Transfer Equivalencies
Purchase College may award transfer credit for the following:
College-level Credit
Students who completed college-level courses should request that an official copy of their transcript be forwarded from that institution to Purchase College. Courses are reviewed on an individual basis by the credit evaluator to determine whether or not credit can be awarded, based on the major that the student is applying for and the course taken.
IB International Baccalaureate (IB)
Students who achieve a score of 5 or higher on a higher-level exam are awarded credit. The amount of credit varies.
CLEP
Students who receive the minimum score for credit as determined by the College Board are awarded credit. The amount of credit varies from one test to another; the range is 3 to 8 semester hours per exam.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Students who achieve a score of 3 or higher on an AP exam may be awarded credit.
Students receiving a 4 or 5 AP language and composition will be given credit and are waived from the Basic Communication requirement. Students who receive a 3 on that exam will be given credit, but will be required to take the course to fulfill that requirement.
Military Education and Training
New Students
New transfer students to Purchase College will receive notification that their Degree Progress Report (DPR) is available online, normally within two weeks of acceptance. Once the student reviews the Degree Progress Report, if they have questions they should contact Noreen Mante, the senior transfer credit and degree audit advisor, either by telephone at (914) 251-6311 or via email at CreditEvaluator@purchase.edu.
Incoming freshmen may also receive a DPR if they submit a college transcript. AP credit will be awarded once official scores are received by the college, typically in late August for students starting their studies in the fall semester.
Students transferring from a SUNY associate degree program who do not agree with the decision of the transfer credit advisor’s decision may appeal the decision by submitting a Transfer Credit Appeal.
Current Students
Current matriculated (degree-seeking) students at Purchase College who want to take coursework at another college must complete a Pre-Approval to Transfer Credits form before registering for the courses. Completion and submission of the form will ensure that credits taken at another college will be accepted as transfer credits at Purchase.
Requesting Transfer Credit
Purchase College requires an official transcript to consider credits for transfer.
What is an official transcript?
Hard-copy transcripts and other academic records are considered official when they arrive in a sealed, stamped, official envelope with the seal and any other security feature intact. Electronic transcripts are considered official when we receive them from a secure site formally linked to the sending institution or testing service.
Academic records received in any other condition, such as transcripts that arrive in an unsealed envelope, or that are emailed or uploaded by the student, or that are printed from the university portal, are not considered official.
All new freshman and transfer students should have their official scores/transcripts sent to Purchase College, Office of Admissions.
All returning students should send their official scores/transcripts directly to Purchase College, Office of the Registrar.
Transfer Credit Appeal
If students feel that their credit evaluation contains an error or they have questions, they should contact Noreen Mante, the senior transfer credit and degree audit advisor, either by email (preferred) at CreditEvaluator@purchase.edu or by telephone at (914) 251-6311. After speaking with Ms. Mante, they may appeal by submitting a Transfer Credit Appeal.