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Transfer Center

a student talks with an instructor at about how to transfer colleges to SEMO and the requirements for transferring colleges

You've already put in the work. Now it's time to make sure your hard-earned credits help you move closer to graduation.

Whether you're transferring from a community college, another university, or returning to college after time away, SEMO's Transfer Center is here to help you make a smooth transition. Our team works one-on-one with students to evaluate previous coursework, maximize transfer credits, and create a clear path toward completing a degree.

From your first conversation through enrollment, you'll have personalized support from professionals who understand the transfer process and are committed to helping you succeed.

Students seeking transfer admission generally need:

  • A cumulative college GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • At least 24 transferable college credit hours or eligibility under freshman admission requirements.

Our team can help you understand your options and determine the best path forward.

How to Transfer to SEMO:

Becoming a Redhawk is easier than you might think. To apply as a transfer student, follow these steps:

#1. Apply

Complete the free online application to begin your transfer journey to SEMO. Once your application is submitted, our admissions team can begin reviewing your information and guiding you through the transfer process.
two students sit together in a common area and work on a laptop

#2. Complete Identity Verification

Some applicants may be required to complete identity verification as part of the admissions process. Completing this requirement, when applicable, helps ensure your application can be reviewed for admission.
a SEMO student in the library reads a magazine

#3. Submit Your Transcripts

Request official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended. (We'll order your initial electronic college transcript if you meet our 3rd party transcript ordering qualifications.) Your transcripts help SEMO evaluate transfer credit and determine your admission eligibility, bringing you one step closer to becoming a Redhawk.
a student sits at a study table with his laptop open taking notes in a notebook

Third-Party Transcript Orders

We will order an initial electronic college transcript on your behalf if you and your previous college meet these requirements:

  • The student is a domestic student (U.S. citizen, green card holder, or undocumented citizen/DACA).
  • The student has earned a high school diploma or high school equivalency.
  • The student agreed to third-party transcript orders on the application for admission. You can view whether you agree to the statement by logging into semo.edu/apply, selecting the appropriate application, and clicking Preview Application on the left. Under the Academic Plans section, the field is called “I Agree to the Third Party Transcript Order Statement Above.”
  • The college from which a transcript is needed is a National Student Clearinghouse or Parchment member that allows third-party orders for admission, and the student doesn't have any holds preventing completion of a third-party transcript order at that college.
  • The college from which a transcript is needed is based in the United States.
  • The needed transcript is not a Joint Service Transcript (JST).

Don't Forget to Confirm

Note: You are responsible for submitting official final college transcripts. Once we have ordered an official transcript on your behalf, the arrival time of that transcript will depend on your previous college. If you need to know when it may arrive, please call your previous college directly. If you have questions for us, call (573) 651-2590 or email admissions@semo.edu

Helpful Resources for Transferring

Meet the Transfer Center Team

The Transfer Center team at SEMO is here to make your transition as smooth as possible. From evaluating your previous coursework to helping you understand degree requirements, our team provides personalized guidance every step of the way. We are dedicated to helping you succeed as a Redhawk, so don't hesitate to reach out.
a transfer coordinator sits in her office with a student

Adult Learners

Whether you're returning to college after a break or pursuing a degree for the first time later in life, SEMO provides flexible pathways designed to help adult learners succeed. Our Transfer Center team understands the unique needs of working adults and can help you evaluate previous coursework, explore degree options, and create a plan that fits your goals.
an older, non traditional student happily shows off her diploma at graduation ceremonies

PTK Direct Admission

Members of Phi Theta Kappa may qualify for direct admission to SEMO. PTK membership helps simplify the admissions process and creates a streamlined pathway for students transferring from participating community colleges. a. Sign into PTK and select the Direct Admission icon on SEMO’s page.
a student sits on a bench outside with her laptop open and a notebook in her lap taking notes

Agreements and Guidelines

SEMO maintains articulation agreements with colleges and universities across the country to make transferring easier. These agreements help students understand how credits transfer and how coursework can apply toward a SEMO degree. Exploring available agreements can help you plan ahead and maximize your transfer credits.
two students talk together going over the information in a booklet

Transfer Mentor Program

A Transfer Mentor is someone who will work with you while you are enrolled at your community college and support you through your first semester at SEMO. They'll help you plan and track your degree at SEMO from your very first semester at college.

To participate in the Transfer Mentor Program, complete the Southeast Missouri State University Transfer Mentor Program Agreement around the same time you are admitted to your community college.  You must have one full semester (excluding summer) remaining at your community college. It is not necessary to submit high school transcripts or test scores. A SEMO student record will be created for you. This will enable you to manage your degree program in Degree Works, the same web-based degree management system used by currently enrolled SEMO students. Currently, the Transfer Mentor Program is a pilot program, and participation is limited to students enrolled at a participating community college.

The Transfer Mentor Program Agreement authorizes your community college to send an official college transcript to SEMO after every semester. Your community college credits that are accepted by SEMO will be displayed in Degree Works. The credit you are awarded at SEMO will be displayed in Degree Works. Additionally, your Bulletin term of entry will be based on your first semester of enrollment at the community college.

