The City University of New York (CUNY) on Monday rolled out a transfer initiative for the Spring 2025 semester, enabling students transferring for Fall 2025 to move between any of the system's colleges without losing credits toward their majors.
The initiative, which aligns course requirements across campuses, is expected to save students an average of $1,220 in excess credit costs, according to a press release.
“Spring is time for new beginnings, and we are excited to start this semester with new efforts to support our students as they grow personally, professionally and academically,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “The transfer overhaul will save our students time, money and frustration as they move from our community colleges to senior colleges."
The initiative addresses a national crisis in credit loss during college transfers. Studies show that students lose an average of 20% of their credits when moving between institutions, costing time, scholarship dollars and often delaying graduation.
Under the new system, students will be able to see how their credits transfer between the 25 CUNY colleges via an automated process in CUNYfirst. The automation removes the manual input previously required, alleviating stress for students. On its first day, 18,850 students accessed their credit evaluations, empowering them to make informed decisions about where to transfer.
For over 75% of transferring students, most credits in their majors will now transfer seamlessly. CUNY has prioritized aligning the six most common transfer majors-- accounting, computer science, biology, math, psychology and sociology—with plans to include all majors in the future.
CUNY's initiative is the result of two years of collaboration among faculty, staff, and stakeholders, supported by strategic funds from Governor Kathy Hochul and the state legislature. By standardizing over 300 courses across the system, CUNY ensures that students' learning objectives are met, regardless of where they study.
“CUNY’s new transfer system breaks down the barriers which students nationwide have long experienced when transferring between colleges,” said CUNY interim Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost Alicia M. Alvero. "We hope that this effort can serve as a model for other institutions of higher education that are looking to remove barriers that prevent students from succeeding in college and beyond.”
CUNY’s overhaul reflects broader efforts to address systemic barriers to higher education. According to the Community College Research Center, only 31% of community college students transfer to four-year institutions, and just 15% earn a bachelor’s degree. The problem disproportionately affects underserved populations, with only 10% of lower-income students completing their degrees within six years.
