Transfer Credit
If you have enrolled in a program of study and have provided NSCC with an official transcript from a previously attended institution, the Office of the Registrar will grant transfer credit for equivalent college-level coursework completed at institutions of higher education that are regionally accredited. Eligible courses must attain a minimum grade of a “C minus” (C-) or better and course content must relate directly to a student's program of study in order to be considered for transferability. Some programs have additional requirements (such as a minimum grade above C- or time limits for eligibility for transfer).
There are other ways in which a student may be eligible for transfer credit:
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Credit for prior learning
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Credit by examination
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Military experience
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Foreign language skills
For more information on the above, please contact the Center for Alternative Studies and Educational Testing.
NSCC offers the Transfer Equivalency System (TES), which allows you to search for equivalent courses from other institutions. It is meant to assist with your transfer planning into NSCC. The information presented here is subject to change and is not a guarantee of acceptance or transferability.
For information about transferring from NSCC to another institution, visit Transfer Services.
Request Procedure
Step 1:
Contact your previous college(s) and request official transcripts be sent directly to NSCC at the address below:
Office of the Registrar
North Shore Community College
1 Ferncroft Road Danvers, MA 01923
-or-
If the institution is using an authorized delivery agent such as Parchment or the National Student Clearinghouse to send transcripts electronically, please have them emailed directly to registrar@northshore.edu.
Please note that NSCC will not recognize electronic transcripts sent by the student as official.
Foreign Credentials: If you attended a foreign college or university, your transcript must first be evaluated by an agency that will interpret your educational credentials and identify the U.S. equivalents in terms of both credits and degrees. Once it has been evaluated, please request that the evaluating agency send the transcript directly to NSCC using either of the methods listed above. Please see the Evaluation of Foreign Credentials page for more information.
Step 2:
Complete our online Transfer Credit Request Form in order to evaluate your transcripts.
- Log into MyNorthshore and search for “Transfer”.
- Select the tile titled “Transfer Credit Request Form”.
Important: Once we have received your official transcript, you have been accepted into a program of study, and you have completed the Transfer Credit Request Form we will begin the evaluation process. After we complete the evaluation, an email will be sent to your NSCC email account informing you of evaluation results. We may also request additional information, if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What courses do you accept for transfer credits?
Generally, transfer credit is granted for equivalent course work completed at institutions of higher education that are regionally accredited and in which a final grade of “C minus” (C-) or better is earned. There are some exceptions. For example, some Academic Programs have specific requirements for the granting of transfer credit for core professional courses (such as nursing courses or paralegal courses). If your transcript is from an institution that is not regionally accredited, it will be reviewed by the Center for Alternative Studies – however, your transcript should still be sent to the Office of the Registrar.
How many credits may I transfer into NSCC?
Students must meet NSCC’s residency requirement, which means that a minimum of 25% of your program of study credits must be completed at North Shore Community College. All remaining credits may be transfer credits. For example; For a 60-credit program student must complete a minimum of 15 credits at NSCC. This applies to both degree and certificate programs.
How long does it take to evaluate an official transcript?
We always strive to perform the evaluation as quickly as possible. However, the evaluation times vary according to the time of year. Generally, it takes anywhere from 1-3 weeks from when we receive the official transcript to when we notify you regarding what transferred into NSCC. Although every effort is made to ensure timely evaluations year-round, the volume of transcripts requiring evaluation increases during busy registration periods, thereby, impacting evaluation turnaround-times. If you need a transcript evaluated, submit it as soon as possible to ensure a timely evaluation so that you and an advisor can determine the appropriate course selection for you.
How does my transfer credit apply to my Program of Study?
When transfer credit is granted, it is given a NSCC course code. For example, if you
took a course entitled General Psychology at another College and received a "C-" in
the course, it is transferred in and will appear on your NSCC transcript with a NSCC
course code, PSY102, with a grade of “TC-” for transfer. If PSY102 is listed on your
program of study sheet, then it applies toward your program requirements.
NOTE: Transferred courses transcribed with "T + the letter grade" are not included in the
calculation of your NSCC grade point average (GPA).
What is a 700-level Course?
A 700-level course indicates you received transfer credit for a college-level course from another institution for which there is no NSCC equivalent. 700-level courses are considered electives. We advise you to meet with your Academic Advisor to determine how a 700-level course fits into your program of study.
Why didn't a course transfer into NSCC?
Not receiving transfer credit for a course may be related to one or more of the following reasons:
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You didn't receive a final grade of “C minus” or higher (or you didn’t receive the minimum grade required by your program).
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The course(s) is not directly equivalent to an NSCC course.
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The course was transferred in from another institution. If the transcript lists transfer credit from another college, we do not automatically transfer in that credit. Instead, please send us an official transcript from all of your prior colleges, so that we can assess each course for transfer credit based on NSCC's transfer criteria.
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You received a grade of "P" for passing. If the transcript does not define “P" as being a “C-” or higher, it will not transfer into NSCC. You will need to get documentation from the College that the final grade was a “C-” or higher.
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The course was taken at a college that is not regionally accredited, or the course is at the graduate level. In these cases, you should work with our Center for Alternative Studies (CAS). Please review the CAS process and contact cas@northshore.edu directly for more information on your next steps.
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The course is not required in your Program of Study.
How can I request a re-evaluation of my transcript?
Please complete our online Transfer Credit Request Form via MyNorthshore and search for
“Transfer”. Once in the form, select “request for a specific course” when asked which
service you would like to request. Please email course descriptions and/or syllabi
of the courses for which you are requesting a re-evaluation to registrar@northshore.edu.
How can I appeal my transfer credit award?
Please review the above-mentioned reasons as to why you may not have received transfer credit for a course, under “Why didn't a course transfer into NSCC?”. If you determine that none of these reasons apply and have already requested a re-evaluation of your courses via the online Transfer Credit Request Form and wish to appeal your transfer credit award, please email registrar@northshore.edu.
In the Subject line of the email please type: Appeal of Transfer Credits. In the body of the email, include the following:
- the name of the course; the course description;
- the College/University where it was taken;
- and why you are requesting the transfer credit.
Attach a syllabus for the courses you wish to be re-evaluated. This information will be forwarded to the Transfer Credit Evaluator and to the appropriate Department Chair/Dean for re-evaluation. You will receive a decision via your NSCC email account.
I sent in my transcript for evaluation and never heard anything.
We need an official transcript to evaluate transfer credit.
- If you sent an unofficial transcript, we will not evaluate it until you submit an official transcript (see above for instructions to do so).
- For new or perspective students, if you are not enrolled in a Program of Study at NSCC, your transcript will not be evaluated.
NOTE: If you are just taking a few classes at NSCC and are not pursing a degree here, there is no need to enroll in a Program of Study or request transfer credit.
- For readmits/Reverse Transfer students attempting to complete your degree, you need to submit an application to graduate before your transcript will be evaluated.
Any courses used only as a prerequisite for entry into a NSCC course do not necessarily need to be transferred to the college unless they are needed to fulfill NSCC program requirements. Students seeking prerequisite overrides into a NSCC class using a course taken at another college should contact Enrollment Services for assistance (records@northshore.edu).