Credit Transfer Policy

Eligibility

Transfer credit may be awarded for college-level coursework completed at other institutions/organizations under certain conditions. All coursework will be evaluated by the admissions department under the guidance of the director of academic affairs and appropriate program director. No more than 50% of the total credits for a program (including general education courses) can be transferred.  

Transfer credit is typically awarded when courses were completed at an accredited institution, the coursework is deemed equivalent, the student received a “C” or higher, and the credit transfer is recommended by the appropriate program director. Transfer credit is not awarded for major courses (200-level or higher).

With the exception of Anatomy & Physiology, there is no time limit when transferring general education courses. All other courses, including Anatomy & Physiology, must have been completed within 5 years of the date of enrollment. Coursework completed more than 5 years prior to the student’s first day of class may be eligible for transfer credit if the student passes a challenge exam. 

Foreign educated students seeking transfer credit must submit a course-by-course evaluation of their foreign credentials. The evaluation must be completed by a current member of NACES or AICE. In addition to meeting the criteria that applies to U.S. educated students, all foreign educated students will be required to pass a challenge exam for each course.

Professional Experience and Other Prior Learning

At the discretion of the director of academic affairs, prior learning experiences and/or professional credentials may be considered for transfer credit when the competencies or knowledge demonstrated through those experiences are determined to be equivalent to the learning outcomes of a specific course offered at AIMS. All such credit must be supported by appropriate documentation and may require the student to pass a challenge exam.

Students may also request transfer credit for professional work experience that meets the following criteria:

• The experience must have been in a paid healthcare role where the duties performed align with the knowledge, skills, and competencies taught in the course for which transfer credit is being requested.
• The student must have completed a minimum of one year of full-time work (or the equivalent) in that role.
• The experience must be current or have occurred within the past 12 months.
• The student must demonstrate mastery of the relevant course learning outcomes by passing a challenge exam.

Transfer credit for professional experience will only be awarded when there is clear evidence that the student’s work-based learning is equivalent in scope and rigor to the coursework being considered for credit. All decisions regarding the awarding of credit for professional experience are made under the guidance of the director of academic affairs and the appropriate program director.

Requirements

It is the sole responsibility of the student to initiate the credit transfer process. Students must notify the admissions department of the specific courses for which they are seeking transfer credit. An official transcript which shows the courses taken, credits completed, and grades earned must be submitted for evaluation. The coursework must be equivalent to the courses in which the student is seeking transfer credit. Students may be required to provide additional documentation (detailed course descriptions, syllabi, etc…) to assist in the evaluation process.

For semester-based programs, transfer credits can be processed at any time during enrollment. However, if transfer credits are needed to meet prerequisites for a required course, the process must be completed before the semester begins. For non-term programs, the credit transfer process must be completed prior to the student’s first day of class.

Meeting the minimum requirements for a credit transfer does not guarantee a student will receive transfer credit. The director of academic affairs has final approval. Partial credit transfers are not permitted.

Program-Specific Credit Transfer Policies

EKG/Phlebotomy Technician

Transfer credit is not permitted for the EKG/Phlebotomy program.

Cardiac Monitor Technician

Students who are eligible for an EKG 120 credit transfer must have completed the EKG 120 course within 12 months of the CMT 120 start date. If EKG 120 was completed more than 12 months prior to CMT 120, the student will be required to submit proof of current EKG skills.

Applying Previously Earned Credits

Credits earned at AIMS do not expire. However, core courses completed more than 5 years prior to the first day of class require students to pass a challenge exam. Anatomy & Physiology also requires a challenge exam if the credits were earned more than 5 years ago.

Previously completed coursework must be the same or equivalent to the courses in the new program. If the course in the new program covers new and/or additional material, then the student must pass a challenge exam to apply the credits. The director of academic affairs has final approval for all credit determinations.

All tuition fees for equivalent coursework, previously completed at AIMS, will be waived regardless of the time limit. Therefore, a student who does not pass a challenge exam may still be eligible for a tuition waiver.

EKG/Phlebotomy Technician

Credit for PHL 120 will only be applied to the EKG/Phlebotomy program if the course was completed at AIMS within 12 months of the EKG 120 start date. If PHL 120 was completed more than 12 months prior to EKG 120, the student will be required to submit proof of current phlebotomy skills.

Cardiac Monitor Technician

Credit for EKG 120 will only be applied to the Cardiac Monitor Technician program if the course was completed at AIMS within 12 months of the CMT 120 start date. If EKG 120 was completed more than 12 months prior to CMT 120, the student will be required to submit proof of current EKG skills.