Taking Courses Outside UM-Dearborn

If you are a degree-seeking student at UM-Dearborn and in good academic standing, you may apply as a guest student at another college or university. Although not required, students are encouraged to speak with an advisor prior to taking courses off-campus. To ensure appropriate transferability of a course, you may complete a Transfer Equivalency Request/Verification Form prior to attendance at another school or college. Guest admission is usually valid for only one university semester or session at a time.

When to Apply

You should apply well in advance, and at least one month prior to the start of classes at your chosen school. Please allow 3-5 business days for processing.

How to Apply

• Decide on a school and the course(s) you wish to elect
• Verify that you have not reached the maximum allowable transfer credit hours and that you are within the required number of residency hours.
• If you are not sure about your Financial Aid, please consult with a Financial Aid Counselor prior to proceeding. You are responsible for knowing and understanding your Financial Aid benefits.
• Review the Course Transfer System (CTS) for equivalencies. Complete a Transfer Equivalency Request/Verification Form, if desired.
• Complete a Michigan Uniform Undergraduate Guest Application (You must meet the minimum requirements to attend another school as a guest student.).  Once your guest application is completed, sign and then mail, fax, email or deliver in person to UM-Dearborn Office of the Registrar, 1169 UC.
• Please indicate if you would like ES/R&R to mail your guest application to your chosen school or if you would prefer to pick up your completed form.
• Inquire about course registration procedures at guest school.

Once you have completed your course(s), request that your transcript is sent to your Academic Unit Office for evaluation, transfer approval and recording of credits.

If you plan to take a course at a school outside of Michigan, you may need to have the course evaluated and approved prior to enrolling.

Many out-of-state courses are not evaluated. If a course is not listed in the CTS, please work with your college advising office to check for equivalencies. The advising office may require a course description and possibly a syllabus to determine if the course is transferable to UM-Dearborn. If a course is not listed you will need to complete a Transfer Equivalency Request/Verification Form. This should be done BEFORE you take a course to ensure appropriate transfer.

Please check the Course Transfer System (CTS) for course equivalencies or have a course(s) evaluated via a Transfer Equivalency Request/Verification Form by your college before registering so that you will know if and how a course will transfer to UM-Dearborn.

• Grades and/or honor points are NOT transferable to UM-Dearborn from the guest school and will not be recorded on your transcript. You must obtain a C or higher for the course to transfer to UM-Dearborn. Please be aware that some programs require a higher grade in specific courses. Please review your Undergraduate Catalog for specific program requirements and consult your Undergraduate Academic Advisor to verify the grade you must earn to allow the credit to transfer.
• You are responsible for having your transcript sent back to UM-Dearborn once you complete your coursework. Contact the Registrar’s Office at your guest school and request that an official copy of your transcript is mailed to your college advising office.
• Please allow approximately three (3) weeks for your transcript to be reviewed. Once UM-Dearborn has evaluated and approved your transfer credit, the credit will be posted to your UM-Dearborn transcript. If your course was approved via a Transfer Equivalency Request Form prior to your guest attendance, the time-frame for posting credit to your transcript is reduced.

Please read the following requirements and conditions governing the transfer of course credit to UM-Dearborn. 

• Only those undergraduate courses earned at institutions that are regionally accredited or from a foreign university or college approved by the government or the official regulating agency of the country will be considered for transfer credit at UM-Dearborn.
• If you are electing a course already completed at UM-Dearborn, credit may not transfer. Please consult your academic advisor before repeating a course at another school. Transfer courses are not permitted to alter the UM-Dearborn GPA.
• If you are registering for a prerequisite to a course you plan to take at UM-Dearborn, the prerequisite course must be completed and the grade provided to your Academic Unit on an official or unofficial transcript. For the final posting, an official transcript is required.
• Course credits taken off-campus cannot exceed the maximum transfer totals.
• Please consult with your academic advisor to verify that taking courses off-campus will not interfere with Residency Requirements.