Transfer credit

If you have not already, submit your admissions application to Edmonds College! This will not only get you greater student access to the college but will start the process of generating your academic record. We cannot add transferable courses and credits without an academic record.

Your Triton ID is separate from your ctcLink ID, allowing access to unique Edmonds College technology. The Triton ID can be set-up after you register for at least one (1.0) credit of courses. The Triton ID allows all Edmonds College students to use the On-line Graduation Application and Transcript Evaluation (GATE) system as their log-in.

If you are a prospective student that has not registered for courses yet, we recommend connecting with our colleagues in Academic Advising to get an Unofficial Evaluation and craft an academic plan.

You can find out more about Triton ID and how to set it up on the Triton ID and Students Accounts webpage. If you encounter errors or need help with your Triton ID or ctcLink ID, the Student Technology Advice and Resource Team (START) will be happy to help.

Note: The IT Team performs a quarterly update to GATE to add accounts and allow new students access to GATE. This happens between terms, and at this time, the IT Team is unable to perform individual account updates outside of this timeframe.

Seek out your prior school or academic institute’s information on ordering official transcripts from them. Each school and institute can have a unique process, so if you have questions or concerns, we recommend reaching out to them directly!

• For students with military transcripts, check out Step 3B for additional information!
• For students with international transcripts (i.e., from schools outside the United States and its territories), check out Step 3C for additional directions!
• For students with exam credit (such as AP, IB, or CI), check out our Exam Credit page for their specific directions.

When ordering your transcript, have it sent directly to our department with the following addresses:

credentials@edmonds.edu.

Edmonds College
ATTN: Credentials & Evaluation
20000 68th Ave W
Lynnwood, WA 98036

If you have a physical sealed (unopened) official transcript that was sent to your address, you may either mail it to us or drop it off with our colleagues in Enrollment Services.

Due to security reasons, we are unable to accept electronic official transcripts from students at this time.

To have Military Transcripts requests sent to Edmonds College, please visit the Joint Services Transcript Request page. You may also contact the college's Veterans Resource Center for additional support. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) requires that you submit official transcripts from every institution you have attended. Follow all the other directions listed above in Step 3 to complete your submission.

Students with an international transcript (i.e., from schools outside the United States and its territories) need to get an official course-by-course report completed by an independent credentials evaluation service agency. The report must examine your international educational/academic records to determine U.S. standards can be used. It is important to get a course-by-course translation report (instead of a rather than a document-by-document translation) to ensure we receive the correct information.

The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) must approve the agency. You can find a list of approved agencies here.

Edmonds College does not endorse or recommend any specific evaluation agency. We do often see and use reports from Foundation for International Services, Inc. (FIS), Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. International Education Consultants (JS&A), and World Education Services, Inc. (WES). But we will accept reports from all members listed on the NACES website.

If you are uncertain how to acquire your original international transcript for a NACES agency’s report process, please contact them directly for guidance and support.

All Edmonds College students may use the online Graduation Application and Transcript Evaluation (GATE) system by logging in with their Triton ID.

1. Using your Triton ID (username and password), log into GATE.
2. Click the “Select” button next to Evaluation Request - Transfer Credits.
3. Fill out the fields for:

• • Any former or other names that would appear on your transcripts,
  • The program you are pursuing at Edmonds College,
  • The names of the college(s) you are submitting for evaluation,
  • In the Student Comments field, please provide your academic advisor or faculty advisor’s name, and
  • In the Student Comments field, provide any other relevant information that will help us with your evaluation (e.g., the transcripts are hard copies being mailed).

4. Review the information at the bottom, including what students are responsible for, then check the “I have read the above statement” box.
5. Click the “Submit” button.

Depending on the time of year, impacts on physical mailing, and other factors, transfer credit evaluations may take six to eight weeks or up to twelve weeks from the time we receive both the evaluation request and listed transcript(s). The Credentials & Evaluation team will not start reviewing for transfer credit until both are received. While waiting for your transfer credits to be processed, you can use your unofficial transcript for:

• Alternative Assessment for as an alternative to testing for Math and English placement,
• Credit Checks with Academic Advising,
• Unofficial Evaluation and program planning with Academic Advising, and
• Obtaining Instructor Permission (process supported by Enrollment Services).

