college in high school coursework somewhere other than YSU, you will need to have official transcripts sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to be posted to your record. If you took the PSEOP or CCP at Youngstown State University, your coursework is already part of your academic record.