The Application for Transfer of Credit form should be used for:

• abbreviated terms, e.g., winter terms,
• credit while on a medical leave or suspension (if permission has been granted in an official letter),
• or pre-matriculation credit.  

Students should submit one Application for Transfer Credit for each course they are seeking pre-approval to transfer back to Bowdoin. 

If you are requesting approval for courses taken during an approved study abroad semester, please contact the Off-Campus Study Office for more information about that process.
 

• Credit is awarded only for liberal arts courses compatible with the Bowdoin curriculum, in which a grade of C- or above is earned.
• Permission to transfer credit from other institutions requires approval in advance from the appropriate Bowdoin department/program.
  • Students are encouraged to begin the process of seeking pre-approval for transfer credit at least 6-8 weeks prior to the start of the course they're interested in taking elsewhere.
  • If prior approval was not obtained, transfer of credit is possible only by petition to the Recording Committee. For more information about the Recording Committee, please visit the Bowdoin website. 
  • Students are encouraged to speak with the appropriate Bowdoin department/program before submitting potential transfer courses through this form.
  • Before receiving final approval of credit for any course, students may be asked to submit supporting documents, such as syllabi and all papers and exams, after the course has been completed. 
  • The Registrar, Department/Program, or Recording Committee may decline to grant credit if the course or the student’s work in the course does not satisfy Bowdoin academic standards.
  • For non-US programs, consultation with the Off-Campus Study Office is required to confirm transfer credit eligibility.
• Credit is not granted for courses taken elsewhere when Bowdoin classes are in session (the first day of classes through the last day of final exams) except in special circumtances and with the prior approval of the Recording Committee. Bowdoin's official, academic calendar can be referenced here. 
• Credit is awarded only for courses analogous to those in the Bowdoin curriculum.
  • No credit is transferred for courses with a professional focus, (e.g. business, marketing, communications, or journalism); internships, vocational study; bridge programs; domestic for-profit institutions, correspondence courses, programs such as HBX CORe; or outdoor education or similar field-study areas are specifically identified as unacceptable if required assignments consist of only reports or reflective summaries.
  • Students may apply for transfer credit approval for online or hybrid courses, courses taken at 2-year or 4-year institutions, and courses taken during abbreviated terms, e.g., winter terms, that are pre-approved by the department/program and meet all other standards for a Bowdoin course.
• Credit is not awarded for courses taken on a pass/fail basis at the other institution. 

• Students may transfer a cumulative total of no more than four credits from abbreviated terms, e.g., winter terms.
• Students may apply a maximum of four pre-matriculation course credits toward their Bowdoin degree from the following sources: Advanced Placement Program, International Baccalaureate Program, other approved International exams, and college credits for courses that were completed on a college campus, taught by college faculty, completed in a class with matriculated college students, and were not used to satisfy any high school graduation requirements. For more information on receiving credit for pre-matriculation study, please visit the Bowdoin website. 

• One Bowdoin credit is considered equal to a minimum of 3 semester hours or 5 quarter hours at other colleges/universities. 
• While some exceptions may occur, no course taken elsewhere will be worth more than 1.00 Bowdoin credit. Thus, students will not receive ‘extra’ credit for courses that have accompanying laboratory credits. For example, a course taken elsewhere that is worth 3 credits with an accompanying lab that is worth 2 credits will transfer to Bowdoin as 1.00 credit or course-unit.

Summer Course Hours	Transfers to Bowdoin
2 semester hours or 4 quarter hours	0.50 credits
3 semester hours or 5 quarter hours	1.00 credit
More than 3 semester hours or 5 quarter hours	1.00 credit

 

• No credit will be awarded by the Office of the Registrar until an official transcript showing the number of credits or credit-hours and the grade(s) earned has been received from the host institution.
  • A transcript is considered to be official only if it arrives at the Office of the Registrar in its original, sealed envelope or as a certified PDF.
  • A faxed transcript, photocopy of the transcript, letter or email from the professor, or grade report is not acceptable.
• Bowdoin cannot request a transcript from another institution; it is the student’s responsibility to make certain that an official transcript is sent directly from the host institution to:
  • Office of the Registrar, Bowdoin College, 4500 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011-8436.
• Students should allow 2-4 weeks from Bowdoin's receipt of the official transcript for transfer credit to be applied.
  • Students will receive email notification from the Office of the Registrar once credit is applied and viewable in Polaris and Degree Progress. 
  • No course titles or grades are listed on an official Bowdoin transcript for courses completed at another institution. Only the term, institution attended, and total credit received will display on the official Bowdoin transcript. 
• Bowdoin cannot release a transcript from another institution; it is the student's responsibility to request a copy of their official transcript from the host institution directly.