Make sure that the email address in your ctcLink account is correct and up-to-date. Once our team is done processing your Evaluation Request, we will contact you via the email address listed in your account. On occasion, our team will also reach out to students if we need clarification or additional information.

For more information about communicating with Credentials and Evaluation, check out our Contact Us page.

Once your Transcript Evaluation Request is completed, students may view their transferred courses and credit in detail with the Transfer Credit Report screen on the ctcLink Student Homepage. To access the report, log into your ctcLink Student Homepage and click on the Academic Records tile. Click on the ‘View Transfer Credit Report’ from the sidebar menu on the left. For more detailed instructions, visit the ctcLink Reference Center page: View Transfer Credit Report.

Due to the nature of ctcLink, transferred courses and credits will not show in detail on your Edmonds College transcript. Transferred credits will show as the name of the original college or institute and a sum of credits at the top.

In general, Edmonds College does not require students to submit prior coursework for evaluation and transfer credit. However, if you want your prior work to count towards your current academic program with us, you will need to follow the above steps.

Certain admission programs (such as our Baccalaureate programs) or government organizations (such as the VA) may also require you submit transcripts to Edmonds College. Be sure to connect with all the teams on campus supporting you to see what they need.

Note: Exam scores (e.g., AP, IB, and Cambridge) do not need a Transcript Evaluation submitted. However, they do need to be sent from their respective organizations directly to us. Check out our page on Exam Credit for more information.

While certain programs and processes at Edmonds College may request your unofficial or official high school transcript, the Credentials & Evaluation team does not review and process high school transcripts for college-level credit.

If you took College in the High School (CHS) courses, connect with your high school to identify which college supported that CHS program and order your transcript from that college. If you took Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, check out our page on Exam Credit for more information.

Each college, university, and academic institution has its own process for transferring credits. Check out their websites or connect with one of their advisors to find out the best information.

If you wish to order an official transcript from Edmonds College to be sent to another school, check out the Transcripts Department's information.

As soon as you are able! Submit your evaluation request at least one quarter before you need the credits transferred. This allows the evaluators to do equivalency research and communicate with faculty to ensure proper record review.

Official transcripts are official documents with a seal, signature, and/or other designation by the originating school or institution. They must be provided either:

• Electronically, sent directly by the academic institution or their approved vendor, OR
• Sealed in an envelope from the originating institution.

Only official transcripts will be accepted for evaluation. Unsealed transcripts and transcripts sent digitally by students are considered ‘opened’ and cannot be used for security reasons.

There are over 100 programs offered at Edmonds College, some with very similar names. If you are unsure which specific program is yours, check out the Academic Catalog and contact the Advising Team for support.

Yes. Your transcripts are evaluated based on the degree or certificate program you select in your request. A separate request is needed for each degree or certificate to ensure all appropriate courses are transferred. If your educational goals change, your transcripts may require re-evaluation. Reach out to us if your goals change.

Not unless requested. If an evaluator needs additional equivalency research, they will reach out to you. In general, course descriptions may be required for: 

• any out-of-state colleges or universities; transcripts that are older than five years;
• any English, math, or science courses; and any international transcripts.

We will contact you via your student email (i.e., the email listed in your ctcLink account) if course descriptions are required for your evaluation.

No. The Credentials & Evaluation Team processes Transfer Evaluation Requests in the order they are received to provide equitable treatment to all students. At certain times of the year, graduating students may receive priority. As we work to complete these requests efficiently and thoroughly, we kindly ask that you remain patient.

If you have an emergency or urgent situation, please reach out to us at credentials@edmonds.edu with:

• your name, ctcLink ID#,
• details of your situation, and
• any supporting evidence.

For example, if your transfer credit impacts your degree completion, and your work has given you a deadline by which to provide evidence of your degree, a student may email us these details with a scanned copy of the letter from their work listing the deadline.

If we reach out to you regarding missing transcripts or clarification, and we do not hear back from you on time, we may mark your Transcript Evaluation Request as incomplete or void. These requests are ‘closed’ and not worked on further. We can reopen your request if you reach back out and we receive the necessary paperwork.

Via email is the best way to reach our team! We do our best to reply back to emails promptly, typically 1 to 3 business days. Emails also allow us to create and maintain a record, which may be important for your situation. Certain issues may also require more time, and we will do our best to alert you in those instances.

