At WSU, we know many first-year students arrive having completed college-level coursework while in high school, and we want to make sure those hard-earned credits count. Each type of credit is reviewed to see how it fits into your major, UCORE requirements, or overall credit total—helping you get the most out of the work you’ve already done.
High School College Credit Programs
Eligible 11th and 12th grade students in this Washington-specific program take college courses at Washington’s community and technical colleges or at certain four-year universities. Running Start courses are regular college courses offered on the college campus. Students have the option to take a few courses, or they can complete an associate degree.
These degrees include:
- Associate in Arts or Associate in Arts and Sciences – Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA or AAS-DTA) and Major Related Programs (AA-DTA/MRP or AAS-DTA/MRP)
Completion of this degree fulfills lower-division UCORE except for the Integrative Capstone [CAPS] course and generally provides junior status and 60 semester credits. Please note that there may also be specific college requirements that still need to be completed. - Associate in Science – Transfer Degree (AS-T or AS-T/MRP)
Completion of this degree satisfies the [WRTG], [QUAN], [BSCI], and [PSCI] UCORE requirements and generally provides junior status and 60 semester credits. Additional UCORE requirements will be satisfied on a course-by-course basis.
For more information on how these associate degrees will transfer to WSU, please visit the Transferring a Degree webpage.
College in the High School (CiHS) programs provide college academic courses to 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students. Courses are taught at the high school, by high school teachers, with college curriculum, college textbooks, and oversight by college faculty and staff. Keep track of the college(s) where credit is earned, because official transcripts will be needed from each college attended to transfer credit to WSU.
Due to the technical nature of the CTE Dual Credit program, WSU does not provide credit to these courses.
The CTE Dual Credit program helps students transition from high school into professional-technical programs and is a collaboration between K-12 schools and community and technical colleges.
WSU awards external exam credits for the following examinations. View the credit chart for the specific exam completed to see what credit will be earned at WSU.
WSU accepts out-of-state course credit and associate degrees. The transfer institution must be a nationally recognized higher education institution with regional accreditation. Visit the Approved Accreditation Agencies webpage for more detailed information.
If an associate degree is earned, the degree may cover lower-division UCORE requirements. For more information on how out-of-state associate degrees will transfer to WSU, visit our Out of State Associate Degrees webpage.
Course Planning Guidance
If you are currently earning college credit and are interested in completing a degree at WSU, we can provide course planning guidance to make the most of your college credits. Schedule a Virtual Transfer Center 1:1 appointment to meet with a Transfer Center staff member.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, earning college credit in high school does not make you a transfer student.
You’re considered a first-year student if WSU is the first college you attend after graduating from high school. However, your academic standing is based on the amount of credit you transfer to WSU.
- 0-29 semester credits: Freshman Standing
- 30-59 semester credits: Sophomore Standing
- 60-89 semester credits: Junior Standing
To find out how courses from other institutions will transfer to WSU, use the Transfer Course Search Tool. This is a database that shows how courses from other institutions will transfer to WSU.
For exam credits, view the credit chart for the specific exam completed to see what credit will be earned at WSU.
To transfer coursework or a completed degree to WSU, submit an official transcript from the institution where you earned credit to WSU Admissions. Your high school transcript will not be sufficient. If you earn college credit from multiple institutions, you need to submit an official transcript from each source. This includes submitting official score reports from exams.
Use the Transfer Course Search Tool to create a list of how your courses will transfer to WSU. Once the list is created, you can plug the courses into the Schedule of Studies for your major of interest. The Schedule of Studies is a four-year course plan for a selected major.
You can view the Schedule of Studies for any major at WSU by visiting the WSU Catalog.
- Choose your intended campus (if you don’t see your campus, choose the general option).
- Click on the “Schedule of Studies (for degrees, majors, options)” link.
- Use the dropdown box to find your major!
The Schedule of Studies shows program-specific admissions requirements, the class schedule, and footnotes with additional information.
For assistance with this process, contact the Transfer Center at transfer@wsu.edu or schedule a Virtual Transfer Center 1:1 appointment.