Transfer Direct

Enrollment for International Transfer Students

Transfer Direct, designed specifically for international transfer students, takes the guesswork out of the university transfer process and puts students on a fast track toward getting a US university degree

A simple, streamlined, and personalized experience for international transfer students, Transfer Direct from Shorelight offers:
  • Value through expertise – Dedicated, expert Shorelight advisors support and work with students to determine their best-fit transfer universities, reviewing both past qualifications and future goals.
  • Fast admissions decisions – Compared to the standard admissions process, Shorelight offers short wait times for students to determine next steps.
  • Full transparency – Students receive customized course recommendations with clear guidance about which credits are eligible to transfer and which enrollment paths lead to the shortest path to graduation.

Transfer services are designed to support students from any location, with dedicated transfer advising for all regions.

How it Works

  1. Complete your Cleveland State application and submit your postsecondary transcripts from all institutions previously attended.
  2. Along with your conditional offer, our admissions team will provide a Preliminary Credit Assessment outlining the coursework that is estimated to be transferable to Cleveland State.
  3. Meet with your recruiter to discuss the Preliminary Credit Assessment and to learn more about the transfer student experience at Cleveland State.
  4. Submit course descriptions and/or course syllabi and final, official postsecondary transcripts to your Student Success Coordinator and have your previous coursework officially evaluated by Cleveland State prior to campus arrival.
  5. Once all postsecondary academic documents have been reviewed, our team will help you register for your new courses!

Transfer Admission Requirements

For applicants with less than 12 postsecondary semester credits, GPA is calculated from accredited secondary institutions and accredited postsecondary institutions.

Program
Admission Requirements
International Direct
Must be in good academic standing at their previous institution and meet cumulative GPA requirements as listed
below by major.
All majors except College of Engineering, Nursing and College of Education: cumulative postsecondary GPA of 2.0 or higher, cumulative secondary GPA 2.3 or higher. Engineering Majors (Except Engineering Technology): cumulative postsecondary 2.2 or higher, cumulative secondary GPA 3.0 or higher. Note: Additional prerequisite requirements apply for Engineering majors. Nursing Majors: cumulative postsecondary GPA of 2.2 or higher, cumulative secondary GPA 3.0 or higher. Education Majors: cumulative postsecondary GPA of 2.0 or higher, cumulative secondary GPA 2.5 or higher.
Academic English
Must be in good academic standing at their previous institution and meet cumulative GPA requirements as listed
below by major.
All majors except College of Engineering, Nursing and College of Education: cumulative postsecondary GPA of 2.0 or higher, cumulative secondary GPA 2.3 or higher. Engineering Majors (Except Engineering Technology): cumulative postsecondary 2.2 or higher, cumulative secondary GPA 3.0 or higher. Note: Additional prerequisite requirements apply for Engineering majors. Nursing Majors: cumulative postsecondary GPA of 2.2 or higher, cumulative secondary GPA 3.0 or higher. Education Majors: cumulative postsecondary GPA of 2.0 or higher, cumulative secondary GPA 2.5 or higher.
Academic Accelerator
Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and must be in good academic standing at your most recent postsecondary institution
Ustart Track 1
Cumulative GPA of 1.5 or higher and must be in good academic standing at your most recent postsecondary institution
Ustart Track 2
Cumulative GPA of 1.5 or higher and must be in good academic standing at your most recent postsecondary institution
For applicants with 12 or more postsecondary semester credits, GPA is calculated from accredited postsecondary institutions only.
Program
Admission Requirements
International Direct
Must be in good academic standing at their previous institution and meet cumulative GPA requirements as listed below by major. All majors except College of Engineering and Nursing: cumulative postsecondary GPA of 2.0 or higher. Engineering Majors (Except Engineering Technology): cumulative postsecondary 2.2 or higher. Note: Additional prerequisite requirements apply for Engineering majors. Nursing Majors: cumulative postsecondary GPA of 2.2 or higher
Academic English
Must be in good academic standing at their previous institution and meet cumulative GPA requirements as listed below by major. All majors except College of Engineering and Nursing: cumulative postsecondary GPA of 2.0 or higher. Engineering Majors (Except Engineering Technology): cumulative postsecondary 2.2 or higher. Note: Additional prerequisite requirements apply for Engineering majors. Nursing Majors: cumulative postsecondary GPA of 2.2 or higher
Academic Accelerator
Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and must be in good academic standing at your most recent postsecondary institution
Ustart Track 1
Cumulative GPA of 1.5 or higher and must be in good academic standing at your most recent postsecondary
Ustart Track 2
Cumulative GPA of 1.5 or higher and must be in good academic standing at your most recent postsecondary

English Requirements

Students must meet Cleveland State’s English-language proficiency requirements in order to be eligible for Transfer Direct. Transfer applicants can qualify for English-language proficiency waivers based upon qualifying postsecondary criteria.

“We are focused on your success and offer assistance at all levels of your journey, from the start of your academic career with us as a transfer student through graduation.”

Carlos, Brazil

Carlos, Brazil

Computer Science Master’s Student

FAQs

Am I considered a transfer student at Cleveland State Global?

Students who have graduated from high school or international equivalent and have enrolled in college coursework following high school graduation are considered transfer students at Cleveland State Global. Students who completed college credit coursework at the same time as completing their high school diploma or international equivalent (including AP and IB exams) are considered first-year students with potential transfer credit.

What is a Preliminary Credit Assessment?

A Preliminary Credit Assessment is an unofficial review of your postsecondary coursework completed during the admission process. It identifies the courses that are likely to transfer to Cleveland State and how many estimated credits you are likely to receive. The assessment can be completed based upon unofficial transcripts, including ungraded, in-progress coursework. Applicants will receive their Preliminary Credit Assessment within one week of receiving their conditional offer letter.

An official transfer credit evaluation is completed by the Office of the Registrar after you have been admitted. Official transcripts are required for this process. For credit to be considered to meet major-specific requirements, curriculum evaluation is required.

What kind of postsecondary credit is accepted for transfer?

Cleveland State accepts academic and vocational postsecondary coursework from institutions that are US regionally accredited, or the international equivalent with an earned grade of “D“ or above. Please note that some majors and minors require a “C” or better in their courses.

There is no maximum number of transferable credits to Cleveland State. Students must complete 30 semester credits in residence at Cleveland State. You can find U.S. postsecondary courses that have previously been accepted by Cleveland State through Transferology.

Will my AP, IB, A/AS-Levels, etc. be accepted for transfer credit?

Cleveland State accepts Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) for credit where students show proficiency by earning at least the minimum accepted score. You can find more information online about subjects and minimum scores accepted for AP and IB.

How do I send my AP or IB scores to Cleveland State?

You can order your scores to be sent directly to Cleveland State.
Order your AP exams here. Use Cleveland State CEEB code 1221.
Order your IB results here.

Cleveland State Global

A Top 100 University
16,327 total enrollment
6.2% international students
Large midwestern city

In collaboration with SHORELIGHT