The University welcomes applications from qualified individuals who have begun their college work at other accredited institutions of higher education. Transfer counselors are available in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to assist with the admissions application and course transferability information. Additional assistance is provided regarding orientation, financial aid, scholarships, testing, and academic advising.

The following transfer applicant section applies to citizens/permanent residents of the United States and to international students who are completing collegiate studies in the United States. International students or citizens/permanent residents of the United States who completed College studies in foreign countries should refer to the section on International Student Admission, below.

Transfer Admission Requirements

Applicants who have completed a minimum of 12 college-level hours are eligible for admission to UTEP if they have completed a minimum of 12 semester hours of college-level work with grades of C or better and have maintained a minimum overall 2.0 (C) grade point average.

Applicants who have completed fewer than 12 college-level hours are eligible for admission to UTEP if they have earned grades of C or better in all courses taken, maintained a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA, and meet the requirements for first-year admission.

Individual Review 

Applicants who do not meet the requirements for transfer admission described above or whose individual circumstances are highly unusual with respect to their academic credentials can apply to be reviewed on an individual basis. This review gives consideration to the applicant's high school and college record, the strength of academic preparation, types of courses taken, and grades earned in specific courses. Performance on standardized tests is also considered. Applicants can submit additional material or an essay for consideration in evaluating their potential for success at UTEP. Such material can document, for example, the applicant's work experience; achievements, honors, and awards; responsibilities while attending school, including child or elder care or other major responsibilities; bilingual proficiency; socioeconomic background; residency status; involvement in community and extra-curricular activities; status as a first-generation college student; commitment to a particular field of study; strengths and talents that might not be apparent from the academic record; and experiences in surmounting obstacles in pursuit of higher education. Letters of recommendation from high school teachers, counselors, supervisors, and activity leaders are also appropriate.

Application Documents

Transfer credit used toward a degree at UTEP must come from institutions declared on the admissions application. Failure to provide complete information will be considered grounds for denial of admission, denial of transfer credit, cancellation of registration, or appropriate disciplinary action. Official transcripts from all colleges or universities the transferring student attended must be sent directly from those institutions to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

To be considered for admission as a transfer student, the following materials must be submitted as applicable:

•  Apply Texas Application at (www.applytexas.org)
• Complete, official transcripts from EACH college or university attended.
  • All transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation by the educational institution, an American Consulate, or a certified English translator. In order to be considered official, academic transcript must be mailed directly from the issuing institution to UTEP's Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
• Military transcripts are required for all veteran students receiving or requesting to receive VA educational benefits.  
•  Official SAT or ACT scores and an official high school transcript (required of students who graduated from high school within the past five years and have not earned 12 semester hours of transfer credit).
• Official TOEFL, Pearson Test of English (PTE), or PAA scores (may be required of students whose high school education was in a language other than English).

Suspension periods:  UTEP honors suspension periods imposed by other colleges and universities. Students ineligible to return to a previous institution or whose official records will not be released are not eligible for admission to UTEP

Transfer students who do not meet the requirements for transfer admission described above can seek admission through the Individual Review process.

Timelines

All required documents noted above must be submitted to The University of Texas at El Paso’s Office of Admissions and Recruitment. An admissions decision will be administered upon receipt and evaluation of all required documents.

Transfer Policies

Evaluation of Transfer Credit

Once a student is admitted to UTEP as a transfer student, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will provide an evaluation of courses that are transferable to the University. UTEP complies with the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) by displaying the TCCNS number under each appropriate course entry in the course description section of this catalog. Acceptance of transfer credit by UTEP does not constitute approval of the credit for use toward a particular degree program. The applicability of transfer courses toward a degree is determined by the academic dean or the advisor in one's major or his or her designate. Students should request a degree plan from their academic department or dean's office by the time 60 semester hours have been earned. Transfer credits are awarded according to the following policies:

