Transfer Student Admission Office of Admission North Dakota State University This page is designed to provide useful information to students wishing to transfer to North Dakota State University. While the transfer of credits may seem complicated, we have taken steps to simplify the process for the hundreds of students transferring from other post-secondary institutions each year. As of the posting of this information the following academic programs use some form of selective admission for transfer students beyond general university admission standards: accounting architecture athletic training business administration dietetics electrical engineering industrial engineering interior design landscape architecture management information systems mechanical engineering clinical laboratory sciences manufacturing engineering music nursing pharmacy respiratory therapy teacher education veterinary technology. It is very important to obtain specific information about these programs in order to understand their selective admission procedure. The trend is toward more programs becoming selective.
Admission of Transfer Students Students interested in transferring to NDSU must present the following to be considered for admission: 1. Completed application for admission and $25 nonrefundable application fee. Minnesota Residents Minnesota transfer students must file a reciprocity application with the Minnesota Higher Education Coodinating Board, St. Paul. Applications may be requested from the NDSU Office of Admission beginning late spring for the following academic year. 2. Official high school transcript, complete with graduation date, if fewer than 60 semester credits (90 quarter) of college work have been completed. 3. Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges submitted to the Office of Admission directly from the college and/or postsecondary institution. Transcripts must be signed by a school official and contain the official school seal. (Transfer students may not disregard any part of their previous college record. Failure to report all college and university work may result in dismissal or loss of credit or both.) 4. Minimum college grade-point average of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale. If credits are being transferred from more than one college or university, all the credits will be combined to determine the cumulative grade-point average for admission. 5. ACT (or SAT) scores are required unless you: (a) are 25 or more years of age on the first day of class (b) have 24 semester or 36 quarter credit hours transferring into NDSU (c) have a technical college degree (d) have military service (exemptions granted on an individual basis) (e) are an international student (except from Canada) (f) are given an individual exemption granted on a case-by-case basis. 6. Supplemental Applications must be submitted by students seeking admission to professional programs in nursing and pharmacy, as well as for the coordinated program (CP) in dietetics. Deadlines will vary. Supplemental Applications for nursing or pharmacy must be requested from the College of Pharmacy and from the Department of Food and Nutrition for the CP program in dietetics. NOTE: Students who have been suspended from another institution will not be considered for admission to NDSU until the suspension has been lifted by that institution or until one year has elapsed. Students who possess outstanding debts at other institutions will not be offered admission to NDSU. Plan Ahead for a Transfer If you know you are transferring to NDSU, advanced planning is critical. To help you have a successful transfer to NDSU, we suggest a four-step process: 1) request a fact sheet for your intended major and an NDSU Bulletin from the Office of Admission; 2) arrange a campus visit to meet with an admission representative and with a faculty member in the department you plan to enter (be sure to bring your home school transcript and college catalog); 3) discuss transferring with a counselor/faculty member at your home school in order to take appropriate transfer courses; 4) read the NDSU Bulletin to be informed of required number of upper-division credits and total credits in residence required for graduation.
Evaluation of Transfer Credits As a transfer student, you naturally want to know how your previous college courses fit with NDSU s requirements and what courses you need in order to graduate. Upon admission to NDSU, your transcripts will be forwarded to the Student Academic Affairs Office for an evaluation of transfer credits (such evaluations may take several weeks). You will be notified of these results, as well as of your assigned adviser and contact number. Following is a general guideline regarding the transfer of previously earned college credits to NDSU: 1. In general, all college-level courses from regionally accredited colleges or universities will be evaluated for transfer credit. Courses from non-accredited institutions will not be accepted for transfer. Credit for a course is not accepted for transfer if the course is either remedial by definition of the transferring institution or if it is equivalent to a remedial course taught at NDSU. Technical or vocational credits are usually not accepted in transfer; however, in some circumstances and within limitations, block credits may be accepted rather than individual courses. 2. College-level courses that do not have an equivalent at NDSU will be accepted as elective credits. The academic department will determine if the transfer electives satisfy specific curriculum requirements. See also General Education Transfer. 3. Freshman- and sophomore-level courses taken at another college or university will not be evaluated as equivalent to junior- or seniorlevel courses at NDSU, regardless of the title. In these cases elective credit will be granted. If a lower-level elective is substituted for an upper-level course by the department, that credit may not be used toward the university upper-level credit requirement. 4. Transfer students start a new grade-point average upon enrolling at NDSU. Grades earned from transfer institutions are used only for purposes of admission to the university and certain programs, and to determine eligibility to graduate with honor. 5. Transfer students are encouraged to bring catalogs and course syllabi of previous course work when meeting with an adviser. This information will be of assistance in determining appropriate course placement. Transfer Credit Data on the Web Current transfer credit data is available on the World Wide Web at www.ndsu.nodak.edu/users/registration/search.qry or from the NDSU home page under academic programs, then transfer course equivalencies (under Registrar). This data is not historical, so older college course work must be evaluated by the Student Academic Affairs staff. Converting Quarter Credits to Semester Credits NDSU operates on a semester system. If you are transferring credits from a quarter-system school, your total quarter credits is multiplied by two-thirds (0.667) to obtain the equivalent semester credits. Residence Life Residence halls, single student apartments and family housing units are available at NDSU. To receive additional information on campus housing, request the appropriate information when applying for admission, or contact Residence Life at 800-572-8840 or 701-231-7557, log on to their Web site at www.ndsu.nodak.edu/reslife/ or e-mail them at nureslif@plains.nodak.edu. 6. All claims for advanced standing academic credit must be made to the Office of Student Academic Affairs no later than within the first term in which the student is enrolled at NDSU.
