The Montana Board of Regents has adopted Policy 301.5.1 , entitled System of Controls, to ensure

  • a timely review of the coursework that transfer students bring with them to the campuses of the Montana University System (MUS); and
  • a formal record of the decisions made by each campus concerning that transfer coursework.

Student Responsibilities Under the Policy

Students have two responsibilities under the policy.

Responsibility Number 1:Transfer students must submit a complete admissions file to the new institution, including information about their previous coursework at other colleges and universities.

To help the new campus with the review of previous coursework, transfer students must provide official transcripts from every college or university that they have attended. That official record will be an important starting point as the new campus tries to analyze and apply classes to the students' general education program, as well as the specific prerequisites and required classes in a major, minor, option or certificate. For MUS transfer students using the single admissions file process, official transcripts will be part of the material that is sent from the previous Montana University System campus.

Transcripts may provide enough information to complete the course-by-course analysis for students who have taken all of their classes in the Montana University System. However, students with classes that were completed at colleges and universities outside the MUS will need to provide additional information including a college catalogue for the year that the classes were completed; and if possible, a course syllabus for each class.

Responsibility Number 2: Transfer students must provide all of the information described above at least one month before the start of classes to receive the priority treatment described below under Campus Responsibilities.

What Happens If Students Don't Meet Their Responsibilities?

The campuses will still analyze the coursework submitted by transfer students, but they will not be required to meet deadlines two and three below. Students will receive the transfer credit evaluation before the pre-registration period for the next semester of classes.

Campus Responsibilities Under the Policy

The campuses of the Montana University System are expected to meet specific deadlines as they work with transfer students as follows:

  1. Within five working days after receiving a new transfer student's transfer application or admissions file, campuses are required to send the student notification that they have received the application and inform the student of any additional information needed to complete the application process.
  2. Within ten working days after receiving a new transfer student's complete application or admissions file, campuses must notify the student, in writing, about
    1. the total number of credits accepted by the new institution;
    2. the use of transfer credits in satisfying the general education requirement in the student's program of study; and
    3. the process for reviewing the transfer classes for possible use in the student's major, minor, option or certificate.
  3. After receiving a complete admissions file, and on or before the last day to add classes during the first semester of attendance, campuses must notify the student in writing about how classes will be used in the student's major, minor, option or certificate.

Remember: Students must fulfill their responsibilities by submitting a complete admissions file at least one month before the start of classes to receive this priority treatment.

Other Important Information Concerning This Policy

  1. Each of the campuses of the Montana University System is required to keep a written record of the analysis and decisions made under this System of Controls policy. The people making the decisions are identified, as part of the official record, and the records will be maintained in a central place on each campus. Students can direct questions to the Registrar's Office.
  2. Students have the right to appeal decisions made about their transfer credits. Those appeal and review rights are set out in the Transfer of Credit policy.
  3. Students must earn minimum grades in their classes to be accepted by the new institution as transfer credits. The Minimum Grade policy describes those standards.
  4. Many of the campuses that make up the Montana University System have developed Online Transfer CCN Course Guides listing classes from other institutions that have already been analyzed and equating them to courses at the new campus. Those guides can be useful for students as they select classes that can be used at other campuses to satisfy general education or program-specific requirements. Students planning to transfer should also work closely with an academic advisor.