AP Credit, IB Credit, and other Transfer Credit

Advanced Placement (AP) | International Baccalaureate (IB) Scores

Process

1. Submit your Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exam scores by July 15 to have the transfer credit considered for your fall block schedule. Scores can still be submitted after July 15 for credit; however, they may not be taken into account on your fall block schedule.
   • Official AP scores must be requested from College Board, using the Cal Poly AP school code of 4038. 
   • IB transcripts may be requested from IB North America by email: transcripts.ibna@ibo.org, or by phone: (212) 696-4464.
2. Confirm that your exam scores were received on your Poly Profile
   • Go to your Cal Poly Portal (my.calpoly.edu) and click the “Academics” tab.
   • Click on Poly Profile under “General Degree Resources” box
   • Once you have reached your Poly Profile, click on Test Credit Detail on the right.
3. Learn what you got credit for. Use your Degree Progress Report (DPR) to review how your transfer credit is applied to your course requirements (indicated by the green arrow symbol)
   • Review the DPR Guide to learn how to access and interpret your DPR
   • Review the How To Use Your Degree Progress Report video

Timeline/Deadlines

• July 15 deadline to have transfer credit considered for your fall schedule.
• Scores can still be submitted after July 15 for credit; however, they may not be taken into account on your fall schedule.

Supportive videos/websites

• Review what each AP and IB exam gets credit for at Cal Poly. Be sure to check based on the year that the exam was taken 
• Review Transfer Credit Basics video
• More information about sending AP and IB scores to Cal Poly
• Sending AP scores from College Board

Community College | University Credit | Dual Enrollment

Process

1. Submit your college or dual enrollment transcripts by July 15 to have transfer credit considered for fall schedule. Transcripts can be submitted after July 15 for credit; however, they may not be taken into account on your fall block schedule. All college credit needs to be sent from the college where the class was hosted (including dual enrollment credit).
2. Confirm that your transcripts were received and processed on your Poly Profile.
   1. Go to Cal Poly Portal (my.calpoly.edu) and click the "Academics" tab
   2. Click on Poly Profile under "General Degree Resources" box.
   3. Once you have reached your Poly Profile, click on "Higher Ed Credits Detail" on the right side.
3. Learn what you got credit for by checking your Degree Progress Report (DPR) to review how your transfer credit is applied to your course requirements (indicated by green arrow symbol"
   • Review the DPR Guide to learn how to access and interpret your DPR
   • Review the How to Use Your Degree Progress Report Video

Timeline

• July 15 to have transfer credit considered for your fall schedule
• Transcripts can still be submitted after July 15 for credit; however, they may not be taken into account for your fall schedule.

Supportive videos/documents

• Review Transfer Credit Basics video
• Review assist.org to determine what Cal Poly credit you will receive for each class. Reference the accordions below depending on if you are searching for a GE, specific course, or D1.
• More information about the evaluation of transfer credit

Specific major or support course

Things to consider beforehand

• Once your official transcript is sent to Cal Poly, it can take up to two quarters for the transfer credit to be applied to your academic record by the Office of the Registrar. Review the processing timeline
• This may impact your ability to enroll in future classes that require your transfer class as a prerequisite.

Process

1. Determine the major or support course you want to satisfy.  
   • Review your curriculum sheet and degree progress report (DPR)
2. Use Assist.org to locate potential classes at another California public college or university.
   • Assist.org video
   • Step by step assist.org handout for specific course
3. Email a Mustang Success Center advisor at success@calpoly.edu to confirm your selections.  If you are not a first year student, email your college advising center.
4. Go to college/university website for questions about application, schedule, courses, dates, financial aid, placement, or prerequisites.
5. Complete course.
6. When you complete the course and your final grade is posted on your academic record, request that the community college send your official transcript directly to Cal Poly. Learn how to send official transcripts to Cal Poly. Remember that it can take up to two quarters for the credit to be applied to your Cal Poly record.

Timeline/Deadlines 

• Once the final grade is posted, send the official transcript as soon as possible. The Transcript processing timeline is outlined on this site.

