Transferring Credit

PLNU reviews courses for transfer that were completed at regionally accredited institutions in the U.S. to count toward a bachelor's degree at PLNU. Each transfer course is evaluated individually; the course description will be compared to the content and school/department/university requirements at PLNU to determine equivalency. For additional information, review PLNU's catalog policy on transfer credit.

Exams for Credit

A combined maximum of 70 units may be transferred to PLNU from the following sources (with no more than 32 units of exam/JST credits):

 

  1. Community Colleges
  2. Joint Services Transcript (must petition for credit)
  3. AP (Advanced Placement) with 2020 AP tests being offered at home, PLNU will accept credit
  4. College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
  5. IB (International Baccalaureate)


You can also review our policies for standardized testing (SAT/ACT), foreign language placement exams, and college courses taken in high school.

Joint Services Transcripts

To have your Joint Services Transcript (JST) evaluated:

 

  1. Contact PLNU's Office of Admissions for an Unofficial Transcript Evaluation Request. You must include a copy of your JST for evaluation. Please allow two weeks' processing time.  
  2. Joint Services Transcript (must petition for credit - number of units that will be applied to the degree will be communicated to the student prior to enrollment.)
  3. Admissions will contact you to notify you of your evaluation.
  4. Once admitted, you will need to have an official JST sent to the PLNU records office. An official evaluation will be done and approved courses will be entered onto your transcript for transfer credit. A maximum of 32 units may be transferred to PLNU from JST, AP, IB, CLEP, and online coursework combined.

Transfer Agreements

Transfer Agreements

PLNU has created transfer agreements with multiple colleges and universities to help current and prospective students choose transferable General Education (GE) courses. The courses listed in our transfer agreement database are pre-approved with certain restrictions to transfer to PLNU. If we do not have a transfer agreement for your institution, please read our GE Transfer Guide.

Transfer Agreement Database

If you are a current student and have questions regarding these agreements, please contact the Office of Records. If you are a prospective transfer student, please contact a transfer admissions counselor for more details.

You may apply to PLNU with any number of units; there is no minimum credit requirement. Our transfer agreements list all the GE courses required at PLNU but you do not need to complete these courses to apply.

Explore the Transfer Agreement Database

The GE courses listed in these agreements are created for students pursuing a traditional undergraduate bachelor's degree program at PLNU. Some majors may require a student to choose a specific GE course from the list. Please consult the PLNU catalog to determine which courses may be required for your major.

Transferring Credits as a Current PLNU Student

  • If you are planning to take transfer courses while also enrolled in fall or spring courses at PLNU, then a petition must be submitted and approved prior to registration at another institution following the steps below.
  • Most science and math courses must be taken in a classroom format.
  • All GE and major courses must be taken for a letter grade, not pass/fail.
  • If you are planning to retake a "C-" or below, you must retake the course at the same institution to replace the grade.
  • If you are within your last 24 units of graduation, you must file a petition with the records office for a waiver to be allowed to transfer within your last 24 units before signing up for any of the classes listed on the agreements below.

Step One: Transfer Agreement

Before enrolling in a course at another institution, be sure to check our transfer agreements. You will need to email records@pointloma.edu and request a course petition form for science or math courses that will be taken online, classes not listed on the agreement and classes in the fall and spring semester.

Step Two: Fill out a Course Petition form

Fill out every section of the course petition form that Records emails you. We will then reach out to the academic department for you as well as the Vice-Provost. Once your petition has been reviewed, we will send you an email with the result.

Step Three: Complete Transfer Course

Approved courses must be completed for a letter grade within one year of the approval. A new course petition form must be submitted if the course you intended to take is full and you decide to register for an entirely different course.

Step Four: Send Official Transcripts

After completing a transfer course, request official transcripts (in a sealed envelope or electronically) from the other institution and designate that they be mailed directly to the Office of Records at PLNU (not the Office of Admissions):

PLNU Records Office
3900 Lomaland Dr.
San Diego, CA 92106

Once the transcript is received in our office, your academic records specialist will evaluate it and enter it onto your PLNU transcript on Workday. As soon as a transfer course has been added to your PLNU transcript, you will be able to view it on Workday under Academic History and in your Academic Progress.