10 Best Graduate Schools That Accept Transfer Credits in 2026

Students can reduce the number of classes needed for a graduate program by transferring in credits for prior coursework and experience. Transferring during graduate school is easier than it sounds, as most accredited institutions accept some number of transfer credits. Continue reading to explore the top graduate schools that accept transfer credits.

Can You Transfer Graduate Credits From One School to Another?

Graduate transfer policies vary by school, but regionally accredited institutions typically accept qualifying transfer credits from other accredited schools. Students can apply credits earned previously to a new program at another school, as long as those credits meet the transfer credit requirements for that school.

For example, a student who previously completed an accounting foundations course might transfer those three credit hours earned towards a related degree at a new school. However, credits earned for a computer science class probably won't transfer towards an unrelated program like history.

How To Transfer Graduate Schools

To transfer graduate school credit hours, you must send your prior transcripts to the schools that you are considering. A school admissions office has to review your prior coursework to determine what classes are relevant to your new program.

Most schools require the transfer credits to be related (e.g., an accounting class for another accounting class), but some institutions have more flexibility. Students should be proactive in asking their schools to review credits for transferability, to maximize their opportunity of receiving transfer credits towards a new program.

10 Best Graduate Schools That Accept Transfer Credits

There are many institutions that accept graduate transfer credits for online programs, although the specific number of transfer credits allowed varies by school. Below, we discuss the top schools that offer online graduate programs and generous transfer credit policies.

1. Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) offers more than 80 online master's degree programs and allows students to transfer up to 12 credits into their program. Most SNHU programs consist of 36 credit hours and can be completed in one to two years.

Online graduate programs include options in computer science, business, education, healthcare, and nursing.

• Estimated tuition cost: $659 per credit
• Financial aid: SNHU has several in-house scholarships and grants that students can apply for, as well as a scholarship search tool.
• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

2. Liberty University

Liberty University offers hundreds of online graduate programs and allows students to transfer in up to 50% of their required credit hours with qualifying coursework. Students can choose from programs such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Education (MEd), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), and many more.

Program areas include statistics, curriculum and instruction, cybersecurity, and many more.

• Estimated tuition cost: $580 to $675 per credit hour
• Financial aid: Liberty University has several in-house awards and offers tuition discounts to military students and first responders.
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

3. The University of Texas Permian Basin

The University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) allows students to transfer up to nine credits of qualifying coursework, although students may transfer more with department approval. More than 20 online master's programs are offered by UTPB, including options in accounting, educational leadership, history, public administration, social work, and finance.

UTPB also has several scholarships for certain fields of study, including education and history.

• Estimated tuition cost: $275 per credit
• Financial aid: UTPB has several graduate scholarships, including one general graduate award as well as subject-specific scholarships.
• Accreditation: SACSCOC

4. American Public University

American Public University (APUS) offers credit for military service and academic coursework, allowing graduate students to transfer up to 15 qualifying credit hours. Online master's programs include:

• Master of Science (MS) in accounting
• Master of Arts (MA) in criminal justice
• MEd in higher education administration
• MA in human resource management
• MA in military studies
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

APUS offers several dozen online master's degree programs, which range from 30 to 47 credit hours in length.

• Estimated tuition cost: $455 per credit
• Financial aid: APUS does not have in-house aid but does offer various resources for locating and applying for scholarships.
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

5. Walden University

Walden University has more than 100 online master's programs as well as many doctoral programs. Students can transfer in up to 15 credit hours of qualifying coursework and receive credit for relevant military and professional experience.

Available programs include an MBA and MSN, as well as programs in counseling, information technology, human services, management, and education.

• Estimated tuition cost: $335 to $1,030 per credit
• Financial aid: Students may qualify for various in-house financial aid, including graduate grants and tuition discounts.
• Accreditation: HLC

6. University of Arkansas Grantham

University of Arkansas Grantham offers a generous transfer credit policy, allowing students to transfer in up to 50% of their program. Students can earn transfer credits through qualifying military and professional experience, prior learning, and previous college coursework.

Online master's programs include an MBA with several specializations, and degrees in healthcare administration, leadership, human resources, and information technology.