Supportive videos and documents

• Review transfer credit basics video
• Assist.org video
• Step by step assist.org handout for specific course
• More information about the evaluation of transfer credit
• DPR and curriculum guide video

General Education (GE) course

Things to consider beforehand

• Once your official transcript is sent to Cal Poly, it can take up to two quarters for the transfer credit to be applied to your academic record by the Office of the Registrar. Review the processing timeline
• This may impact your ability to enroll in future classes that require your transfer class as a prerequisite.

Process;

1. Determine the major or support course you want to satisfy.
   • Review your curriculum sheet and degree progress report (DPR)
2. Use Assist.org to locate potential classes at another California public college or university.
   • Assist.org video
   • Step by step assist.org handout for finding a GE course
   • Prefix mapping chart. When taking a GE area C or D course, please review the prefix mapping chart to ensure you are not taking a course within the same prefix
     • In area C, your curriculum sheet says "lower division courses in Area C must come from three different subject prefixes". To ensure you have three different subject prefixes, refer to this mapping chart to see how your classes are identified.
     • If you took an ART class for C1 and take another C1 for your C elective, then you cannot take an ART class for that category. When credit is transferred in from other schools, it may transfer as a different prefix based on which prefixes are available at Cal Poly. Check the previx mapping chart to ensure your credit will transfer into two different prefixes.
3. Email a Mustang Success Center advisor at success@calpoly.edu to confirm your selections.  If you are not a first year student, email your college advising center.
4. Go to college/university website for questions about application, schedule, courses, dates, financial aid, placement, or prerequisites.
5. Complete course.
6. When you complete the course and your final grade is posted on your academic record, request that the community college send your official transcript directly to Cal Poly. Learn how to send official transcripts to Cal Poly. Remember that it can take up to two quarters for the credit to be applied to your Cal Poly record.

Timeline/Deadlines

Once the final grade is posted, send the official transcript as soon as possible. The Transcript processing timeline is outlined on this site.

Supportive videos and documents

• Review transfer credit basics video
• Assist.org video
• Step by step assist.org handout for finding a GE course
• More information about the evaluation of transfer credit
• DPR and curriculum guide video

General Education (GE) Area D1 course

Things to consider beforehand

• The D1 requirement is mandated by the State, and must incorporate three components outlined on the Office of the Registrar's website.
• Once your official transcript is sent to Cal Poly, it can take up to two quarters for the transfer credit to be applied to your academic record by the Office of the Registrar. Review the processing timeline
• This may impact your ability to enroll in future classes that require your transfer class as a prerequisite. 

Process

1. Use Assist.org to locate potential classes at another California public college or university.  GE Area D1 classes are often broken into 2 or more courses at other institutions. Review the video and handout below to understand how to find transferable D1 courses
   • Assist.org video
   • Step by step assist.org handout for finding a D1 course
2. Email a Mustang Success Center advisor at success@calpoly.edu to confirm your selections.  If you are not a first year student, email your college advising center.
3. Go to college/university website for questions about application, schedule, courses, dates, financial aid, placement, or prerequisites.
4. Complete course.
5. When you complete the course and your final grade is posted on your academic record, request that the community college send your official transcript directly to Cal Poly. Learn how to send official transcripts to Cal Poly. Remember that it can take up to two quarters for the credit to be applied to your Cal Poly record.

Timeline/Deadlines 

Once the final grade is posted, send the official transcript as soon as possible. The Transcript processing timeline is outlined on this site.

Supportive videos and documents

• Review transfer credit basics video
• Assist.org video
• Step by step assist.org handout for finding a D1 course
• More information about the evaluation of transfer credit
• DPR and curriculum guide video

Searching for online class options | California Virtual Campus | CVC

California Virtual Campus (CVC) is a database of online courses across 115 community colleges in California. These include mostly asynchronous and synchronous courses, and a few hybrid classes.

At this time, General Ed courses are searchable, but the "search by home college course name" feature currently is not updated, and will therefore not show any classes. If you are looking for specific classes online with this website, talk with an advisor.

