This chapter sets forth requirements for institutions of higher education in the State for: Admission of transfer students to public institutions; The transfer of courses and awarding of credit for transferred courses; and Collaboration and communication between institutions on issues relating to transfer. This chapter is intended to: Maximize the transferability of courses to: Support timely completion of academic programs by transfer students; Minimize the need for transfer students to repeat coursework completed at a previous institution; and Limit the financial burden on transfer students; Foster collaboration and communication between institutions regarding proposed academic program changes that could impact the efficacy of transferring courses and credits; Establish a process and timeline for institutional review of a denial of a course or credit transfer; and Make public and easily accessible all policies and procedures regarding transfer students and the transfer of courses and credits. This chapter is not intended to affect a student’s eligibility for and use of federal financial aid, and nothing in this chapter shall be construed in a manner that would prevent a student from being eligible for or using federal financial aid. Except for Regulations .02 and .13A—H of this chapter, this chapter applies only to public institutions of higher education. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. Terms Defined. Academic Credit. “Academic credit” or “credit” means the certification by the Registrar of a student's successful completion of a course leading to a formal award granted by an institution of higher education. “Academic credit” or “credit” does not include credit awarded for remedial education. “Articulation agreement” means a written agreement for the awarding of credit by an institution of higher education for the completion of coursework or prior learning at another institution or entity. “Commission” means the Maryland Higher Education Commission. “Course” means a collection of lessons that is intended to meet specific learning objectives and is measured in academic credits. “Course Transfer Agreement” means an articulation agreement regarding the award of credit by a receiving institution for courses completed at the sending institution that are not specific to the completion of an academic program at the receiving institution. “Credit for prior learning” means credit granted to a student from an institution of higher education for experiential learning or a nationally recognized standardized examination that has been assessed by the institution to be the equivalent of learning gained through formal collegiate instruction. “Cumulative grade point average” means the average of grades received for completed coursework at an institution. “First-time student” means a student who: Has earned a high school diploma or equivalent; and Has not earned any college credit from an institution of higher education subsequent to earning the high school diploma or equivalent. “First-time student with advanced standing” means a first-time undergraduate student who earned college credit from an institution of higher education prior to earning a high school diploma or equivalent. General Admission. “General admission” means admission to enroll as an undergraduate student at an institution of higher education. “General admission” does not include admission to a specific degree or certificate program. “General education requirement” means an institutional requirement under COMAR 13B.06.01.03. “Institution of higher education” has the meaning stated in Education Article, §10-101, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Institution of postsecondary education” has the meaning stated in Education Article, §10-101, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Learning outcome” or “learning objective” means a description of the knowledge, skills, competencies, or expertise that a student is expected to obtain, exhibit, or meet upon the successful completion of a specific course or program. “Non-transfer student” means an undergraduate student who attends the same institution of higher education at which they initially enrolled and has not enrolled in a course of study at another institution of higher education since that initial enrollment. “Prior Learning Transfer Agreement” means an articulation agreement for a receiving institution to award academic credit for demonstrated proficiency, a satisfactory score on a specific assessment, applied experience, or other learning experience completed at an institution of postsecondary education or other entity. “Program” or “academic program” means a structured and coherent course of study with clearly defined learning objectives and intended student learning outcomes, leading to the award of a certificate or degree, that requires the completion of a specified number of course credits from among a prescribed group of general education, elective, and discipline-specific courses. “Program Transfer Agreement” means an articulation agreement between a receiving institution and a sending institution that sets forth the course and other degree requirements within a single bachelor’s degree program offered by the receiving institution that may be completed at the sending institution. “Receiving institution” means the institution of higher education to which a student desires to transfer courses and credits. “Secretary” means the Secretary of Higher Education. “Sending institution” means an institution of higher education at which a student was previously enrolled and earned academic credit. “Transfer