The Transfer Mentor Program agreement also authorizes SEMO to send official transcripts to your community college if you are concurrently enrolled and/or if you transfer to SEMO before earning the associate's degree. This will enable you to earn your associate's degree while you are pursuing your bachelor's degree.

When you are ready to enroll (concurrently or transfer), apply for admission to SEMO.

Submit a Transfer Mentor Agreement Form

No. Any community college student (resident or nonresident) may apply for the Transfer Mentor Program.

Yes. This information is available in two ways:

  1. The Transfer Course Equivalency database displays how all courses transfer. Use this at any time on your own.
  2. Submit a request for an Individualized Transfer Plan. Please allow 10-14 days to process this request.

Think of it as a partnership between you, your community college, and SEMO. The three of us share information every semester and maintain a record of that information at SEMO in a web-based degree management system, Degree Works. In many cases, all three partners will have access to the system. You will be assigned a transfer mentor at SEMO and possibly at your community college.

If your community college is not a participant in the Transfer Mentor Program, you can still participate by completing the Transfer Mentor Program Agreement and sending your official community college transcripts to SEMO at the end of every semester.

To participate, you must have one full semester (excluding summer) remaining at your community college.

The Transfer Mentor Program will enhance your academic experience in several ways:

  1. Access to academic advising at SEMO
  2. Access to SEMO's web-based degree management system to plan your path to a bachelor's degree
  3. Complimentary Customized Degree Plan specific to your program and transfer college

Schools that regularly send students to SEMO may designate an advisor to serve as a SEMO Transfer Mentor. If so, this individual will have access to view your Degree Works record while you are enrolled at the community college.

Apply for admission the semester before you plan to enroll in classes at SEMO for the first time.

When you begin your college education, you are planning for the courses that will be required through to graduation. SEMO will assign you a “Catalog Term of Entry” that is the same as your first semester of enrollment at the community college. This way, you can use the current Catalog to know the coursework that will be required of you.

The Catalog Term of Entry will not change unless you stop attending college for a full year or more.

Yes. An Online Programs Specialist from SEMO Online & Graduate Services will serve as your Transfer Mentor.

Yes, this is referred to as “concurrent enrollment”. Occasionally, a student will take courses from two schools at the same time. There are a couple of things to know if you decide to do this:

  1. You need to apply to SEMO for the semester you plan to take courses. If you will still be a degree-seeking student at your community college, apply as a “visiting student” at SEMO.
  2. If you receive financial aid, visit the financial aid office at your community college to determine if enrollment at another school will change your eligibility. You may be eligible to complete a consortium agreement, enabling you to receive the maximum amount of aid for which you qualify. Note: The Missouri A+ Schools Program scholarship requires full-time enrollment at the community college, though you may enroll in additional courses at a four-year institution at the same time.

Anytime, however, we advise you to talk with an academic advisor at your community college to plan your transfer.

Associate of Arts or Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree

The associate of arts (AA) degree is designed as the statewide general studies transfer degree. This degree is structured for entry into the general range of baccalaureate degree programs offered by four-year colleges or universities. Students completing the AA degree will have completed the General Education program at SEMO.

Courses taken as part of an AA degree outside the general education program should be carefully chosen to ensure applicability to the baccalaureate graduation requirements for the program of study that the student intends to pursue at a four-year college or university. The transfer student has the responsibility to become familiar with the specific major and graduation requirements of the four-year institution to which the transfer is intended.

Associate of Applied Science Degree

An associate of applied science (AAS) degree is oriented toward career and professional preparation. The primary purpose of this associate degree is to prepare a student for entry into a particular occupation. The AAS degree is not intended as a transfer degree into a baccalaureate program; however, when used for transfer, this degree requires careful planning and agreement between institutions. For students to be adequately prepared and to facilitate ease of transfer, a minimum of twenty-five percent of the AAS degree requirements shall consist of college-level transferable general education. The AAS transfer student should then be able to pursue upper-division advanced coursework in appropriate baccalaureate degree programs while completing the remaining general education requirements.

Associate of Science Degree

An associate of science (AS) degree is a specialized transfer degree that is intended for students interested in transferring into professional programs that have a greater emphasis on science and math. Students completing an AS degree will be accepted as having completed lower-division general education requirements.

Providing you have earned 15 or more college-level, degree-eligible transfer credits from a Missouri two-year institution, you may be eligible to participate in the Missouri Reverse Transfer (MRT) program. Your Transfer Mentor will facilitate a “reverse transfer” on your behalf to ensure you earn your associate’s degree. A college credential, whether it is a certificate, associate, or bachelor’s degree, can open doors for you. As a participant in the Transfer Mentor Program, SEMO will send a transcript, free of charge, to your community college to support your “reverse transfer.”

You have questions. We have answers.

Your Personal Transfer Experts

We’re passionate about helping students find the perfect college and making the transfer process as easy as possible. Let transfer experts provide you the confidence to exceed your potential. A transfer mentor is ready to talk virtually and answer any questions. It’s the kind of one-on-one guidance and attention that smoothes the way to an easy college transition.

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Location

Office

Academic Hall, 100D

Mailing Address

One University Plaza, MS 3550
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701-4710