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Important Transfer Policies

As you prepare to transfer to Biola University, make sure to pay close attention to our course transfer policies and admissions requirements. Also, our counselors are available to answer any questions you have about the process, so don’t hesitate to reach out. Please note that current applicants should contact their admissions counselor to receive their transfer evaluation.

Students transferring to Biola University are not required to complete a specific set of college courses, and also do not need to meet a minimum amount of college credits completed prior to applying. We do, however, recommend that you follow our core curriculum as a guide to get started.

Have questions? Contact the Office of Transfer Admissions if you have any questions about the transfer process.

Undergraduate Transfer Policy

  1. Biola University will accept credit for equivalent courses from schools accredited by regional or national agencies recognized by CHEA (Council for Higher Education Administration), including distance education courses.
  2. Biola University measures all courses in semester credits. Quarter credits are converted to semester credits by reducing the quarter credits by one-third. Such a reduction does not mean loss of credit.
  3. A maximum of 70 transferable semester credits are acceptable from two-year community colleges.
  4. First Year Seminar: The Biola Experience and the current foreign language requirement for all bachelor’s degrees cannot be completed by the IGETC/CSU Breadth certification.

    The completed IGETC/CSU Breadth model for either the University of California (UC) or the California State University (CSU) systems is accepted by Biola University with the following provisions:
    1. The current foreign language requirement for all bachelor’s degrees cannot be completed by the IGETC/CSU Breadth certification.
    2. The current ENGL 313 (Writing in the Disciplines) requirement cannot be fulfilled by the CSU Breadth certification.
    3. The minimum of 120 credits for graduation will remain the same.
    4. In addition to IGETC/CSU Breadth certification, students must take all major-specific Core Curriculum (GE), prerequisite, and support courses if not met through IGETC/CSU Breadth.
    5. Official documentation certifying IGETC/CSU Breadth completion must be received by the Office of the Registrar by the graduation petition deadline (March 15 for Spring, November 15 for Fall) prior to receiving commencement and/or graduation clearance.
  5. Partial IGETC, CSU Breadth, or General Education Coursework Completion: If a student at a California community college transfers before full completion of the IGETC or CSU Breadth transfer patterns, all coursework taken at the community college to meet the pattern guidelines will transfer to Biola University in satisfaction of Core Curriculum (GE) requirements for that area, with the exception of upper division, modern language, or program-specific requirements. Similarly, with the same exceptions, coursework taken at any regionally or nationally accredited institution to meet the general education guidelines of that institution will, in most cases, satisfy requirements for the comparable subject area in Biola's Core Curriculum.
    1. Only students who are not currently enrolled, and who have not been previously enrolled at Biola may use these curriculum paths to meet the Core Curriculum requirements at Biola. The intent of this provision is to honor prior coursework taken before a student's matriculation to Biola University.
    2. Once admitted, continuing students are subject to Biola University's Core Curriculum and program-specific requirements as essential to the mission, vision, values, as well as institutional learning outcomes of Biola University. Continuing students should consult with their departments, academic advisors, and submit Transfer Petition Forms to the Office of the Registrar, before considering coursework outside Biola for potential transfer credit.
    3. In addition to Core general education requirements, students who transfer to Biola University are required to complete a set of coursework in biblical and theological studies. New students who transfer with 45 or more transferable credits earned after high school and prior to matriculation are eligible for a reduced requirement of 18 credits in biblical and theological studies, rather than the 30 credits required of most undergraduate students. See the Core Curriculum: Bible and Theology Courses section for more information. Note: Transferable credits are determined by the Office of the Registrar.
  6. All students are required to take a minimum of 24 credits of upper-division coursework in their major, 15 of which must be taken at Biola University.
  7. Biola has a residency requirement for biblical studies. Of the biblical and theological studies coursework required for all students, at least half of the required credits must be taken at Biola.
  8. Grades do not transfer — only earned credit amounts. A student's grade point average is computed only on work completed at Biola University.
  9. Courses may not transfer for several reasons: repeat of work already taken, low grades ("D+" or lower), technical or vocational courses, remedial courses, etc.
  10. College-level credit earned during the 9th–12th grades may be given credit, including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and CLEP exams. These credits do not count toward the transferable credit threshold needed for a reduction in the biblical and theological studies requirement.
  11. A music major is limited to a maximum of three semester's worth of previous study in applied music (not including ensembles). Please consult the Conservatory of Music for the maximum number of transferable applied music credits for each program.
  12. The combined total of transferred credits plus completed Biola credits determines student level:
    1. Freshman: 0–26 credits
    2. Sophomore: 27–56 credits
    3. Junior: 57–87 credits
    4. Senior: 88 credits and above