Transfer Credit

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.

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