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Transfer students

Bring your credits. Keep moving forward.

American National University provides seamless transitions for students advancing their education to new levels — through prior credit, experience, and academic partnerships.

Incoming transfer students

One of our goals as a higher-educational institution is to provide students with seamless transitions in advancing their education to new levels. We do this in two ways:

Degree pathway
Stackable Programs

Each of our degrees feeds into the next degree level — from diploma and certificate programs all the way to graduate degrees.

Explore stackable degrees
Partner institutions
Academic Partnership Agreements

Agreements with higher-educational institutions across the country remove roadblocks to credit transfer and admissions, so you can easily move to the next degree level at ANU.

View partnership agreements

To learn how you can seamlessly transfer into a program that fits you, speak with an American National University representative and find out where you could be reducing the time and costs to your degree.

For international students

University Transfer Scholarship

Designed to enhance collaboration between educational institutions and help international students continue their higher education. It is offered to students from U.S. universities, colleges, or English as a Second Language programs with whom ANU has signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Program Agreements as needed, and to international F‑1 students who transfer from U.S. institutions.

Program agreements may relate to joint programs or to the acceptance of academic credits earned in other specific eligible programs.

Scholarships & grants
Experiential · Prior learning · Life work experience

Credit for prior learning

Credit is not automatic for past experiences — you work directly with your Academic Advisor to apply. To be eligible, you must demonstrate that past experiences resulted in college-level learning and met the course learning objectives. Options include:

Test Out Exam
Demonstrate mastery of course objectives by taking a Test Out Exam.
Resume & employer letter
A resume with work history and a documented employer letter outlining how course learning objectives were demonstrated.
Military training
Army/ACE (American Council on Education) Registry Transcript System.
Portfolio
A portfolio that demonstrates knowledge and how course learning objectives were met.
CLEP exams
College-Level Examination Program exams for recognized subject credit.

Experience gained at work, in the military, or in volunteer positions may mean you don't need to start from scratch — saving you from courses in subjects you already understand.

Prior Learning Assessment
Creating your portfolio

Include all workplace or military training; any licensure, certifications, or diplomas; and civic activities, volunteer services, or similar ventures. Add supporting documents, competency-based exam results, and written documentation of what you know, how it was learned, and how it can be demonstrated.

A successful application gives you credit for the skills you've acquired and helps you earn your degree more quickly.

Non-traditional credit allowance
25%maximum of any program's total credit requirement

Your Academic Plan accounts for both traditional learning and non-traditional sources or experiences. Non-traditional learning must show your knowledge — from work, hobbies, volunteering, etc. — is equal to what you could learn in a college classroom.

Non-traditional credit does not satisfy any portion of the residency requirement for graduation.

Credit granted for work experience

The University recognizes work experience as part of your overall educational experience. A minimum of one year's work experience is required. Maximum credit by program level:

Program
Classes
Credits
Certificate
Up to 2 classes
Up to 8 credits
Associate degree
Up to 5 classes
Up to 20 credits
Baccalaureate degree
Up to 8 classes
Up to 32 credits
Master's degree
Up to 3 classes
Up to 12 credits

Some programs — Phlebotomy and ECG Certificate, Paralegal Certificate, Paralegal Associate degree, Health Information Management Associate degree, and Medical Billing and Coding Diploma — have coursework that cannot be satisfied with work experience or other non-traditional credit, due to programmatic accreditation, approvals, and live competency requirements.

How to apply for work experience credit

1
Discuss the experience with your Program Chair or Academic Advisor to determine the proper procedure for presentation.
2
Submit a completed Work Experience Course Credit Application, available from your Academic Advisor.
3
Prepare detailed documentation of the experience — duties, responsibilities, seminars, and superiors or coworkers who can attest to it.
4
Only experience directly related to the course is considered. Show how every course objective in the syllabus was achieved through work.
5
All materials must reach the Work Experience Review committee before the upcoming term to be considered.
6
The committee makes the final decision; you have the right to appeal through the appeals process.
How credits are applied
Awarded as transfer credit

These credits reduce the overall number of required classes you need to earn a degree from American National University.

How much it costs
$50per accepted course

The service is provided through your enrollment program. Once a course is accepted you'll be notified, and the fee must be paid within 14 business days of approval, before credits post to your student account.

Ready to transfer?

See how much time and cost you could save.

Speak with an American National University representative about your previous credits and experience.

Request information
Talk to an advisor