Taking Courses at Other Institutions as a Transient Student

Except for studying abroad, business majors are strongly encouraged to complete their course work at the University of Florida.

Important Reminder: When the grade(s) you earned are posted, order your final transcript and have it sent to the University of Florida. Transcripts should be sent to the following address:

University of Florida
Transfer Credit Evaluation
PO Box 114000

General Rules & Guidelines

  • Transient forms will not be reviewed/processed prior to the start of advance registration for the term being requested (i.e. fall transient requests will not be reviewed until mid-June).
  • Please allow 5-7 business days for your online form to be processed.
  • Be sure to put your UFID number in the Student Comments section of the online form. This will help us process your request as quickly as possible.
  • The following courses must be taken at UF (unless taken via study abroad): core business, major area of specialization, restricted elective, and 3000-4000 level minor courses offered by the College.
  • The Heavener School of Business prohibits students from taking classes at UF and another educational institution during the same semester.
  • Grades earned at other institutions will not factor in to your UF GPA (except for those from international exchange schools); however, grades earned in tracking courses at other institutions will factor in to your Universal Tracking GPA.
  • Only courses from UF or another state of Florida public university will count toward UF’s nine hour summer requirement.
  • It is your responsibility to ask all other schools that you attend to send your official transcript to the UF Registrar’s Office.
  • Do not break residency by attending another school during your final 30 credit hours at UF.
  • Out-of-state and international courses require approved course equivalencies.
  • Before taking a non-UF course for a minor, certificate, or another UF degree program, verify that the sponsoring department will accept non-UF course work.
  • If you have additional questions about transient work, please discuss them with an academic advisor.

Taking Courses at State of Florida Institutions

  1. Identify the course(s) you want to take and the institution you will attend. If you plan to take a Universal Tracking course at a community college, state college, or public university in the State of Florida, view the list of approved course equivalencies and links to these schools.
  2. Look on the transient institution’s website to determine a) the application process for transient (or non-degree seeking) students, b) the beginning and end dates of the semester you plan to attend, and c) course availability.
  3. If you are requesting to take ACG 2021 (Financial Accounting) and ACG 2071 (Managerial Accounting) at an institution (example: during Summer A and Summer B), respectively, be aware that ACG 2021 is a prerequisite for ACG2071 and must be completed before beginning ACG 2071. It is your responsibility to check with the host institution as to whether or not it is possible to take both courses in the same term if the end date for ACG 2021 overlaps with the start date of ACG 2071. Please check with the institution before applying.
  4. If applicable, apply to the institution you plan to attend as a non-degree/transient student.
  5. Go to FloridaShines and complete an online Transient Student Admissions Application. Review these step-by-step instructions on using FloridaShines. Please remember to put your UFID in the comments section of the transient student application.
    1. Review the website of the school you want to attend to determine the following:
      1. Procedures for registering as a transient (or non-degree seeking) student.
      2. Course number(s) and title(s)
        Universal Tracking Equivalencies.
      3. The availability of the course(s).
        Note: Most schools do not post their summer course schedule until mid to late March.
      4. Important note: Some institutions require students to apply for admission to their school before they fill out the transient form, while others want students to fill out the transient form first.
    2. Go to Florida Virtual Campus. Scroll down and click on the “Take a Course” section.
    3. Read about taking a course at another school and then click on the link at the bottom to start your Transient Student Application.
    4. Select “University of Florida” in the drop down menu under “Select Your Home Institution”.
    5. Enter your UF GatorLink ID (not your UFID #) and your password
      Important note: FACTS.org may not accept your GatorLink password if it contains an unusual character (including some punctuation marks). The only way around this is to change your password.
    6. Select Business Administration and All Departments from the drop down menus, then click next.
      Note: If you are not currently a business major, you need to select the UF college that oversees your current major.
    7. Complete the form and select the transient institution you want to attend.
    8. Select the term/year and type in the course info. Type your UFID number in the “Student Comments” box, and click to sign.
      Your transient student form will be automatically sent to the UF Heavener School of Business. An academic advisor will approve or deny your request.
  6. After submitting your request, the transient application will be automatically routed to a Heavener School of Business advisor. If approved, your form will automatically be sent to the UF Registrar, and then on to the other school. You can check the status of your request on the FloridaShines website at each stage of the approval process, or receive email notification by providing a valid address on your online form.
    Note: When you receive notice that your application has been reviewed by a Heavener Advisor, read the FAQ section below to determine the conditions of your request (denied FloridaShines applications or approved FloridaShines applications).

A transient form might be denied if:

  • You’re enrolled at UF in the same term you’re asking to attend the other institution.
  • You need 30 or less credits to finish your UF degree.
  • You are not a business major.
  • You have already earned a C or better in the course you want to take.
  • You request to take a course that you are required to take at UF.

When your transient form is approved by a Heavener School of Business Academic Advisor, it will be automatically sent to the UF Registrar. When approved by the Registrar, the form will be automatically sent to the transient institution for final approval.

You can check the progress of your transient student form on Facts.org, on the transient student form main page.

To earn credit for the course(s) you complete at another institution, you must ask the institution to send your transcript to:

University of Florida
Transfer Credit Evaluation
PO Box 114000
Gainesville, FL 32611-4000

All course work completed at other institutions must be reported.

Important guidelines for taking courses at other schools

Courses you can take at other schools:

  • Universal Tracking
  • General Education
  • Foreign Language
  • Free Electives

Courses you can’t take at other schools:

  • Core Business Courses
  • Major Courses
  • Area of Specialization Courses
  • Restricted Electives (i.e. Non-Business/Business Electives)

Grades earned at other schools:

  • Will not be calculated into your UF GPA but will appear on your official UF transcript.
  • Will be calculated into your business Universal Tracking GPA,
The nine hour summer requirement

Courses taken at a Florida community college will not count toward the nine hour summer enrollment requirement. Courses taken at a Florida 4 year public University will count toward the nine hour summer requirement.

Taking Courses at Private or Out-of-State Institutions

If you want to take a Universal Tracking course at a private or out-of-state institution, you should first determine whether the specific course at that institution has been approved as equivalent to the UF course by checking the course equivalency database.

Frequently Asked Questions

Courses in the State of FL

Can I take a course at another school, like a Florida community or state college or university? If so, what kinds of courses can I take?

You can take universal tracking, general education, and free elective courses at another university or community/state college in Florida, but you cannot take core, major, area of specialization, or restricted elective courses at another school unless they are pre-approved study abroad courses.

The grades you earn at other institutions will appear on your UF transcript, but they will not factor in to your UF GPA (excluding study abroad exchange credits); however, grades earned in tracking courses taken at other institutions will be used to calculate your tracking GPA. Reminder: You should not take courses at another school if you are in the process of completing your last 30 credit hours, unless you are studying abroad.

How do I enroll at another Florida university or community or state college?

To enroll as a transient student at another institution you must:

  1. Submit an enrollment application to the host institution requesting admission as a transient student and pay a nominal application fee (refer to the school’s website for instructions).
  2. Submit an online transient form which will be automatically forwarded for approval to any public school in Florida.
  3. Register yourself for courses.
  4. Ask the school you attend to send your transcript to UF.
Can I enroll at a community or state college and the University of Florida during the same term?

The Heavener School of Business prohibits students from taking classes at UF and another educational institution during the same semester.

Can I take a course away from UF as a transient or non-degree seeking student and be enrolled in the Internship Course, GEB 4941 during the same semester?

GEB 4941 Internship Credit & Transient Coursework: Although it is not permitted for students to dual enroll at UF and a non-UF institution at the same time (i.e., enrolling in any UF course while simultaneously enrolling at a community or state college), there is one exception. Students can take GEB 4941 internship credit concurrently while enrolling at a non-UF institution.

Example: Mark can enroll in GEB 4941 (1-4 credits) and take ACG 2021 at Brevard Community College at the same time.

Courses Out of State or Private School

How do I transfer the credit I earned at another institution?

To earn credit for courses you took at another institution, you must submit a transcript request to that institution asking them to send your transcript to UF. Electronic transcripts are preferred, but you can also submit an official, unopened hard copy transcript to the Registrar’s Office. Reminder: If you take courses at another institution, state law requires you to provide UF with a transcript. Failure to do so can result in the rescinding of your degree.

What if I want to take business tracking courses at an out-of-state or private school, or if I want to take tracking or other business core or major courses while I'm studying abroad?

If you want to take a tracking course from an out-of-state or private school, or if you want to take tracking, core, major, or area of specialization courses from an international school, you must determine if the course you wish to take is equivalent to the UF course. First, see if there is an established course equivalency on file by looking up the school you plan to attend on our course equivalency database. If the course does not appear in the database, or if it does but the equivalency has expired, you must submit the appropriate course equivalency form and allied materials to 333 Heavener Hall. If the course is deemed equivalent by its corresponding UF department, it will count toward your degrees.

Do I need to establish a course equivalency for a general education course taken out-of-state, at a private school, or through study abroad?

No. The Heavener School of Business does not require equivalencies for general education courses, but be sure to keep your syllabus in case there is any question as to whether the course qualifies as a composition, humanities, biological or physical science, international, or diversity course. If you wish to take courses at an out-of-state or private school, you must complete a hard copy transient form and then follow the host institution’s guidelines for transient students. To earn course credit, you must ask the host school to forward your official transcript to UF.

Can I take a course away from UF as a transient or non-degree seeking student and be enrolled in the Internship Course, GEB 4941 during the same semester?

GEB 4941 Internship Credit & Transient Coursework: Although it is not permitted for students to dual enroll at UF and a non-UF institution at the same time (i.e., enrolling in any UF course while simultaneously enrolling at a community or state college), there is one exception. Students can take GEB 4941 internship credit concurrently while enrolling at a non-UF institution.

Example: Mark can enroll in GEB 4941 (1-4 credits) and take ACG 2021 at Brevard Community College at the same time.

FloridaShines Applications

Why was my FloridaShines application denied?

Below are the most common reasons an application is denied. If you have additional questions, please discuss them with an academic advisor.

  1. Already completed course with C or higher – You have already completed this course with a C or better. You may not earn credit for a course already completed at UF with a C or better.
  2. Course is currently in progress – You are currently enrolled in this course this semester.
  3. The course does not have a proper course equivalency – The course you have requested to take is not one of our approved courses. Please see an Academic Advisor to discuss course equivalencies.
  4. Enrolled at UF for the transient term – You may not enroll in courses at UF and at another school in the same semester.
  5. Not in the Warrington College of Business – We cannot approve this application because you are not currently a student in the Warrington College of Business Administration.
  6. Request is for an upper-division course – Only Universal Tracking, General Education courses, and University-wide electives may be taken at other institutions. You must take all upper-division required courses at UF.
  7. Breaking 30-hour residency requirement – You must take your last 30 credits uninterrupted in residency at UF. Taking this course will interrupt your residency and you will be required to complete an additional 30 credits after you complete this course. If you do not plan to complete an additional 30 credits after this course, you must petition the College to break your residency. If you still want to take the course you may resubmit the form with comments indicating your understanding of the ramifications of this policy. Please see an advisor to discuss this in person if you have further questions.
  8. Approved ACG 2021 but denied ACG 2071; ACG 2071 begins before ACG 2021 at select schools – If your request has been approved to take ACG 2021 Summer A, we cannot approve ACG 2071 because it begins before ACG 2021 ends. You are welcome to submit another transient application for ACG 2071 at a school where it begins after ACG 2021 ends.
  9. Maximum credit hours allowed to transfer – Only a maximum of 60 credits from a state/community college can transfer. Once a student has earned 60 hours (including HSAA) at a community/state college with 60 credits transferring to UF, they will not be approved to take additional coursework at a community or state college.
My FloridaShines application was approved, what should I do now?

Your FloridaShines application has been approved. Please take note to the following. If you have additional questions regarding your application please discuss them with an academic advisor.

  1. You may not enroll at UF concurrently while taking this course.
  2. Remember to send UF an official transcript when you finish the coursework. Additionally, be aware that tracking courses will factor into your business tracking GPA and not your UF GPA.
  3. Please note that coursework from a community or state college in Florida will not count towards your summer credit hour requirement. Only courses from public Universities (not State Colleges or Community Colleges) within Florida will count towards the 9-hour summer requirement.
  4. If your request to take ACG 2021 and ACG 2071 respectively, has been approved. Please be aware that ACG 2021 is a prerequisite for ACG 2071 and must be completed before beginning ACG 2071. Additionally, be aware that tracking courses will factor into your business tracking GPA.
  5. If you have been approved to take ACG 2001 and ACG 2011 at an institution, you must take both ACG 2001 and 2011 to earn credit for UF’s ACG 2021 course.
  6. Your request to take one or more general education courses has been approved. General education courses are approved, but are not guaranteed to fulfill remaining requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have selected courses that appear to have equivalents at UF so that they may fulfill your general education requirements. All general education courses taken away from UF are subject to evaluation regarding their equivalency.