student” means an undergraduate student entering an institution for the first time who has successfully completed, after earning a high school diploma or equivalent, at least one course at another institution of higher education that is transferable to the institution the student is enrolling in. An institution shall establish written policies and procedures for transfer between public institutions that are consistent with this chapter. The policies and procedures established under §A of this regulation shall address, at a minimum: Information sharing and communication between institutions; Availability of information to students and the public; Admission of transfer students to the institution; Admission of transfer students into specific academic programs; Number of credits that may transfer and the application of credits to program requirements; Transfer of general education courses and credits; Processes and standards for the evaluation of individual course equivalencies and credit for prior learning; Processes for the establishment of course transferability, including, but not limited to, Program Transfer Agreements and other articulation agreements; Process for individual students to request credit and course transfer; and The roles of the institutional transfer coordinator and other faculty and staff. All policies and procedures established under this chapter shall ensure: Equitable treatment of non-transfer students, first-time students with advanced standing, and transfer students; That the evaluation of courses and credits for transfer maximizes the amount of credit awarded to a student; That students are not required to repeat equivalent coursework successfully completed at a sending institution; and That all information regarding transfer is available to other institutions, students, and the public. Applicability of Policies to Students from Private and Out-of-State Institutions. Institutions are encouraged to use the standards set forth in Regulations .07—.11 of this chapter and the process set forth in Regulation .14D of this chapter to evaluate the transfer of courses and credits that were completed at a private or out-of-State institution of higher education. Transfer Coordinators. An institution of higher education shall designate at least one transfer coordinator, who: Serves as a resource person to students seeking to transfer courses and credits; Is responsible for coordinating the application of the policies and procedures established under §A of this regulation; and Is responsible for overseeing the process in Regulation .14 of this chapter for the evaluation of student transfer requests. A transfer coordinator is not responsible for evaluating individual course equivalencies or credit for prior learning under Regulations .10 and .11 of this chapter. Information for Students and the Public. Institutions shall collaborate to develop and provide to students and the public current, accurate, and consistent information on transfer that is consistent with this chapter. Changes to Curriculum. When considering any curricular change, including non-substantial modifications to existing programs and changes to individual courses, an institution shall, at the earliest possible time, discuss any changes that might affect transfer students with all applicable public institutions. For curricular changes that are substantial modifications under COMAR 13B.02.03 and for new programs, an institution shall: Follow the procedures set forth in COMAR 13B.02.03.19; and Within 60 days of approval by the Commission, update all relevant student information. After making non-substantial modifications to existing programs, changes to individual courses, or other curricular changes that do not require Commission approval, institutions shall, within 60 days of the change: Update all articulation agreements affected by the change; Provide notification of the curricular change to any other applicable institutions of higher education; and Update all relevant student information. Establishment of Transferability. Institutions shall collaborate to establish transferability of courses and credits by entering into Program Transfer Agreements, Course Transfer Agreements, or Prior Learning Transfer Agreements whenever possible. Uniform Policies. Institutions and segments shall coordinate to create uniform policies and procedures when practicable. Student Transfer Advisory Committee. The Secretary shall convene a permanent Student Transfer Advisory Committee that meets regularly to review and provide recommendations on issues relating to student transfer and any matters referred by the Secretary. All Institutions. An institution shall ensure that all articulation agreements and all information pertaining to transfer students and the transfer of courses and credits are: Written in language that is clear and explicit; Comprehensive, accurate, and regularly updated; and Available to prospective transfer students in publicly accessible sources. Student information shall include, at a minimum: Admissions requirements for transfer students at public senior higher education institutions; Curriculum prerequisites at receiving institutions; Information about Program Transfer Agreements; Information about other articulation agreements and sources of established course and credit transferability; Transferability of general education courses; Transferability of individual courses; Credit transfer limits; and The credit transfer process, including: How to make a transfer evaluation request; and The standards that are used to determine course and credit equivalency. Institutions shall: Promptly inform students of changes to admissions requirements, academic program requirements, and any of the other information in this regulation; and Notify students that: Students are accountable for the loss of credits resulting from changes to the student’s academic program; and Credits earned for remedial coursework are not transferable. Institutions shall encourage all prospective transfer students to complete an associate’s degree. Community Colleges. Community colleges shall encourage their students to select, as early as possible, the institution and academic program into which they desire to transfer. General Admission to Public Institutions. General admission of a transfer student to an institution under >S1>A(2) and (3) of this regulation does not guarantee admission into a specific degree or certificate program at that institution. Except as provided in §A(4) of this regulation, a student transferring from a public institution may not be denied general admission to another public institution if the student: Has completed an associate’s degree or at least 60 credit hours; and Attained a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent at the sending institution. A student transferring from a public institution who has not completed an associate’s degree or at least 60 credit hours is eligible for general admission to another public institution if the student: Satisfies the same admission criteria as a non-transfer student at the receiving public institution; and Attained a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent at the sending institution. If the number of students seeking admission exceeds the number that can be accommodated at a receiving public institution, admission decisions for transfer students shall: Be based on criteria developed by the receiving institution that are publicly available and easily accessible on the institution’s website; and Maintain fair and equitable treatment for non-transfer students, transfer students, and first-time students with advanced standing. Admission to Specific Academic Programs. A receiving public institution may require additional admission requirements to a specific degree or certificate program. The standards for admission to the program shall: Be based on criteria developed by the receiving public institution that are publicly available and easily accessible on the institution’s website; and Maintain fair and equitable treatment for non-transfer students, transfer students, and first-time students with advanced standing. A receiving institution shall accept for transfer and award credit for a course or credit completed at a sending institution if: The course is transferable under §B of this regulation; and The acceptance of and awarding of credit for the completed course or credit is consistent with the requirements of this chapter. Transferability. General education courses required under COMAR 13B.06.01 are transferable as set forth in Regulation .09 of this chapter. An individual course that is not being applied toward a general education requirement is transferable if: The course is deemed equivalent to a course at the receiving institution under the standards set forth in Regulation .10 of this chapter; or The course is part of a Program Transfer Agreement. Credit for prior learning is transferable if deemed equivalent using the standards set forth in Regulation .11 of this chapter. Establishment of Transferability by Institutions. Whenever practicable, the transferability of courses or credits shall be established via Program Transfer Agreement or other mechanism consistent with Regulation .12 of this chapter. Documents establishing course equivalencies and course and credit transferability shall be publicly available and easily accessible for students and the public. Awarding of Credit Toward Academic Program Requirements. A receiving institution’s award of credit for a transferred course or credit may be applied toward any academic program requirement at the receiving institution, regardless of the program requirement that the course fulfilled at the sending institution, The award of credit for a transferred course or credit may be applied toward multiple program requirements at the receiving institution consistent with the institution’s policies for non-transfer students. Required Award of Credit by Public Senior Higher Education Institution for Courses Completed at Community College. Except as provided in §A(2) of this regulation and subject to §C of this regulation, a public senior higher education institution in the State shall accept for transfer at least 60, but not more than 70, credits that were earned toward an associate's degree at any community college in the State. A Program Transfer Agreement between a community college and a public senior higher education institution may allow for the transfer of more than 70 credits earned at the community college. Required Award of Credit by Community College for Courses Completed at Public Senior Higher Education Institution. Subject to §C of this regulation, a community college shall accept for transfer at least 30, but not more than 45, credits that were earned at any public senior higher education institution in the State. A student may transfer credit under §B(1) of this regulation without enrolling in the community college if: The student earned at least 15 credits at the community college prior to attending the public senior higher education institution from which they desire to transfer credit; and The transfer of the credits will satisfy all remaining requirements to receive an associate’s degree from the