Transfer credit for courses taken at other schools over the summer, while studying abroad, or during a leave of absence may help to satisfy Carnegie Mellon University course requirements and count toward graduation. It is a good idea to determine how credit will count towards your degree before spending time and money on a course. For more information about transfer credits, visit the University Policies website.

• Transfer Credit Policy Overview

• Submitting a Transcript to CMU

Transfer credit is only accepted for courses taken at accredited institutions from which an official transcript is received. Transfer credits must meet the academic requirements of the program in which the student is enrolled and may not exceed the maximum number of transferrable units, per the program’s academic requirements. Courses accepted for credit must have been taken for a letter grade and students must have earned a C (2.00) or above in the transferred course, however, transfer credits will only record the units/credits earned, not the grade, unless the course is taken at one of the Cross-Registration (PCHE) affiliates. Carnegie Mellon does not award course credit for prior experience such as service in the armed forces, paid or unpaid employment, or other “real world” learning experiences or demonstrated competency.

Please note that the University Registrar's Office does not determine which credits can be counted towards your degree. The decision is determined by your individual college. Because of this, it is important to discuss potential transfer credits with your advisor ahead of time so they can assist you in this process. The advisor can determine whether the courses will transfer and how those courses will look on the Carnegie Mellon transcript.

Students should make an appointment with their advisor and take the following information:

• Name of the college or university student will attend
• The school's course number and title for the considered classes
• The course description for each class (a paragraph from a course catalog or website is fine)
• The name and number of the Carnegie Mellon course the student would like this to substitute

Incoming students may be granted credit for college courses taken before their enrollment at Carnegie Mellon, provided the courses descriptions meet requirements. First year students should make an appointment with their academic advisor to discuss the transfer credit process.

Incoming first-year and external transfer students starting fall 2026 must have their official transcripts sent to the University Registrar's Office either electronically or by mail to be considered for transfer credit from another accredited institution. Unofficial transcripts, screenshots or personal copies of transcripts are not accepted.

Students who entered CMU before fall 2026 should follow their college/school-based process as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog.

We accept official electronic transcripts from secure transcript providers such as Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse and other online vendors. Please select “Undergraduate Admission” if multiple Carnegie Mellon University options are listed.

Electronic: Send to transfercredit-transcripts@andrew.cmu.edu

By mail: Carnegie Mellon University
                University Registrar's Office
                5000 Forbes Ave,  Warner Hall A19
                Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Upon receipt, the University Registrar's Office will verify the official transcript, and the appropriate academic department responsible for the student's transfer credit decisions will evaluate the course(s) for the appropriate Carnegie Mellon equivalent. The appropriate academic department is solely responsible for what transfer credits are applied as a Carnegie Mellon equivalent course. The student’s home academic department is responsible for how the Carnegie Mellon equivalent course(s) are applied to the student's degree. The official transcript will reside as part of the student's academic file.

Many academic departments will require students to provide the external course's syllabus in order to evaluate for the appropriate Carnegie Mellon equivalent course. After students submit their official transcript(s), they may receive an email from the Division of Enrollment Management at Carnegie Mellon, providing instructions on how to upload course syllabi. If required, external transfer credit will not be evaluated until the appropriate syllabus is provided.

The course syllabus provided should include the following information: course description, including topics covered and/or learning outcomes; textbook(s) or other course materials covered; assignments, assessments and grading scheme; and any required prerequisites and/or corequisites. If additional information is needed, students will be notified of the required information and provided with instructions on how to share it. Additional time may be required to complete the transfer course evaluation.