General Education Transfer Students transferring from an accredited institution who have provided proof of completion of the general education requirements of that institution will have completed the lower-division general education requirements at NDSU. Verification of the completion of the general education requirements is sent by the registrar of the institution that you have attended. If your institution does not provide such a form, one may be requested from the NDSU Office of Student Academic Affairs. Students who have earned a bachelor s degree from another accredited institutions are considered to have completed their general education requirements. Students who have not completed a general education program will have their general education credits evaluated on a course-by-course basis by the Office of Student Academic Affairs when they enter NDSU. General education courses at other accredited institutions which do not have equivalent courses at NDSU may be accepted as part of NDSU s general education requirements. Students who wish to use non-equivalent transfer courses as general education courses at NDSU must provide proof that the courses fulfilled designated general education requirements at the previous institution. Students transferring with general education credits should consult with advisers in their academic programs at NDSU for two reasons. First, degree requirements of individual programs and colleges at NDSU may exceed the university-wide general education requirements. Second, meeting the university-wide general education requirements by transfer credits may not necessarily prepare students for advanced, upper-division study in an academic major at NDSU. A summary of NDSU s university-wide general education requirements is as follows (a more complete listing of general education courses may be requested from the NDSU Office of Admission): Credits First-Year Experience Course.....................1 A first-year experience course is required of all students who transfer fewer than 24 semester credits to NDSU. A. Communication............................9 B. Quantitative Reasoning......................3 C. Science and Technology.....................10 D. Humanities and Fine Arts.....................6 E. Social and Behavioral Sciences.................6 F. Wellness.................................2 G. Requirements also include the following: A course in Cultural Diversity A course in Global Perspectives Integration of computer usage within existing courses Communication activities in upper-division major courses Integration of personal and professional ethics into majors Capstone experience in all majors Total................................... 36-37
Transfer Registration Opportunities Students admitted by May 1 for summer or fall semesters and by November 1 for spring semester are invited to register early along with current NDSU students. While admitted students may register in person in the Office of the Registrar, most choose to register via touchtone registration through ALFI (Access Line for Information). Instructions for the various registration options will be provided following admission. New transfer students admitted after the above dates or who choose not to register early have an opportunity to register for courses at an orientation and registration session for transfer and non-traditional students. Students who take advantage of the early registration opportunity also may attend the orientation program to gain valuable information about student services and involvement opportunities. Financial Aid Transcript If you are applying for federal financial aid, a Financial Aid Transcript (FAT) from each post-secondary school previously attended is required regardless of whether aid was received while attending those schools. The NDSU Office of Financial Aid assumes responsibility for requesting FATs from schools previously attended. However, if the FAT(s) are not received after a third request to your previously attended institution(s), you will be notified to also request a FAT to assure funds are received in a timely fashion. You should contact the NDSU Office of Financial Aid prior to aid disbursement to ensure that all required FATs have been received. Residence Life Residence halls, single student apartments and family housing units are available at NDSU. To receive additional information on campus housing, request the appropriate information when applying for admission or contact Residence Life. Converting Quarter Credits to Semester Credits NDSU operates on a semester system. If you are transferring credits from a quarter-system school, your total quarter credits is multiplied by two-thirds (0.667) to obtain the equivalent semester credits. OTHER IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS Office of Financial Aid................1-800-726-3188 701-231-7533 Residence Life.......................1-800-572-8840 701-231-7557 Registrar.............................701-231-7981 Student Academic Affairs................701-231-7744 (transfer credit evaluations) Business Office........................701-231-7320 Center for Counseling..................701-231-7671 and Personal Growth (career and other counseling services) Campus Operator......................701-231-8011 FOR MORE INFORMATION Office of Admission Ceres Hall 124/P.O. Box 5454 North Dakota State University Fargo, ND 58105-5454 Tel. (701) 231-8643 Fax (701) 231-8802 E-mail: nuadmiss@plains.nodak.edu World Wide Web: www.ndsu.nodak.edu This publication will be made available in alternative formats upon request. Contact the Office of Admission (701) 231-8643 or 800-488-NDSU or ND Telecommunications Relay Service 800-366-6888 (TTY) or 800-366-6889 (voice). NDSU is an equal opportunity institution.