Frequently Asked Questions
How will my transfer credit be applied to my SIUE degree requirements?
If you have completed the Illinois General Education Core Curriculum at an IAI participating school, you will have met all general education requirements with the exception of one Interdisciplinary Studies course and foreign language, if applicable.
Credit will be evaluated to determine equivalency to SIUE coursework and, if equivalent, will apply as it would have had it been completed at SIUE. Courses for which equivalency could not be established will be applied toward general education requirements if the content meets the objectives of the general education curriculum. Coursework that is determined appropriate for acceptance by the University, but does not have an SIUE equivalent or meet general education requirements, may be used at the discretion of a student's major department as appropriate.
If the credit is occupational or developmental/preparatory, it will not be accepted toward SIUE general education or degree requirements.
Do you accept associate degrees from an Illinois or Missouri community college?
A student transferring to SIUE, who has received an Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Science (AS), Associate in Science and Arts (ASA), or Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT in early childhood, special education, or math) degree from an Illinois public community college or an Associate in Arts (AA) from a Missouri public community college is considered to have met all lower-level general education requirements, including all Experiences, often referred to as a General Education Waiver (Gen Ed Waiver). ENG 101 and 102 must be met with grades of C or higher, and one, three-semester-hour junior-level or above Interdisciplinary Studies course from a senior institution is required for graduation.
Students who have met the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) general education core curriculum will receive the Gen Ed Waiver and also must meet the English and Interdisciplinary Studies requirements for graduation.
Some courses can fulfill both general education and major/minor requirements. Students who receive a Gen Ed Waiver must complete all coursework required for the major/minor.
Does SIUE limit the number of transfer hours accepted?
You can transfer as many hours to the University as you wish. There is no limit. However, SIUE does limit the number of hours that can be applied toward a degree granted at the University.
If you are transferring from a regionally accredited two-year institution, you must complete 60 semester hours at a regionally accredited four-year institution and 30 of these 60 hours must be completed at SIUE to satisfy University residency requirements.
If you are transferring to SIUE from a four-year institution, you also must satisfy the 30-semester hour SIUE residency requirement.
Is my transfer coursework GPA factored into my SIUE GPA?
No. Your transfer coursework is not averaged with SIUE coursework when calculating your GPA.
What is regional accreditation and why is it important to me?
Accreditation is a voluntary process of external review of quality and improvement. Regional accreditors review all aspects of an institution to make sure you receive a high-quality education. Regional accreditors operate in six regions of the country and can review both public and private, profit and nonprofit institutions of higher education.
SIUE is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Information regarding institutional accreditation can be obtained through each college or university that you have attended or plan to attend. In addition, information regarding regional accreditation status can be obtained through the appropriate association listed below.
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CHE)
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Technical and Career Institutions (NEASC-CTCI)
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for community and Junior colleges (WASC-ACCJC)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for community and Senior colleges (WASC-ACSCU)
Do you accept out-of-state credit?
Credit is evaluated course by course. Out-of-state associate degrees do not automatically meet SIUE's lower level general education requirements. Students will receive a Gen Ed Waiver for degrees that substantially compare to the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) general education core curriculum. One, three-semester-hour junior-level Interdisciplinary Studies course from a senior institution is required for graduation.
Do you accept four-year college credit?
Coursework taken at a regionally accredited four-year institution leading to a bachelor's degree at that institution is accepted for credit unless remedial in nature.
If I earned a D in a class at another institution, will it be accepted for transfer credit?
Coursework in which you earned a D or better is reviewed and considered for acceptance at SIUE, if it is appropriate to baccalaureate education. Some degree requirements state that you must earn a minimum grade to satisfy a degree requirement. If this is the case, the course in which you earned a D will not fulfill the requirement, i.e. if you earned a D in coursework considered equivalent to SIUE English 101 and 102.
