HEA 101 Quick Guide: Transfer of Credit


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(HEA Title IV , Part G, Section 485(h) and Part H, Section 496(c)(9))

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Quick Take
The 2008 amendments to the Higher Education Act require an institution to disclose its transfer of credit policies, including any criteria it uses to make credit transfer decisions and a list of institutions with which it has articulation agreements. 

These policies must be published on the institution’s Web site. As part of its regular review for accreditation or re-accreditation, the institution’s accreditor will be required to examine whether the institution has disclosed its policies, and the criteria underlying them.

 

When Will This Take Effect?

This provision went into effect when the bill was signed into law on August 14, 2008. Final regulations were published in October 2009, and they will take effect on July 1, 2010.  In the meantime, institutions must make a “good faith” effort to comply with the law. Also, as part of the law’s consumer information requirements (see page 7), these policies must have been made “easily accessible” on the institution’s Web site by August 14, 2009.


What do I need to do to comply?


  • Develop a transfer of credit policy, if your institution does not already have one, assuring that the policy is written in a "readable and comprehensible manner" and that includes any established criteria used by your institution.
  • Prepare a list of institutions with which your institution has articulation agreements.
  • Post the policy and the list of institutions with which your institution has articulation agreements on your institution's website, assuring the information is "easily accessible."  
  • Include in materials prepared for an accreditation review information demonstrating that your institution's transfer-of-credit policy and criteria is publicly disclosed.



Who On Campus May Need to Be Involved?

Academic affairs; registrar; Web master; institutional research


Additional Resources


Statutory Language  
Regulatory Language