The Commonwealth Transfer Compact
January 1990
For students transferring from Massachusetts community colleges to public colleges and universities offering the baccalaureate degree.
Section I: Requirements for Transfer Compact Status
A student shall be eligible for transfer compact status if they have met the following requirements:
- Completed an associate degree with a minimum of 60 credit hours exclusive of developmental course work
- Achieved a cumulative grade point average of not less than 2.0 (in a 4.0 system) at the community college awarding the degree
- Completed the following minimum general education core exclusive of developmental course work:
English Composition/Writing - 6 credit hours
Behavioral and Social Sciences - 9 credit hours
Humanities and Fine Arts - 9 credit hours
Natural or Physical Sciences - 8 credit hours
Mathematics - 3 credit hours
The sending institution is responsible for identifying the transcript of each student who is a candidate for transfer under this compact.
Section II: Credits to be Transferred
The 35 credits in general education specified in Section I will be applied toward the fulfillment of the receiving institutions general education requirements.
A minimum of 25 additional credits will be accepted as transfer credits by the receiving institution. These credits may be transferred as free electives, toward the receiving institution's additional general education requirements, toward the student's major, or any combination, as the receiving institution deems appropriate.
Only college-level credits consistent with the standards set forth in the undergraduate experience recommendations are included under this Compact. Credits awarded by the sending institution through College Level Examination Program (CLEP), challenge examinations, and other life-experience evaluations for course credit may be included when the community college certifies that a student qualifies under this compact.
Section III: Credits Beyond the Associate Degree
To complete the baccalaureate degree, a student who transfers under this compact may be required to take no more than 68 additional credits unless:
- The student changes their program upon entering the receiving institution; or
- The combination of additional general education requirements, if any, and the requirements of the
student's major at the receiving institution total more than 68 credits
Under these circumstances, transfer students will be subject to the same requirements as native students. (The term "native student" refers to students who began their undergraduate education at the baccalaureate institution.)
Section IV: Admission to Competitive Majors or Programs
If, because of space or fiscal limitations, the receiving institution does not admit all qualified applicants to a given major or program, the receiving institution will use the same criteria for applicants who are transfer students under this compact as it does for its native students.
Section V: Transfer Coordinating Committee
A Transfer Coordinating Committee, convened by the Higher Education Coordinating Council of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, will monitor use of the transfer compact, resolve appeals as they pertain to the provisions in this document, and collect and analyze relevant data.
Section VI: Publication of Requirements
Each public college and university shall include in its official undergraduate catalog the provisions of the Commonwealth Transfer Compact. A transfer student may not be held to any degree requirements at the receiving institution that were established less than three years prior to transfer admission.
Section VII: Transfer Records
The student with transfer compact status will be provided (by the receiving institution) a list of courses to be fulfilled to earn a baccalaureate degree, no later than the end of the semester the student enrolls. With the agreement of the student, a copy will be provided to the transfer officer at the sending community college.
Section VIII: Transfer Officer
The president or chancellor of each public institution of higher education will identify an individual who serves as that institution's transfer officer. The transfer officer's responsibility will be to assist students with transfer activities.
Section IX: Student Appeals
A student who believes that the provisions of this Compact have not been applied fairly to their transfer application has the right to appeal.
Initially, differences of interpretation regarding the award of transfer credit shall be resolved between the student and the institution to which they are transferring. If a difference remains unresolved, the student shall present their evaluation of the situation to the institution from which the student is transferring. Representatives from the two institutions shall then have the opportunity to resolve the differences.
Absent a satisfactory resolution, differences of interpretation may be presented to the Transfer Coordinating Committee.
Section X: Effective Date
The Commonwealth Transfer Compact took effect January 9, 1990.
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