Transfer Credit Application Process

In general, there is not a comprehensive list of courses pre-approved for transfer credit (other than from the Physics Department for Physics courses). Students will need to first consider what degree requirement they are hoping to fulfill (such as a Math course), then search for courses at other colleges and universities which are comparable in content and rigor to that requirement at Cornell, and then seek approval from Engineering Advising per the steps below.

Applying for Science, Math, or Engineering Credit

Steps:

1. Download the Transfer Credit Application Form.
2. Fill out Section A of the form.
3. Include a course description and syllabus with your form when you are ready to submit. We will not process forms that are missing this information.
4. Have the appropriate academic department at Cornell evaluate the course for credit equivalency and approve in Section B (i.e., if you are seeking credit for PHYS 2213, the Physics Department would be the appropriate department). If you also hope to use the class for minor requirements, you should contact the minor department for approval*.

   1. Getting academic department approval for Section B:

      Many departments have their own transfer credit policies and require students to fill out their own departmental forms and/or petitions for transfer credit (in addition to Engineering Advising’s Transfer Credit Application Form). 

      Please refer to the following most common department websites for their transfer credit information/forms: Chemistry      Physics      Computer Science     Math      First-Year Writing Seminar

5. If the department determines that the course can transfer, that department will need to sign your form, or provide you with an approval email. If the department deems that the course is ineligible for transfer credit, the College of Engineering will not award you credit for it.
6. Email the form to your Faculty Advisor to obtain their signature for Section C. Your Faculty Advisor name is listed as your “Program Advisor” in Student Center.
   • If you are a rising first-year student for Fall and do not yet have a Faculty Advisor assigned, you do not need to fill out Section C nor get a signature.
7. Email the form, complete with all the appropriate signatures and attachments, to Engineering Advising at adv_eng_forms@cornell.edu.
8. Engineering Advising will review your form and email you with a decision on the course's transfer eligibility typically within two weeks after all required paperwork has been submitted, though this may sometimes be longer at certain points in the semester. This is your assurance that the course will transfer as long as you earn a ‘C’ or better in the course.
9. Once you have completed the course, request that the Registrar at the college or university where you took the course send your official, stamped transcript to our Engineering Registrar's office. If they can send it securely by email, they can email eng_registrar@cornell.edu. If this is not an option, they must send the official transcript in postal mail to the Engineering Registrar (the mailing address is on the Transfer Credit Application Form). The Engineering Registrar’s office needs an official, stamped transcript to post the credit to your record.

Please Note: 

• If attempting to transfer credit earned prior to your matriculation at Cornell (i.e. while you were in high school) your Transfer Credit Application must be accompanied by either a High School Guidance Counselor Certification Form (for students who entered Cornell prior to Fall 2023) or an Application for College Credit Earned While in High School Form (for students who entered Cornell Fall 2023 and later).  For further information please contact Engineering Advising either by email or by phone (607) 255-7414.

Applying for Liberal Studies Credit

Steps:

1. Download the Transfer Credit Application Form.
2. Fill out Section A of the form.
3. Include a course description and syllabus with your form when you are ready to submit. We will not process forms that are missing this information.
4. You do not need to fill out Section B for Liberal Studies.
5. Email the form to your Faculty Advisor to obtain their signature for Section C. Your Faculty Advisor name is listed as your “Program Advisor” in Student Center.
   • If you are a rising first-year student for Fall and do not yet have a Faculty Advisor assigned, you do not need to fill out Section C nor get a signature.
6. Email the form, complete with all the appropriate signatures and attachments, to Engineering Advising at adv_eng_forms@cornell.edu.
7. Engineering Advising will review your form and email you with a decision on the course's transfer eligibility typically within two weeks after all required paperwork has been submitted, though this may sometimes be longer at certain points in the semester. This is your assurance that the course will transfer as long as you earn a ‘C’ or better in the course.
8. Once you have completed the course, request that the Registrar at the college or university where you took the course send your official, stamped transcript to our Engineering Registrar's office. If they can send it securely by email, they can email eng_registrar@cornell.edu. If this is not an option, they must send the official transcript in postal mail to the Engineering Registrar (the mailing address is on the Transfer Credit Application Form). The Engineering Registrar’s office needs an official, stamped transcript to post the credit to your record.

Please Note: 

• If attempting to transfer credit earned prior to your matriculation at Cornell (i.e. while you were in high school) your Transfer Credit Application must be accompanied by either a High School Guidance Counselor Certification Form (for students who entered Cornell prior to Fall 2023) or an Application for College Credit Earned While in High School Form (for students who entered Cornell Fall 2023 and later).  For further information please contact Engineering Advising either by email or by phone (607) 255-7414.

For more information on transfer credit policies and process, please refer to the college’s AP and Transfer Credit page.