community college. Awarding and Application of Credit by Receiving Institution. An institution accepting the transfer of completed courses and credits under §A or B of this regulation shall award credit for those courses and apply the awarded credit toward academic program requirements as follows: For any course determined to be equivalent to a course at the receiving institution under this chapter, credit shall be awarded for the equivalent course. Credit awarded for an equivalent course shall be applied toward any general education, elective, major, or other program requirement that the course would fulfill for a non-transfer student. For any completed course that has no equivalent at the receiving institution, if the student earned a passing grade in the course at the sending institution, general credit or discipline-specific credit shall be awarded, as appropriate. Credit awarded for a course with no equivalent at the receiving institution may be applied toward any general education or elective requirement, if the institution has a written, publicly available policy regarding such an application that ensures the equitable treatment of all transfer students. A receiving institution shall accept for transfer any completed course that fulfilled a general education requirement at the sending institution. Credit for a general education course completed at a sending institution shall be applied toward any general education requirement in the same core area at the receiving institution to which it was applied at the sending institution, regardless of whether an equivalent course exists at the receiving institution. Credit for any completed course that fulfills any general education requirement at the sending institution, that cannot be applied pursuant to §B of this regulation, shall be applied toward any elective within the general education requirements at the receiving institution, regardless of whether an equivalent course exists at the receiving institution. Equivalency Standard. A receiving institution shall accept a course or combination of courses completed at a sending institution for transfer when the receiving institution determines that at least 70 percent of the course learning objectives of the course or combination of courses completed at the sending institution are equivalent to the course learning objectives of a course or combination of courses at a receiving institution. An institution may not use any other standard or method of determining the equivalency of an individual course or combination of courses at a sending institution to a course or combination of courses at a receiving institution, other than the standard set forth in §A(1) of this regulation. An institution may not consider the course numbers or levels assigned to the sending or receiving institution’s course or combination of courses when making a determination under §A(1) of this regulation. Equivalencies shall be determined by faculty who are subject matter experts and may not be determined by non-academic staff. An equivalent course shall only be transferred if the grade achieved at the sending institution for the completed course is the same or higher than the grade required for a non-transfer student in the equivalent course at the receiving institution. The number of credits awarded to the student by the receiving institution for a course or combination of courses deemed equivalent under this regulation may not be less than the number of credits earned for that course or combination of courses at the sending institution. An institution shall include in the policies and procedures established under Regulation .03 of this chapter the process the institution will use for the evaluation of course learning objective equivalencies. Transfer by a receiving institution of previously awarded credit for prior learning, whether credit by exam, for nationally recognized standardized examination scores, or experiential learning, shall be: Evaluated using the same standards that apply to the awarding of credit for prior learning to non-transfer students at the receiving institution; Indicated on the student’s transcript at the receiving institution, including the basis for awarding the credit for prior learning; and Consistent with COMAR 13B.02.02.16H. Equivalency for prior learning which has no explicit course equivalency, such as experiential learning, shall be established by the receiving institution using the same validation procedures for evaluating specific learning outcomes that are used for non-transfer students at the institution. Institutions may establish transferability of courses and credits through: A Program Transfer Agreement, as set forth in Regulation .13 of this chapter; A Course Transfer Agreement or Prior Learning Transfer Agreement; A list of courses that have already been evaluated and deemed equivalent under Regulation .10 of this chapter; or Any other mechanism that enables a student to determine, prior to registering for a course at a sending institution, whether the course will transfer to a specific receiving institution. Institutions shall, to the fullest extent possible, systematically establish the transferability of courses and credits to facilitate maximum transferability of courses and credits and support degree planning for students. All articulations agreements, lists, and other information that establish transferability shall be: Published in a central location that is easily accessible for students and the public; and Reviewed to ensure accuracy on a regular basis, but no less than once a year. Any information regarding the transferability of