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Frequently Asked Questions

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How many units can I transfer?

The university can give credit for no more than 70 units of coursework from a two-year or junior college and 90 units from a four-year institution. Students must complete 18 of their final 24 units at APU.

Where do I send my transcripts?

Current APU students should submit their transcripts to the Office of the Undergraduate Registrar.

Prospective APU students (applicants) should submit their transcripts to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

How can I find out whether a course from a certain college transfers to APU, or whether it fulfills General Studies or major/minor requirements?

You can look at our General Studies Transfer Plans to find out what courses meet General Studies requirements. Course-to-Course Articulation identifies individual courses or sequences of courses at a sending institution that are comparable to, or “acceptable in lieu of,” a corresponding course or sequence of courses at APU. These can include not only General Studies requirements but major and minor requirements as well.

How do quarter units convert to semester units?

All quarter units will be converted to semester units. APU grants two semester units credit for every three quarter units.

I’m thinking about taking a course this summer at a college near my home. What do I do?

If you’re a current APU student, first check our General Studies Transfer Plans and Course-to-Course Articulation to see if your school and/or course are listed. If they are, then you don’t need to do anything more! You may proceed to take the class as planned and send a transcript of the completed coursework to the Undergraduate Registrar to receive credit.

If you can’t find your school and/or course listed, fill out a Transfer Inquiry Form* and submit it to the Undergraduate Registrar for review. You can expect to hear a response in approximately two weeks as to how the course will count as credit at APU. Once you’ve completed the course, make sure to have your official transcripts sent to the Undergraduate Registrar to receive credit.

If you’re a prospective student (applicant), contact your admissions counselor for more information about transferring courses to APU.

What is articulation?

When the word “articulation” is used in education, it often has different meanings and connotations depending on the setting. Articulation, for our purposes, refers specifically to course articulation—that is, the process of developing a formal, written agreement that identifies a course (or sequences of courses) on a “sending” campus that are comparable to, or acceptable in lieu of, specific course requirements at a “receiving” campus.

Successful completion of an articulated course assures the student and the faculty that the student has taken the appropriate course, received the necessary instruction and preparation, and that similar outcomes can be assured, enabling progression to the next level of instruction at the receiving institution (Source: Handbook for California Articulation Policies & Procedures).

Can I get credit for college courses taken while attending high school?

Yes, you can, provided the school or program through which that course is offered is an accredited institution. APU must receive an official transcript, including your grades for the courses you wish to transfer, from that college or university.

*The downloadable version of this document is provided in a Portable Document Format (PDF). To learn more about PDFs or to install Adobe Acrobat Reader, follow this link.