9 Online Colleges That Accept Transfer Credits in Indiana

Transferring to an online college can make it easier for busy students to earn their degrees. Several online colleges accept transfer credits in Indiana.

Switching to an online school that accepts transfer credits can help students earn their degrees even if they work full-time or have dependents to care for. These colleges allow students to study online and receive credit for prior coursework.

Many Indiana private and public colleges and universities have policies to help online transfer students. Keep reading to discover online colleges in Indiana and their policies for accepting transfer credits.

9 Best Online Colleges That Accept Transfer Credits in Indiana

Students can generally transfer credits from accredited schools and can even transfer credits from a previous degree program. Multiple colleges and universities in Indiana offer online degree programs and accept transfer credits. Below, we've featured nine of these institutions; each holds regional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission.

Ball State University

Ball State University is a public research university in Muncie, Indiana. Its Ball State Online system offers online associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees, as well as certificates.

The university has articulation agreements with Ivy Tech Community College and Vincennes University, providing a smooth transfer for students enrolled at these local institutions. Students from other institutions will work with the transfer team to create a customized Transfer Flight Path.

Bethel University

Bethel University is a private Christian university in Mishawaka, Indiana. It offers on-campus and online programs, including online programs specifically for adult learners.

The university accepts transfer credits from both nationally and regionally accredited institutions. Transfer students can also take a prior learning assessment to gain credit based on what they already know.

Indiana Institute of Technology

The Indiana Institute of Technology is a private university in Fort Wayne offering various degrees. These include associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in person and online.

Indiana Tech has partnerships with several community colleges and online learning programs so students can get credit for all college-level coursework. Once you submit your official transcripts, an academic advisor will evaluate your college credits.

Indiana State University

Indiana State University is a public university in Terre Haute, Indiana. It offers online undergraduate and graduate programs for first-time students and transfer students.

The university's transfer tool can help students see how their credit hours will transfer. Those who have completed the Indiana State General Education Core, an Indiana Transfer Single-Articulation Pathway, or an approved associate degree program may bypass the university's general education requirements and even some major requirements.

Indiana University

Indiana University is a system of public universities that is based in Bloomington but includes campuses in Indianapolis and throughout the state. Its IU online campus offers multiple online degrees in various subjects.

Students can transfer up to 64 course credits from a community college and up to 90 from four-year schools. The university accepts multiple forms of prior learning for college credit, and students can use the Credit Explorer tool to see how their credits will transfer.

Indiana Wesleyan University

Indiana Wesleyan University is a private evangelical Christian university based in Marion, Indiana. Transfer students can earn undergraduate and graduate degrees online.

The university works with students so they can transfer as many course credits as possible toward their bachelor's degree. Students can transfer up to 90 undergraduate credits from nationally and regionally accredited institutions.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is a private, Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. It offers online undergraduate and graduate academic programs.

Students at SMWC can earn credit from previous coursework and other prior learning experiences. The university has an articulation agreement with Ivy Tech Community College, but students can transfer coursework from any regionally accredited institution.

Trine University

Trine University is a private university with its main campus in Angola, Indiana. It offers online degree programs through its TrineOnline system.

The university has a generous transfer policy, allowing students to transfer up to 45 credits for an associate degree and 90 credits for a bachelor's degree. Students can also earn credits for life experiences and training programs.

University of Southern Indiana

The University of Southern Indiana is a public university in Evansville, Indiana. It offers online degree programs specifically designed for adult learners.

Transfer students will need to fill out an application, which will include their official transcripts, and will look at things like academic performance and GPA. Once accepted, students can run a degree audit or contact an academic advisor to learn how their credits will transfer.

Using Transfer Credits

Although most colleges and universities try to make things easy for transfer students, there's still a lot to consider when transferring universities. We've addressed some of these below.

Should I Transfer Schools?

Whether you should transfer schools is a decision only you can make. Some common reasons students choose to transfer include:

  • transferring to a school that's better for their major
  • transferring to a school that offers their major online
  • they completed their associate degree and want to earn a bachelor's degree

However, some students transfer simply because they aren't happy with their current experience and want something different.

How Do I Use Transfer Credits?

Transfer credits are those earned at one college or university and are brought to another college or university. These credits take the place of credits within your new school's degree program.

This allows you to keep your degree on track. You won't need to re-earn those credits, which saves you time and money.

What Can Be Used as Transfer Credits?

The most common items used as transfer credits are college credits. Most colleges and universities will accept credits from regionally accredited universities, but not all credits from nationally accredited universities will be accepted.

Many colleges and universities also offer credit for college courses taken in high school and for advanced placement (AP) exams. College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams are usually accepted as well. Additionally, you can earn college credit for military credits or industry training.

Will My Credits Transfer?

Whether or not your credits will transfer will depend on the college or university you're transferring from, the institution you're transferring to, and your degree program. Typically, colleges and universities will accept credits from regionally accredited institutions without a problem.

However, if you're changing your major, some of your credits may not transfer. For example, if you were previously pursuing a degree in business administration but decided to switch to healthcare, your major coursework and electives may not all transfer over. If you're switching to a similar field, like from information technology to cybersecurity, you may be able to transfer more major courses.

How Many Credits Can I Transfer?

The number of credits you can transfer depends on the institution you're transferring to. Most institutions put a cap of 90 transfer credits for bachelor's degree programs, but some won't accept that many.