Key Findings

• Dual enrollment credits are treated like any other higher education credit. 98% of institutions report accepting them in transfer, and the vast majority use identical transcript practices for dual enrollment and non-dual enrollment students.
• The real challenge is applicability, not transfer. Credits that transfer but don't apply to degree requirements leave students with excess credit, undercut the savings families expect, and represent a return on state investment unrealized.
• The field points to advising and alignment, not transfer policy. Nearly 76% of survey respondents identified limited advising for students (29%), inconsistent application of policies across institutions (28.3%), or misalignment with degree requirements (18.4%) as the biggest challenge.
• Transfer building blocks are common but not universal. 34 states have common course numbering, 42 have approved lists of courses guaranteed to transfer and apply, and 44 have a statewide transfer block or transfer associate's degree.
• Transfer policy determines whether students keep their credits. Program quality determines whether those credits keep their value.

What's Inside the Paper

• Clear definitions distinguishing credit transfer from credit applicability, and why the difference matters for students and states
• A national evidence review on dual enrollment credit acceptance, including AACRAO/NACEP survey data and state-level administrative studies
• A 50-state analysis of dual enrollment and postsecondary transfer policies that support applicability
• Findings from CHSA focus groups and a national field survey on where practitioners see barriers
• Three recommendations for states—on transfer infrastructure, advising policy, and transparent transfer options for high school students—each with policy implementation considerations
• Best practice spotlights from Colorado, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, and Ohio
• A state-by-state appendix rating all 50 states across six areas of credit transfer and applicability policy, with a companion spreadsheet detailing each state's policies in full

Who This Resource is For

• State policymakers and agency leaders in K–12 and higher education working on dual enrollment credit transfer and applicability
• State and system staff responsible for transfer policy, common course numbering, transfer blocks, and CTE articulation
• District, high school, and postsecondary dual enrollment leaders, counselors, and advisors guiding student course selection
• Advocates, researchers, and philanthropies seeking a systems-level framework for evaluating whether dual enrollment delivers on its promise

Common Questions About Dual Enrollment Credit Transfer

Do dual enrollment credits transfer to other colleges? In the large majority of cases, yes. A 2024 AACRAO/NACEP survey found that 98% of responding institutions accept transfer credit earned through dual enrollment, and most treat it no differently from credit earned after high school. State studies in North Carolina and Texas found course-level acceptance rates of 85–87%.

What is the difference between credit transfer and credit applicability? Credit transfer means a receiving institution accepts a credit and posts it to the student's transcript. Credit applicability means that credit satisfies an actual degree requirement—general education, a major, or a program of study. A credit can transfer successfully and still do nothing to shorten a student's time to degree.

Will dual enrollment credits count toward a student's major? Not automatically. Whether credits apply to major or general education requirements depends on the courses a student selects, how those courses align with the degree pathway they ultimately pursue, and the transfer policies in place in their state. This is why advising at the point of course selection matters as much as transfer policy itself.

What can states do to improve dual enrollment credit transfer and applicability? States can put transfer building blocks in place, such as common course numbering, guaranteed-transfer course lists, and statewide transfer blocks; require that students and parents receive clear information on how credits will apply before enrollment; and design transparent, broadly applicable course options for high school students. The report details each recommendation with state examples.

Explore the 50-state appendix

The paper's appendix rates every state as Yes, Partial, or No across six areas of postsecondary credit transfer and applicability policy: information and advising, transfer and applicability guarantees, common course numbering, broadly transferable courses, statewide transfer blocks or transfer associate's degrees, and CTE credit transfer and applicability.

View the full 50-state appendix with detailed policy explanations for each state

Authored by Alex Perry of Foresight Law + Policy and the College in High School Alliance and Jennifer Zinth of Zinth Consulting LLC, with contributions from Amy Williams of the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships and Nick Mathern of Achieving the Dream.