the course that is publicly available in an institutional source at the time of a student’s transfer evaluation request shall be honored by the institution. Except for §§I and J of this regulation, this regulation applies to all institutions of higher education operating in the State. Institutions are encouraged to leverage the use of Program Transfer Agreements to facilitate the transparent, seamless, and equitable transfer of a student from a sending institution into a specific academic program at a receiving institution. A Program Transfer Agreement between two institutions of higher education in the State shall specify: The course(s) at the sending institution, including any minimum grade required in the course(s), that will be accepted for transfer to fulfill each degree requirement within the academic program at the receiving institution; Any other degree requirements, including, but not limited to, internships and other experiential learning, that may be completed at the sending institution; and If the receiving institution will accept for transfer any credit for prior learning awarded by the sending institution. A Program Transfer Agreement may also include provisions regarding: Procedures for admissions, registration, and advising; Access to student services, including financial aid; Cost of tuition; and Any other information that may facilitate the transfer of academic credit from the sending institution to the receiving institution. A Program Transfer Agreement may have more than one sending institution and more than one receiving institution. A Program Transfer Agreement shall be signed by the president, executive director, chief academic officer, or equivalent designee of each institution that is a party to the agreement. A final, signed copy of a Program Transfer Agreement shall be deposited with the Commission no more than 30 days after all institutions have signed the agreement. Each institution that is a party to a Program Transfer Agreement shall include the full agreement on their website and in other publicly accessible sources. A transfer student at a public institution shall be provided the same opportunity as a non-transfer student at the same institution to pursue the program requirements that were in effect at the time that the transfer student enrolled at the sending institution, provided the student has been continuously enrolled and has fulfilled the requirements of the corresponding Program Transfer Agreement. A public institution of higher education may not deny the transfer of any course that is set forth in a publicly available version of a Program Transfer Agreement. Purpose. The purpose of the evaluation and review process is to maximize the courses and credits accepted for transfer by a receiving institution. Transfer Evaluation Request by Student. A current or prospective transfer student who desires to transfer courses or credits from a prior institution of higher education to a receiving institution shall submit to the receiving institution a request to conduct an evaluation of official transcripts and other relevant materials. The request shall be in the form and manner required by the receiving institution and shall identify each completed course and each credit awarded for prior learning that the student desires to transfer to the receiving institution. Timing of Evaluation by Receiving Institution. Except as set forth in §C(2) of this regulation, in response to a complete request submitted under §B of this regulation, a receiving institution shall conduct and complete an evaluation of the student’s official transcripts and other relevant materials no later than 20 business days after receipt of the official transcripts. If the official transcripts are received more than 30 business days before the start of the student’s first semester at the receiving institution, the evaluation shall be conducted and completed no later than 10 business days prior to the start of the student’s first semester. Evaluation of Course and Credit Transfer by Receiving Institution. In accordance with §D(2) and (3) of this regulation, a receiving institution shall evaluate each completed course or credit in a transfer evaluation request to determine: First, if the course or credit is transferable; and Second, the academic program requirement(s) to which a transferable course or credit will be applied. Transferability. The transferability of the course or credit shall be evaluated by determining: If the transferability of the course or credit has been established in a Program Transfer Agreement, other transfer agreement, course equivalency list, or other institutional publication; If the course fulfilled a general education course at the sending institution; If, under the standard in Regulation .10 of this chapter, as determined by an appropriate academic staff member, the course is equivalent to a course at the receiving institution; or If, under the standard in Regulation .11 of this chapter, as determined by an appropriate academic staff member, the credit is equivalent to credit for prior learning at the receiving institution. A course that is not transferable under §D(2)(a) shall be denied. Application of Credit. In accordance with Regulation .08C of this chapter, and consistent with the standards set forth in this chapter and the institutional policies and procedures established under Regulation .03 of this chapter, each course or credit accepted for transfer shall be evaluated to determine if it fulfills: A general education requirement; A requirement of the student’s academic program; An elective requirement; Any other institutional