Please be mindful that sending multiple messages to us in rapid succession may cause delays in serving you and other students. Remote operations, special projects, inclement weather, and seasonal illnesses may also impact our turnaround time.

Edmonds College supports students continuing their academic progress by accepting transfer courses and credits that:

• Are college-level academic courses and credits;
• Are equivalent in academic level and nature to those offered at Edmonds College;
• Have already been earned (successfully completed);
• Have received accreditation by regional associations of schools and colleges;
• Are applicable to the program the student is pursuing at Edmonds College.

Transcript Evaluation is the process we use to bring in external courses and credit. Transcript Evaluation is for transcripts from other colleges or universities, Joint Service Transcripts (JST), all military service, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST).

Edmonds College uses the Transfer Evaluation System (TES) by College Source as a primary tool for comparing course descriptions across institutions with our own academic catalog. We also use the originating school's academic catalog, website, and course syllabi for any additional research as needed and available.

The information presented on this department's webpage is intended to work alongside Edmonds College's Academic Catalog.

Only admitted and registered students may be eligible for transcript evaluation and transfer credit. Students must be registered for at least one (1.0) credit in order to receive a Triton ID and access to the GATE system.

If a student is struggling with course planning, registration, or course permissions, we recommend connecting with the Academic Advising team and Enrollment Services for support. Students may also connect with Testing & Assessment Services for placement based on their prior coursework before an evaluation is completed.

Only official & sealed transcript documents may be used for transcript evaluation.  Hard copies are considered sealed if they are unopened. Digital copies are considered sealed if they are sent directly to Edmonds College from the originating school and/or their approved transcript vendor. Transcripts should be sent with a transcript legend whenever possible.

Transcripts labeled unofficial, opened prior to reaching an Edmonds College evaluator or approved staff member, or electronically sent to a student are not eligible for transcript evaluation.

Specific programs may have additional requirements regarding courses and credits earned in residence, meeting a grade threshold, or other factors. Prospective and current students are encouraged to review the Academic Catalog and Program Requirement Sheets with an Advisor to ensure they are aware of any unique requirements. Below are common policies for types of programs.

Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate in Applied Science-T Degrees
In addition to the general information,

• Credits are approved by national institutional accrediting associations recognized by the AACRAO board of directors (up to 15 credits as general electives);
• Credits earned at foreign colleges and universities are approved by Credential Evaluators review on an individual basis;
• Career-related courses are earned at participating schools, except those excluded by the Intercollegiate Relations Commission (up to 15 credits may be accepted as elective credits toward the Associate of Arts degree or the Associate of Science degree); and
• Religion courses qualify as literature, history, or philosophy.
  

Associate of General Studies Degree
Credits are accepted if authorized by the chief academic officer.

Associate of Technical Arts Degree and Certificates
Credits are accepted if authorized by the department head, a full-time instructor in the program, or the division dean.

High School Diploma
Credits are accepted if authorized by the program coordinator or division dean.

Edmonds College honors the most current equivalency agreements and policies established by the Washington State Board of Community & Technical Colleges. This includes, but is not limited to, dual credit programs (Running Start, CTE dual credit, College in the High School, and select programs/exams).

Edmonds College also honors the guidance of the Intercollege Relations Commission (ICRC) and follows the ICRC handbook regarding transfer.

The information presented on this department’s website is intended to work alongside the college’s Academic Catalog.

Edmonds College accepts coursework from colleges and universities accredited by the following approved regional institutional accrediting organizations:

• MSA: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education
• NWCCU: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• NCA-HLC: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, also known as Higher Learning Commission
• NCA-CASI: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, Board of Trustees (No longer active)
• NEASC-CIHE: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
• NEASC-CTCI: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., Commission on Technical and Career Institutions (Consolidated with NEASC in 2008)
• SACS: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
• WASC-ACCJC: Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
• WASC-ACSCU: Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities

The college also accepts credit earned while a not-yet-accredited institution is in accreditation candidacy status.

Per the Resident Credit Requirement, 30.0 credits or one-third of a program's required credits (whichever is less) must be earned at Edmonds College. As such, a maximum of 60.0 credits or two-thirds of a program's required credits may be transferred-in in general. Specific program requirements may alter this limitation.