Process - How to search for GE courses (outside of GE Area D1):

1. Visit CVC.edu and scroll down to the search criteria
2. For the Home California College, select "California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo"
3. Search by "Gen Ed Requirements"
4. Select any of the requirements listed as a CSU GE that apply to the class you're looking for
   • NOTE: If you are planning to take a D2, D-elective, or GE-Elective for Area D, you can choose any class in the D-D9 categories.
5. Search by clicking "find classes"
6. On the search page, select the appropriate filters on the left (i.e. online format, term being offered)
7. Select a class to see more details, including course description, transferability, format of classes, and meeting times (if applicable)
   • Note: We recommend checking the transferability of a class with assist.org as it is the most up-to-date website
8. Scroll down on the page and select "add class" once you've made your selection. If it takes you to the "cvc course exchange" page, you can add the class using any pre-existing California Community College portal that you have set up. If not, you will need to create a portal by applying for the college at CCCApply
   • Once you are officially enrolled in the class, make sure to note when the course starts (also shown on CVC), and send transcript(s) when the course is completed.

Timeline/Deadlines

Once the final grade is posted, send the official transcript as soon as possible. The Transcript processing timeline is outlined on this site.

Supportive videos and documents

• Review transfer credit basics video
• More information about the evaluation of transfer credit
• DPR and curriculum guide video

Major or support course

To satisfy a General Education area or a major/support course at Cal poly by taking a course at an out-of-state institution or at another four-year institution, you will need to get it approved prior to taking the course.

Process

1. Identify the course you would like to satisfy at Cal Poly.
   • Review your curriculum sheet and degree progress report (dpr)
2. Read the course's description at catalog.calpoly.edu under the "Courses A-Z" tab.
3. Look for a course that has very similar course description at the desired institution.
   • The description should address nearly all the same concepts as the course at Cal poly
4. Once you have found the course and see that it is being offered at that school during the desired term, you will need to fill out a “Major/Support Substitution Form.”
   • Form for Major/Support substitution found at registrar.calpoly.edu/registrar_forms
   • Fill out the form, obtain the necessary signatures, and attach the course description. You will then wait to hear of approval. Please allow at least 2-3 weeks for this process.
5. Go to college/university website for questions about application, schedule, courses, dates, financial aid, placement, or prerequisites.
6. Take and complete course
7. Once final grade is posted on your academic record, request an official transcript from that institution to be sent to Cal Poly. Learn how to send official transcripts to Cal Poly

Timeline/Deadlines

Once the final grade is posted, send the official transcript as soon as possible. The Transcript processing timeline is outlined on this site.

Supportive videos & documents

• Evaluation of transfer credit
• Degree Progress Report (DPR)| Curriculum Guide Video

General Education (GE) course

To satisfy a General Education course at Cal poly by taking a course at an out-of-state institution or at another four-year institution, you will need to get it approved prior to taking the course.

1. Identify the GE Area you want to satisfy.
   • Review your curriculum sheet and Degree Progress Report
2. Find similar GE at the college/university you are interested in attending.
3. If you find a course at an out-of-state institution that has a very similar course description of the courses that satisfy the desired GE area at Cal Poly, you can email evaluations@calpoly.edu to see if it will transfer. Be sure to send from your Cal Poly email address and include the following:
   • Your name, Cal Poly EMPL ID, and major
   • Name of school where you are taking the class
   • GE Area you are trying to satisfy
   • Course prefix and number 
   • Course title
   • Number of units
   • A link to the course description
   • A link to the transfer school's General Education (GE)/Core courses requirement list
   • When you need to register
4. Go to the college/university website for questions about application, schedule, courses, dates, financial aid, placement, or prerequisites.
5. Complete course
6. When you complete the course and your final grade is posted on your academic record, request that the community college send your official transcript directly to Cal Poly. Learn how to send official transcripts to Cal Poly.

Timeline/Deadlines

Once the final grade is posted, send the official transcript as soon as possible. The Transcript processing timeline is outlined on this site.

Cal Poly Summer Options