• SUNY New Paltz will accept a maximum of 70 credits from an accredited two-year college and a maximum of 90 credits from an accredited four-year college or university. (To learn more about the types of colleges from which New Paltz accepts credits, see Accredited Colleges or Transferring Your Credits.)
  • A maximum of 15 non-liberal arts credits may be awarded for coursework taken within government agencies, industry, the Armed Services or other non-collegiate settings. A request for review of such coursework should be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admission, along with appropriate documentation (e.g., course/program syllabus; Joint Services Transcript, etc.).
  • SUNY New Paltz does not award life-experience credit.
  • Refer to our searchable College Course Equivalencies database to see how courses completed elsewhere may transfer toward your New Paltz degree. Credit awarded for successful completion of AP, CLEP, and IB examinations is included. (See also the Credit by Exam policy.)

"Seamless Transfer" within SUNY

  • Students with a SUNY A.A. or A.S. degree who are accepted into a parallel baccalaureate program at New Paltz and who have successfully completed SUNY's General Education program and the appropriate transfer-path courses benefit from SUNY's transfer-friendly policies. Such students will be afforded true junior standing and the opportunity to complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree within four additional semesters of full-time study or the equivalent.
  • SUNY A.A./A.S. degree holders who have completed SUNY's minimum General Education requirement do not need to take additional courses to satisfy New Paltz's General Education program.
  • SUNY A.S. Engineering Science degree holders who completed a reduced General Education program will complete SUNY's minimum GE requirement at New Paltz as part of their B.S. Engineering degree program.
  • Transfer of credit for SUNY General Education courses is guaranteed if a course is successfully completed with a grade of C or above.
  • SUNY transfer-path courses are guaranteed to transfer as courses in the major or as required cognates if completed with a grade of C or better. (Note that courses with a grade of C- may be eligible for transfer toward the major or required cognates, at the discretion of the appropriate academic department.)
  • Courses other than transfer-path and SUNY General Education courses may be eligible for transfer credit toward the major with a grade of C- or better, at the discretion of the academic department concerned.

Pre-matriculation transfer credits: Submitting transcripts and score reports

All newly matriculated students (freshmen and transfers) must submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admission all final, official college transcripts, AP exam scores, IB exam scores, CLEP exam scores, and other pertinent collegiate coursework no later than the first day of classes of the first semester at SUNY New Paltz. Delay in submitting pre-matriculation transfer credits can have a negative impact on course planning and financial aid.

If you have questions about transferring pre-matriculation credit, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

Post-matriculation transfer credits: Registering for courses elsewhere

This policy applies when a student who has matriculated at New Paltz earns credit at another college with the intention of transferring the credit to New Paltz. Matriculated students should consult their advisor before taking a course elsewhere to avoid problems with credit acceptance and financial aid.

Two pathways exist for earning post-matriculation transfer credit:

  • The post-matriculation registration process is for students who wish to take a course at a non-SUNY college.
  • The cross-registration process is for students who wish to take a course at another SUNY college. Cross registration must be approved by the Office of Records & Registration by the start date of classes at New Paltz.

Regardless of pathway, the student should consult with the appropriate office to determine the impact of taking courses at other institutions on financial aid, repeat course limits and maximum transfer-credit allowances (70 credits from an accredited two-year college and 90 credits from an accredited four-year college or university).

If you have questions about transferring post-matriculated credit, please contact the Office of Records & Registration.