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Policy on Transfer of Virginia Community College Students

By completing the right courses and earning your associate degree with a strong grade point average, you can be assured of admission to certain Virginia Tech colleges or departments. Articulation agreements have been created with Richard Bland College (RBC) and the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). To review the agreements please visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions’ VCCS Guaranteed Admission Agreements.

Per State Policy on Transfer, students who earn a transferrable associate degree by enrolling in transfer programs at a Virginia Community College or Richard Bland College, and who graduate with associate degrees based upon a baccalaureate-oriented sequence of courses, and who are offered admission to Virginia Tech, will be granted junior level status upon admission. Additionally, these students will have satisfied the requirements of the University Pathways to General Education. It may take such students longer than two years to complete the baccalaureate degree because of major prerequisites and other circumstances or requirements.

The university catalog and other informational and advising materials from departments and colleges will include information about specific additional requirements for specific majors.

Virginia Tech shall work cooperatively with VCCS/RBC to maintain and make available the Virginia Tech-VCCS Transfer Guide, which includes course equivalency information and other program requirements.

While some courses from the Associate of Applied Science degree from a Virginia Community College or Richard Bland College may transfer to Virginia Tech, the Associate of Applied Science degree does not transfer. The student should contact his/her department or advisor for awarding of specific credit for the areas of the Pathways to General Education.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) recognizes General Studies Associate degrees earned at some Virginia Community College locations. Students who earn the General Studies Associate degree at recognized institutions will receive junior standing and satisfy Pathways to General Education requirements as outline under Fulfilling Virginia Tech Pathways to General Education, above. Please see the full statement from SCHEV for a list of recognized institutions. Students receiving General Studies Associate degrees from institutions which are not on this list have the opportunity to apply for admission and transfer courses individually as outlined in the Transfer Guide. General Education will not automatically be satisfied, but individual courses may satisfy portions of the general education requirement. 

Virginia Community College System Passport & Uniform Certificate of General Studies (UCGS)

VCCS students can earn a Passport or Uniform Certificate of General Studies (UCGS) by completing approved general education courses. All completed courses with a grade of C or better will transfer to Virginia Tech individually to satisfy a portion of our general education requirements. Once a transcript with the earned milestone or credential is processed, a notation will appear on the Transfer Credit screen on Hokie Spa and in the degree audit report (DARS).

How These Programs Count Toward Pathways

Virginia Tech’s Pathways to General Education requires 42 credits.

Passport Milestone

  •  All 16 credits apply to our general education program.
  • Students complete the remaining 26 credits at Virginia Tech or through additional transfer credit. Review our

UCGS Credential

  • All 30 to 32 credits apply to our general education program.
  • Students complete the remaining 10 to 12 credits at Virginia Tech or through additional transfer credit. Review our

Transferable VCCS Associate Degree

  • Fulfills all general education requirements but students must also complete the specific course requirements for their major.

A transferable associate degree is an Associate of Arts, an Associate of Science, or an Associate of Arts and Sciences. Neither an Associate of Applied Science nor an Associate of Fine Arts is transferable.

If you earn a General Studies associate degree, the community college must be on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s (SCHEV) recognized institution list to be considered transferable.

Check How Your Courses Transfer

Accepted and Matriculated Students

If your transfer credit has been processed and your Passport or UCGS notation appears on Hokie Spa:

  1. Run a degree audit at https://apps.es.vt.edu/dashboard.
  2. Review the audit to determine remaining Pathways requirements. Any remaining requirements may be completed through transfer credit or Virginia Tech coursework.

Degree Requirements Beyond General Education

In addition to completing Pathways requirements, students must also complete the specific course requirements for their major. Degree requirements are determined by your catalog year, which is your date of entry to Virginia Tech. Each catalog year runs from summer through the following spring.

For the 2024-2025 catalog year and beyond, use the academic catalog. Students with a 2023-2024 catalog year or earlier should use the appropriate checksheet.