• Estimated tuition cost: $365 per credit
• Financial aid: Students may qualify for a tuition discount and have access to various scholarship resources and databases.
• Accreditation: Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)

7. Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU) has more than 150 online graduate programs and allows up to 12 credits to be transferred. Online master's degree options include:

• Master of Architecture (MArch)
• Master of Computer Science (MCS)
• Master of Legal Studies (MLS) in contract management
• MS in business analytics
• MA in gender, women, and sexuality studies

Students can often finish their programs sooner due to the accelerated format of classes, which are eight weeks or less in length.

• Estimated tuition cost: $605 per credit
• Financial aid: ASU has various in-house scholarship options as well as an online scholarship database for students.
• Accreditation: HLC

8. Franklin University

Franklin University offers more than 65 online master's programs as well as several online doctoral options. Master's degree options include accounting, business analytics, criminal justice, healthcare, psychology, and public administration.

Doctoral students can pursue online degrees in education, nursing, business administration, and healthcare administration. The school accepts up to 12 transfer credits for academic coursework as well as credits for qualifying professional experience.

• Estimated tuition cost: $670 to $748 per credit
• Financial aid: Franklin University has multiple in-house scholarships and accepts various types of outside aid.
• Accreditation: HLC

9. Charter Oak State College

Charter Oak State College allows students to transfer up to six credits of prior coursework, as well as another six credits for other qualifying experiences/knowledge. The school offers four online master's programs:

• MS in healthcare administration
• MS in organizational leadership
• MS in health data analytics
• MS in curriculum and instruction

Class terms are shorter than traditional semesters, providing more start dates each year as well as the opportunity to change enrollment level as needed.

• Estimated tuition cost: $529 per credit
• Financial aid: Students can apply for various types of financial aid through the school, including scholarships and grants.
• Accreditation: NECHE

10. Colorado State University Global

Colorado State University (CSU) Global offers more than a dozen online master's programs and allows students to transfer in up to half of the required credit hours. Master's programs include finance, business administration, information technology, artificial intelligence (AI), project management, and international business. Students can also customize their program with classes that fit their career interests.

• Estimated tuition cost: $675 per credit
• Financial aid: CSU Global has several in-house scholarship awards and offers tools for finding external aid.
• Accreditation: HLC

How We Rank Schools

Our team searches through many schools to find those that offer the best value and educational experience for students. We use criteria such as transfer credit policies and tuition rates to select the top options for our rankings.

• Accreditation: All featured schools have institutional accreditation, which means that they have met various academic criteria set by the accrediting bodies.
• Transfer credit policy: The schools discussed here offer generous or above average transfer credit policies, enabling students to reduce the length of their program.
• Affordability: While graduate schools can cost more than $2,000 per credit, we choose schools with more affordable tuition rates of $1,000 or less per credit.
• Reputation: These schools use knowledgeable and experienced faculty along with up-to-date standards to provide students with high-quality degrees.

FAQs About Graduate Transfer Credits

There are several key questions relating to transferring graduate schools, such as, ''Can you transfer graduate credits?'' and, ''How many credits can you transfer?'' The top FAQs for transferring graduate credits are addressed below.

Do Any Colleges Accept All Transfer Credits?

No, there is no single institution that accepts every potential transfer credit. Schools typically grant transfer credits for relevant courses that were completed at accredited institutions.

Can I Transfer Credits From a Master's to a Doctoral Program?

Yes, you can transfer master's degree credits into a doctoral program at many schools. As long as the completed course meets the criteria for replacing another class in your new program.

Do Graduate Credits Ever Expire?

While credits do not exactly expire, schools typically have a time limit on transfer credits. The timeframe depends on the school, but most require credits to have been earned within the last five to 10 years.

Do Grad Schools Care About Transfer Credits?

Graduate schools that accept transfer credits are primarily concerned with ensuring you have acquired the necessary competencies for your degree, as they want to guarantee your success after graduation.

Is It Worth Choosing a School Based on Transfer Credit Policies?

Transfer credits should not be your only deciding factor, but you can find many great online graduate programs at schools that offer generous transfer credit policies.

Explore Graduate Programs That Accept Transfer Credits

Discover more great graduate programs that offer flexible transfer credit policies and affordable tuition on Learn.org. Contact the schools with programs you are interested in to learn more.