It’s Good To Be A Transfer Student!
Students must satisfy the five graduation requirements listed below. The good news? Transfer students can satisfy three requirements using transfer credits: University Core Curriculum, Foreign Language (FLENT/FLEX), and Summer Enrollment. Civic Literacy can also be satisfied using transfer credits, but there are important restrictions, including for students transferring from outside Florida public colleges and universities.
University Core Curriculum (UCC)
All students must satisfy FIU’s University Core Curriculum (UCC), which is FIU's General Education requirements (Communication/English, Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Arts). Students transferring with an AA degree or General Education requirements met from a Florida public college or university, or a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, automatically satisfy the UCC. All others require course-by-course evaluations.
As soon as you transition to FIU, make sure to:
- Review FIU’s UCC requirements.
- Review your Panther Degree Audit to learn how your transfer credits were applied to the UCC.
- Review the course equivalency process and submit courses that may satisfy the UCC.
- Meet with your academic advisor for advice on completing any pending UCC requirements.
FLENT / FLEX
FLENT/FLEX is a state-mandated requirement. It stands for Foreign Language Entrance, