Many students have credit from other colleges or universities when they start online study at Ball State.

If you've taken classes at another higher education institution, even if it was many years ago, you may be able to apply that credit to your Ball State degree. Just keep in mind that you must earn 30 of your last 40 credits from Ball State in order to earn a bachelor's degree from us.

What We Look For

Review the following criteria Ball State considers when you apply as a transfer student.

Performance

You must have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for all transferable work attempted.

Academic Standing

You must be in good academic standing and eligible to return immediately to the last college or university you attended.

Admission decisions will be based on your academic records at all post-secondary educational institutions you’ve attended. If you are transferring with less than 24 credit hours, your high school academic records will be considered.

If you apply for transfer admission to Ball State while you're enrolled at another college or university, you may be considered for admission on the basis of your current cumulative GPA.

If you're admitted to Ball State while enrolled at another college or university (referred to as "admit with conditions"), your cumulative GPA must remain above a 2.0 to maintain admission under these circumstances.

SAT and ACT Scores

Your SAT and/or ACT scores can help us determine your readiness to pursue a college degree. While Ball State is test-optional, we accept scores from either test or both if you choose to submit them. Learn about our test-optional policy.

Advance Credit

You can earn college credit early for Ball State by taking special courses and exams through Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge International, and other programs. We also offer our own departmental and world language exams. See all of our advance credit options and requirements.

Steps to Apply

Applying to Ball State is easy and can be done completely online. Follow the steps below to prepare your application and materials. You’re one step closer to becoming a Cardinal!

Be sure to apply by the appropriate deadline for your desired term and for maximum consideration of potential scholarships. See our dates and deadlines.

Step 1
Review Admission Criteria

We will consider your academic performance at your past institution(s) when we review your application. See our full admission criteria above ("What We Look For").

Step 2
Send Us Your Transcript

A complete application requires official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions you have attended as well as an official high school transcript or GED/TASC score report (unless you've earned an associate degree from an accredited institution). 

We accept transcripts electronically (i.e. Parchment) or mailed directly to the Office of Admissions. Find our mailing address.

Step 3
Tell Us About Yourself (optional)

You may submit a one-page statement, resume, or recommendation as part of your online application. If you’re missing required coursework, fall below admission criteria, or had a poor college semester, we recommend you complete this step.

Apply to Ball State

After completing the steps above, it’s time to complete the online application. An application and all required application materials must be received at least two weeks before the start of classes for a given term to be considered for admission to Ball State. However, we recommend you do so by the priority deadline for your term.

Apply Now

After You Apply

After completing your application, you can continue to log in to your Cardinal Landing portal to submit additional materials and check your application status.

Questions? We're here to help

For more information about transferring your credits to Ball State, contact the academic advisor for your program.