Chemistry Transfer Credit Guidelines:*
For students already matriculated at Cornell University, the course must meet the equivalent degree requirement of a chemistry-related degree program (BA or BS) at that institution. All other guidelines and policies apply.
For students not yet matriculated at Cornell University, courses may be taken at a two-year, regionally accredited institution without a chemistry-related degree program (e.g. community college). All other guidelines and policies apply
Requests involving Chem 1560+1561, 2070+2071, 2080+2081, 2090+2091, or CHEM 2510 must include a laboratory component.
Chemistry Honors courses (e.g. CHEM 2150, CHEM 3010) and Chemistry electives (e.g. CHEM 4500) will generally be considered "courses without equivalencies" due to their specialized content and course structure.
For all online requests, Cornell Chemistry will review the following criteria to determine if the proposed course's instructional format meets the "80% equivalency threshold:"
Interaction and instructional depth
Modality of graded assignments, such as exams and lab experiments
Course structure and pacing
Because all Cornell Chemistry courses "apply a strict standard of giving only in-person exams," all graded exams associated with the transfer course under review must be taken in person.
Requests that do not include all relevant syllabi at the time of submission may be automatically denied as "courses without equivalencies" and rejected on those terms.
Since "equivalency is evaluated by the academic department/major that offers...the Cornell course in question," all transfer credit decisions made by Cornell Chemistry can be considered final.
- The minimum grade for Chemistry course transfers is a "C."
Chemistry Transfer Credit Timeline, Review, and Application:*
We urge all students to receive written approval before enrolling in a course at an external institution.
Applications are generally reviewed on a monthly basis during the academic year, and less frequently during the summer. Please allow up to six weeks for a response.
Students seeking approval for Fall 2025 enrollment should submit an application on or before 08/15/2025.
If your request is approved, you will receive an approval via email. You then need to follow up with your home college to finalize the transfer credit process: A&S students, CALS students, EN students, HE students.
If your request is denied, you will receive an email from the department explaining the decision.
Cornell Chemistry reviews transfer requests for chemistry courses. Please be sure you're directing your request to the appropriate department.
click here to fill out the transfer credit request form.
*Guidelines designed in coordination with the "Cornell University Transfer Credit Policy for Undergraduate Students"
Questions can be directed to chemdus@cornell.edu.