What is the transfer equivalency process for Bellevue College to University of Washington?

How does the course transfer equivalency work for Bellevue College students moving to the University of Washington? I want to make the most out of my completed courses and avoid retaking anything unnecessary once I switch schools.

The University of Washington (UW) works with local community colleges, including Bellevue College, to ensure many credits are transferable. To figure out which of your Bellevue College courses are directly transferable to the UW, you can use the university's Transfer Course Equivalency Guide, found on UW's admissions website.

This guide lists community college courses, and then tells you each course's equivalent at UW, if there is one. This way, you can see if a specific course you took or plan to take at Bellevue is transferable to UW.

There are a few possible outcomes. If a Bellevue course has a direct equivalent at UW, it'll be listed in the guide, for example, English 101 at Bellevue might count as ENGL 111 at UW. If it doesn't have a direct equivalent, but still transfers, it'll be listed as generic credit in a department, like ENGL 1XX. If it doesn’t transfer, it'll be listed as no credit.

The Transfer Course Equivalency Guide is updated periodically, so it's smart to keep an eye on it to make sure your courses still transfer as you intended. It's also recommended to work with both a Bellevue advisor and a UW admissions advisor to plan your course schedule. They can assist you in making choices that will maximize your transferred credits.

It's important to be aware that while many courses do transfer, not all will necessarily count toward specific program requirements at UW. College and department-specific advisors at UW can help you understand which of your transferred classes will count towards your chosen degree program.

Also note, that the number of credits that can be transferred is capped at 90 from a two-year school, so if you've accumulated more than this, you will have to choose which ones to apply towards your UW degree.