Transfer Credit Policy

Transfer Credit Eligibility

Transfer credit may be awarded for college-level coursework completed at other institutions/organizations under certain conditions. All coursework is evaluated by the admissions department under the guidance of the director of academic affairs and appropriate program director. Except where specifically stated otherwise in this policy, no more than 50% of the total credits for a program (including general education courses) may 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. Except where specifically stated otherwise, 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.

Students attending AIMS Education in F-1 student status are not eligible to receive transfer credit. Refer to the International Student Eligibility and Requirements section for additional information.

Foreign educated students, excluding F-1 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 apply to U.S. educated students, all foreign educated students are required to pass a challenge exam for each course.

Transfer Credit Requirements

It is the student's responsibility to initiate the transfer credit process. Students seeking transfer credit must notify the Admissions Department of the specific course or courses for which transfer credit is being requested and submit a completed Transfer Credit Request Form.

Transfer credit must be evaluated and finalized prior to the student's approved start date. To be considered for transfer credit, the student must submit:

• A completed Transfer Credit Request Form
• An official transcript showing the courses completed, credits earned, and grades received
• Any additional documentation requested by the College, including but not limited to course descriptions, syllabi, or other materials necessary to evaluate course equivalency

Coursework submitted for transfer credit must be equivalent in content, credit value, academic level, and learning outcomes to the AIMS course for which transfer credit is requested.

Students are strongly encouraged to submit the completed Transfer Credit Request Form and all required supporting documentation at least ten (10) business days prior to the student's approved start date. The College may require up to ten (10) business days to review and process a transfer credit request. Requests submitted fewer than ten (10) business days before the student's approved start date may not be reviewed in time and may be denied. Transfer credit requests submitted on or after the student's approved start date will not be reviewed.

Meeting the minimum eligibility requirements for transfer credit does not guarantee approval. All transfer credit determinations are subject to final approval by the Director of Academic Affairs or designee. Partial transfer credit for a portion of a course is not permitted.

Once a student begins attendance at AIMS, all remaining required program courses, including general education, core, technical, laboratory, clinical, and sequenced courses, must be completed at AIMS Education College of Health Sciences. A student may not satisfy a required program course through coursework completed at another institution or provider after the student's approved start date. Transfer credit will not be awarded retroactively after the student begins attendance, except as provided under an approved articulation agreement, teach-out arrangement, approved accommodation, institutional correction, or another documented exception approved by the Director of Academic Affairs or designee.

AIMS reserves the right to deny transfer credit if the College determines that the coursework does not satisfy institutional requirements, is not equivalent to the applicable AIMS course, does not align with required program learning outcomes or competencies, was not submitted with sufficient time for review, or would disrupt the prescribed sequence of the student's program.

Advanced Placement

The institution permits advanced placement within a program only through the awarding of transfer credit, including credit for prior academic coursework, prior learning assessment, or professional experience. Students who are awarded such credit may enter the program at an advanced point in the curriculum. The institution does not provide advanced placement independent of the transfer credit evaluation process.

Program-Specific Transfer Credit 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 is 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, are 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 is 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 is required to submit proof of current EKG skills.

Partial Credit for Clinical Internship Hours

Students who withdraw from a program, while in good academic standing, will earn credit for any clinical hours completed prior to the withdrawal. Those clinical hours can be applied to the same clinical internship course if the course is taken within 1 year of the student’s last date of attendance. Any tuition fees paid toward the internship course, prior to the withdrawal, are applied directly to the new course if taken within 1 year. The remaining balance, if any, is the student’s responsibility.

Students who are dismissed from the college will not receive any credit for partial hours completed in an internship course.

Internship courses, which have been successfully completed with a passing grade, are subject to the standard policy for previously earned credits at AIMS.

Transfer Credit for Non-Credit Courses Taken at AIMS Education

Students who were enrolled in a clock-hour program at AIMS Education, within the past 5 years, may be eligible for transfer credit for their completed coursework. All coursework is evaluated by the academic department, and if deemed equivalent to any credit-bearing courses, may be awarded transfer credit. The course evaluations will take into consideration course content, clock hours per course, and final grade.

Former students and graduates may be required to pass a challenge exam in order to receive transfer credit. At the discretion of the director of academic affairs and program director, the challenge exam requirements for relevant courses may be waived based on a student’s professional certification and/or relevant employment experience. Currently enrolled students, and students who submit their application prior to graduation, will not be required to take a challenge exam.

When receiving credit for non-credit courses taken at AIMS Education, there are no restrictions on the course level (e.g., 200-level) or the total number of transfer credits allowed.

Transfer credit for non-credit courses is valid only if students maintain continuous enrollment in their course of study. Students who withdraw and exceed the five-year eligibility period will lose the ability to transfer credits if they choose to re-enroll at a later date.

Clock-to-Credit Degree Completion Pathway

The Clock-to-Credit Degree Completion Pathway enables eligible clock-hour students and graduates to transition seamlessly into an associate degree program by applying their completed coursework toward more than 50% of the required credits.

Eligible students will receive a personalized Clock-to-Credit Degree Completion Plan prior to starting their degree coursework. This plan will outline the remaining courses and specify a structured timeline. Compliance with the established timeline is mandatory to maintain eligibility for this pathway.

Graduates who apply more than 50% of the required credits toward their degree program are assessed a one-time graduation processing fee of $1,250.