1. Transfer credit is generally awarded for academic courses completed at regionally accredited or nationally recognized institutions, or from institutions that are candidates for regional accreditation if the credit was earned during the candidacy period.
2. In general, only academic courses that are comparable in content to those offered at UTEP are transferable, and transfer credit carries the same value as work completed at UTEP. Whenever possible, equivalent course numbers are given; if there are no numerical equivalents, elective (TR) credit is given.
3. Only courses with grades of A, B, C, D, Credit, or Pass are evaluated, and quarter hours are converted to semester hours by multiplying the quarter hours by two-thirds.
4. Courses classified below freshman level by sending previous institution are not transferable.
5. Courses from two-year lower-division institutions transfer as lower division credit.
6. Undergraduate courses from four-year institutions transfer at the same level (lower-to-lower and upper-to-upper division).
7. Graduate-level coursework is not transferable as undergraduate credit.
8. There is no limit on the total number of hours that can be transferred from other institutions. However, a maximum of 66 semester hours of credit from two-year lower-division institutions is applicable toward a degree at UTEP.
9. Grades earned at other institutions are not averaged into the UTEP grade point average. A transfer grade point average is not computed, and only credit hours transfer to UTEP.
10. Equivalent transfer credit for engineering courses is granted only for work completed at ABET accredited institutions.
11. Equivalent transfer credit for upper-division business courses is granted only for work completed at AACSB-accredited institutions.
12. Completion of the core curriculum, or blocks within the core, at another Texas institution is considered as completion of the core, or appropriate blocks within the core, at UTEP.
13. Individual core courses completed at another Texas institution will be designated as core courses at UTEP
14. Completion of a Field of Study at another Texas Institution is considered as completion of UTEPs lower-division requirements for the degree program into which the student transfers. Field of Study must be in the same subject area as UTEPs degree program.
15. UTEP does not award university credit for non-academic professional certificate or life experience.
16. Workforce Education (WECM) courses are generally not accepted unless reviewed and approved by the designated Academic Department.

Awarding Credit for Military Service

In accordance with Texas Education Code, Section 51.3042; eligible former members of the armed forces admitted to UTEP as an undergraduate or readmitted as an undergraduate (after having withdrawn to perform military service) will be given course credit for all physical education courses the institution requires for an undergraduate degree and for additional semester credit hours, not to exceed 12, to satisfy any elective course requirements for the student's degree program for courses outside the student's major or minor.

The University of Texas at El Paso does not have any degree programs that require physical education courses and so will not award any physical education credit under Texas Education Code, Section 51.3042. Incoming students who meet the requirements will, however, be eligible to receive up to 12 semester hours of credit for elective coursework that will be applied toward their degree.

To be eligible, a veteran must have graduated from an accredited public or private high school or a high school operated by the US Department of Defense, and be honorably discharged from the US armed forces after completing at least two years of service or discharged because of disability.

To have the credit awarded, students must complete a Military Service Credit Request form and must provide proof of eligibility (i.e., DD214 or disability discharge documentation). The form can be found at www.utep.edu/forms or can be requested by calling the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 915-747-5890. Once processed (and approved), the appropriate amount of elective credit will be added to the student's official academic record; effective the date of approval.

Please note, this process (including the awarding of credit) is irrevocable. Therefore, careful consideration should be given to the total effect of the additional course credit to degree progress and other institutional rules.

Credit earned under this policy does not prohibit UTEP from awarding additional military educational experience credit based on American Council of Education (ACE) Guide recommendations.

Resolution of Transfer Disputes

If the University refuses to accept lower-division credit earned at another Texas public institution of higher education, students and the institution where the credit was earned will be given written notice that the transfer credit was denied. If the denial of transfer credit is contested, UTEP will attempt to resolve the issue with the student and the sending institution according to applicable rules and guidelines of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. If the dispute is not resolved to the student's satisfaction or to the satisfaction of the sending institution within 45 days of the initial notification, the University will notify the Coordinating Board of the denial of the transfer credit and the reason for the denial. The Coordinating Board will resolve the dispute and notify all involved parties of its findings.

Questions concerning the evaluation of transfer credit should be referred to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. UTEP students who have difficulty having UTEP credit accepted at other Texas public institutions should contact the Director of Undergraduate Admissions at UTEP for initiation of the transfer dispute resolution process.