or program requirement; or Two or more of the requirements in §D(3)(a)(i)—(iv) of this regulation. If the number of credits assigned to all transferable courses and credits exceeds the limits set forth in Regulation .08 of this chapter, the courses that are not accepted for transfer shall be: Determined after evaluating the application of credit under §D(3)(a) of this regulation; and Selected to minimize the number of courses a student will need to take at the receiving institution to complete a degree. Transfer Evaluation Report. No later than the applicable deadline set forth in §C of this regulation, a receiving institution shall issue a Transfer Evaluation Report to inform a student in writing of the outcome of the evaluation. The Transfer Evaluation Report shall include, for each course and credit requested for transfer: If the course or credit has been accepted for transfer or denied; For each course and credit accepted for transfer: The basis for transferability; and The program requirement(s) it fulfills under §D(3) of this regulation; For each course or credit denied because it is not transferable, a clear and detailed explanation of the reason for the denial; For each course or credit denied because the total number of transferable credits exceeded the limits set forth in Regulation .08 of this chapter, a clear and detailed explanation of the basis for the determination of which transferable course(s) or credit(s) were denied; If any course or credit is denied, a statement explaining that all course and credit transfer denials will be reviewed by the sending institution, in conjunction with the receiving institution, without further action on the part of the student; and The name, title, email address, and phone number of the individual at the receiving institution whom the student can contact with questions. A copy of the Transfer Evaluation Report shall be provided to all sending institutions simultaneously with the issuance of the report to the student. Receiving Institution Transcript. As soon as possible after acceptance of a course or credit for transfer, the receiving institution shall ensure that the student’s transcript reflects the credits awarded. Review of Denials by Sending Institution. If any course or credit is denied, the sending institution, in conjunction with the receiving institution, shall conduct an evaluation to review each denial of a course or credit. The transfer coordinator or institutional designee of the sending institution shall conduct the evaluation in accordance with §D of this regulation. The evaluation shall be completed, and a copy of the sending institution’s analysis shall be provided to the receiving institution, no later than 20 business days after receipt of the Transfer Evaluation Report. The sending institution’s analysis shall indicate, for each course or credit denied by the receiving institution, whether the sending institution agrees or disagrees with the receiving institution’s evaluation and rationale. Meeting Between Sending and Receiving Institutions. The sending and receiving institutions shall meet to discuss the analyses no later than 20 business days after the sending institution’s analysis is provided to the receiving institution. During the meeting, the institutions shall review and discuss each course or credit denial determination with which the sending institution disagrees. The meeting may be held via phone or video conference. Waiver. For good cause, a sending institution may request that the Secretary waive the meeting requirement for any individual review. A request for a waiver shall be made, in writing, with a copy to the receiving institution, no later than 5 business days of providing the analysis to the receiving institution. The Secretary shall approve or deny a request for a waiver of the meeting within 10 business days of receipt. No later than 10 business days after the meeting, a sending institution shall provide to the receiving institution: A revised version of the sending institution’s analysis; or Written notification that no revisions to the sending institution’s analysis are necessary. Final Determination by Receiving Institution. No later than 10 business days after receipt of a revised analysis from the sending institution or a notification under §G(6) of this regulation, the receiving institution shall provide to the student: A Revised Transfer Evaluation Report; or Written notification that the review process has not resulted in any changes to the Transfer Evaluation Report. The decision arising out of the review process regarding the transferability of courses and credits under §D(2) constitutes the final decision of the receiving institution and is not subject to appeal. Records. A receiving institution shall keep records of all denied courses and credits, including but not limited to, the Transfer Evaluation Report, the sending institution analysis, any revisions to the sending institution analysis, and any Revised Transfer Evaluation Report, for at least 5 years after the student ceases enrollment at the institution or 2 years after the student completes a bachelor’s degree, whichever is earlier. An institution shall annually report to the Commission, in a form prescribed by the Commission, each denial of a course or credit transfer, including the reason for each denial. Education Article, §§11-105 and 11-207, Annotated Code of Maryland Effective date: November 18, 2019 (46:23 Md. R. 1066) Regulation .01 repealed and new Regulations .01—.14 adopted effective October 19, 2020 (47:21 Md. R. 905) Chapter revised effective August 22, 2022 (49:17 Md. R. 790)