Transfer of Credit Policy for Transfer Students, Summer Study, Approved Study Abroad Programs, and Study Away

Introduction and Scope

This policy specifies the conditions and criteria under which Haverford College will transfer credits earned at other institutions.

Policy 

Haverford College accepts transfer credit from colleges and universities as follows:

1. Credit is normally awarded from United States regionally-accredited colleges and universities only, and affiliated foreign institutions for students on approved Study Abroad programs and approved international Summer Study. On rare occasions, this rule is relaxed to include transfer students from abroad, whose college or university is not a part of the U.S. regional accreditation process;
    
2. Haverford College awards academic credit equivalent to credit earned elsewhere as follows:
   • The course must address Haverford’s general education proficiencies and individual program learning goals, and must either:
     • be identical to or similar to one that is offered at Haverford, or
     • because of its rigor and content, readily fit into a specific program offered by or through Haverford;
   • Vocational courses are not considered for transfer to Haverford; nor are courses that appear on the student’s high school academic record as a part of the fulfillment of the high school diploma;
   • The grade received for the course must be a “C” (2.0 on a four-point scale) or higher. Grades of “P” (pass), will be accepted in transfer only via a written statement from the other institution that such a grade is equal to a “C” (2.0 on a four-point scale) or higher.
   • Self-paced courses are not eligible for transfer to Haverford.
3. Up to four course credits may be awarded for pre-college work, which is evaluated and considered for transfer credit as follows:
   • Advanced Placement: 0.5 credit for a score of 4; 1.0 credit for a score of 5. Note: A maximum of 1 credit will be awarded for AP Calculus Exams.
   • International Baccalaureate: 1.0 credit for scores of 5, 6, or 7 on Higher Level Exams only.
   • French Baccalaureate: completion of the “Terminale.” 1.0 credit for scores of 12 or higher with a coefficient (level of difficulty) of at least 5.
   • Swiss Maturite: 1.0 credit for scores of 5 or higher.
   • British Advanced Levels: 1.0 credit for grades of “A” or “B” only. No credit for Subsidiary Level Exams.
   • German Abitur: 1.0 credit for scores of 10 or higher in any liberal arts field.
4. Credits earned in summer school, in the Advanced Placement program, in “A” Levels, in the International Baccalaureate Program, the French Baccalaureate Program, the German Abitur, and the Swiss Maturite, or in college courses taken either before matriculation at Haverford or during the summers as a Haverford student will be recorded in such a way that the total for any one student does not exceed four course credits. Credits earned while on College-approved Study Away or Study Abroad are not included in this quota; however, credits earned on those programs are not counted towards the necessary 24 credits attained during the academic year on courses taken within the Quaker Consortium.

Articulation Agreements

Haverford College maintains articulation agreements with Bryn Mawr College, Swarthmore College, and the University of Pennsylvania through the Quaker Consortium. Haverford College also maintains articulation agreements through formal exchange programs with Claremont McKenna College, Pitzer College, Villanova University, and Spelman College.

Haverford College does not have any articulation agreements with two-year institutions through which students are guaranteed admission and transfer of credit upon successful completion of two years of study elsewhere

Procedures

Haverford College accepts transfer credit from colleges and universities under the following four procedures:

1. Transfer Admission
   • Haverford College only accepts transfer students for Semester I. Once accepted by the Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, a student’s official transcripts are evaluated by the Registrar.
   • Typically, students must be able to transfer into the sophomore or junior class. On rare occasions, a student is accepted as a transfer student by having completed only the first semester of their first year.
     • Status as an entering sophomore requires a minimum 8.0 course credits;
     • Status as an entering junior requires a minimum 16.0 course credits.
   • For transfer students to meet degree requirements, a minimum of 16 course credits and four semesters must be taken at Haverford (or our cooperating institutions: Bryn Mawr College, Swarthmore College or the University of Pennsylvania, exclusive of summer study).
2. Summer Study
   • In order to qualify for transfer credit, a course taken while on Summer Study must be pre-approved by the appropriate department chair, whose principal point of reference in so doing is whether the course will be taught at a level of rigor comparable to courses offered in that discipline at Haverford.
   • The Registrar will assign transfer credit for all coursework taken elsewhere during the summer term using the criteria articulated above.
   • This includes Summer Study at Bryn Mawr College, Swarthmore College, and the University of Pennsylvania, as our academic cooperation agreements only pertain to courses taken during the academic year.
3. Study Abroad
   • The Director of Study Abroad and International Exchanges evaluates for transfer credit all coursework taken in academic year Study Abroad programs using the criteria articulated above. Courses are eligible for credit only if they are taken on one of Haverford’s pre-approved programs.
     
4. Study Away
   • In order to qualify for transfer credit, a course taken while on Study Away must be pre-approved by the appropriate department chair, whose principal point of reference in so doing is whether the course will be taught at a level of rigor comparable to courses offered in that discipline at Haverford.
   • In order to provide a semester’s credit at Haverford (four course credits), a program at another institution must represent at least one-eighth of the degree program there; and similarly, in order to provide a year’s credit at Haverford, the program must represent one-quarter of the degree at the other institution.

Definitions

Haverford College’s definition of a credit can be found in the Credit Hour Policy

First approved November 5, 2014 / Last revised February 6, 2026
Effective date March 20, 2026
Contact the Office of the Registrar with any questions