The Resident Credit Requirement is waived, however, if a student is transferring from a college that is part of the 5 Star Consortium.

Through a cooperative agreement by the 5 Star Consortium, a student transferring courses credits from any of the following colleges may be exempt from the Resident Credit Requirement, and subsequently the total transfer credit limitation.

• Everett Community College
• Cascadia College
• Shoreline Community College
• Lake Washington Institute of Technology

Specific program requirements may impact this exemption. Please connect with an Academic Advisor with any questions.

Edmonds College’s terms operate on a quarter system. Colleges/universities that are part of the semester system use a different credit amount, and the conversion of semester credits to quarter credits may not be indicated in the equivalency guide provided below. The conversion of credits is done at the time of a student's transcript evaluation at Edmonds.

Example conversion 
COURSE XXX : 3 semester credits = 4.5 quarter credits

For students transferring from institutions using semester credits and who may be impacted by credit discrepancies, Edmonds College follows the  allowances provided by the Intercollege Relations Commission's Handbook.

We do not accept courses with grades that are equivalent to 0.9 or less on the 4.0 grading scale.  Courses under 1.0 are seen as not successfully completed or not passing.

In general, courses with a 'Satisfactory' or 'Pass' grade (often labeled as 'S' or 'P') are accepted so long as the Satisfactory or Pass grade is equivalent to a 2.0. We accept up to 15.0 credits of Satisfactory or Pass grades towards a program.  Such courses will be recorded with an 'S' grade.

Specific program requirements may impact this exemption. Please connect with an Academic Advisor with any questions.

ENGL& 101 or Edmonds CC certified equivalent with minimum grade of 2.0 is a prerequisite for many courses. If a student completes ENGL& 101 or an equivalent with 1.9 or lower on the 4.0 grading scale, they will need to retake that course if one of their other required courses has this prerequisite . Due to this, we do not transfer in ENGL& 101 or an equivalent with a grade below 2.0 as it can negatively impact a student's registration and/or financial aid.

In certain circumstances, an exemption may be allowed after review by both the Credentials & Evaluation Team and the Dean of Student Services.

Unless English is the primary language of the college, university, or institute's place of origin, we are unable to bring in English courses as equivalent to our English courses. Instead, they will be treated like a Modern Language (MLANG) course.

Laboratory Science courses are defined as courses with hands-on laboratory exploration. As observational laboratory courses are common but not clearly listed on reports, we are unable to bring in most science courses taken abroad as a laboratory. Instead, they will be treated like a general science course. If a student provides a course syllabus with details, we may be able to make an exception.

Edmonds College may accept credit for courses and programs evaluated by the American Council on Education, including educational experiences in the armed forces and many business-training programs.

If you have credits from an institution that is outside the above parameters, you may wish to explore the Prior Learning options.

Per RCW 28B.10.057, Edmonds College can award academic courses and credit for military training. The training must be applicable to the program the student is pursuing.

If a program allows for elective credit in a distribution area or general electives, a college-level academic course that does not have a specific equivalent course at Edmonds College may be brought in as an elective. These are records as 900-level courses in the ctcLink system. These courses and credits can be seen in detail in a student's ctcLink account in the Academic Records Tile using the Transfer Credit Report function.

Official transcripts should be sent directly to Edmonds College. Whenever possible, they should be addressed to the Credentials & Evaluation Department.

Edmonds College
ATTN: Credentials & Evaluation
20000 68th Ave W
Lynnwood, WA 98036
credentials@edmonds.edu

Edmonds College cannot request transcripts on a student's behalf. Students should follow their previous institution's transcript ordering process.

Transcripts become property of Edmonds College and cannot be returned or forwarded once submitted and unsealed. When possible, the Credentials & Evaluation Team will try to return sealed (unopened) duplicate transcripts or unneeded documents to students. Hard copy transcripts are store in a secure locked location, and all transcripts are scanned or uploaded to a secure digital archive. External transcripts are maintained for 6 years per Washington State's retention schedule policy.

In the event that a transcript document does not reach the Credentials & Evaluation office, the Evaluators will work with the student and the Registrar to research the situation and possible recourse. Edmonds College is not, however, responsible for incorrect mailing addresses, postal service mishandling, holds at the originating institute, or other external organizations and factors.