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Scenes from the URI Office of Admissions

Frequently Asked Questions
about Transferring

I've gone to a few different colleges and would like to transfer to URI. Do I really need to submit all of my transcripts?

Yes. You must submit transcripts from every college or university you have attended, including coursework for which you are not seeking academic credit.

How do I know if URI received my application materials and/or that my application is complete?

When you apply, you will receive a letter letting you know that we have received it, and telling you how to check the status of your application on line. To check the status of your application, please visit our online instructions. Although you may have sent us all of your materials, it may take one to three weeks for us to place all of your materials into your application file and update your status on the website. We appreciate your patience.

My high school record is weak. Since I plan to transfer to URI, will my work in high school make a difference?

If you complete 24 transferable credits or more, our decision will focus almost exclusively on your post high school academic performance.  If you did not complete the appropriate college-preparatory courses in high school you must complete those subject areas (or their equivalencies) in college before transferring.

  • 4 in English
  • 3 in Math (Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry)
  • 2 in Science
  • 2 in History/Social Science
  • 2 units of the same foreign language

If you complete fewer than 24 transferable credits, your admission will be based on a combination of your high school records, results of SAT or ACT testing completed during high school, and college courses completed to date.

My current GPA is lower than the 2.5 you require for admission, but I am still interested in coming to URI. What should I do?

You should make an appointment with your academic advisor at your current school to discuss how best to improve your GPA. In many cases retaking courses you did not successfully complete during your first attempt is the best way to immediately improve your overall grade point average and the transferability of course credit. If you have courses in progress, we will generally wait until you complete them and submit a new transcript before we make a decision. This gives you a chance to bring your GPA up to the required 2.5.

I'm a student at a Community College. Do I need my associate degree before I can transfer?

As with students transferring from any other college or university, you do not need an associate degree in order to transfer. Earning your associate degree has a distinct advantage: you are guaranteed admission if you earn an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree with a 2.4 GPA or better (this does not guarantee admission to all degree programs).

I'm a student at the Community College of Rhode Island, and plan to transfer to URI eventually. How do I know what to take while I'm at CCRI?

As a CCRI student, you have several excellent resources available to you. There is the Transfer Guide for Students. This is a listing, updated annually, of every course that transfers and their equivalents here at URI. With this powerful workbook you can:

  • Choose general education courses (Section 1)
  • Check the transferability of courses (Section 2)
  • Follow a program transfer plan to a URI degree while earning any one of a number of associates degrees (Section 3)
  • Track courses you have taken and courses you need (planning sheet, last page)

I've heard about something called the Joint Admission Agreement (JAA). What is it, and how do I find out more?

The Joint Admission Agreement, or JAA for short, is a plan that you can sign up for at any time during your first 30 credits at CCRI. When you sign up, you are conditionally admitted to URI. By following one of the plans detailed in the JAA Transition Plans section of the Transfer Guide for Students, you will be guaranteed admission with your A.A. degree and a 2.4 GPA or better. The additional benefits of JAA are:

  • you earn 60 credits toward a specific bachelors program at URI
  • you can be advised by both CCRI and URI advisors
  • you register for URI courses at the same time as other students at URI who have the same number of credits
  • there is no URI admission application fee
  • you're eligible for tuition reduction benefit if you graduate from CCRI with a 3.0 GPA or higher

The advisors in the Advising and Counseling Center can tell you more about JAA and how to sign up.  You can also check out the information for yourself online.

Which of my courses will transfer to URI?

Courses that:

  • have been completed at regionally accredited degree-granting post-secondary institutions;
  • are comparable in quality and content to courses offered by the University of Rhode Island
  • have been completed with a grade of "C" or better

You can get a good idea of what may transfer by comparing course descriptions from your current school and URI. URI's course descriptions are listed alphabetically by subject area in our Catalog, viewable on-line. Unfortunately, we receive too many inquiries and transfer applications to do a credit evaluation prior to admission to the University.

When will I receive a credit evaluation?

All admitted transfer students receive a transfer credit report within three weeks of their acceptance. This report shows the courses you have taken at other institutions, and their URI equivalents. Credit evaluations can only be completed using official transcripts.

How will I know the exact requirements of my major?

The University Catalog is the official source of this information. You can find this information online or request a printed copy of the University Catalog by contacting our office at 401.874.7000, or e-mail a request to: admission@uri.edu. Once you are accepted and pay an enrollment deposit, you will set up an appointment with an academic advisor, who will tell you exactly which courses fulfill which requirements for your major. Your advisor will then help you to choose courses that best suit your major and interests. For more information you can contact the Transfer Resource Center/Credit Evaluation.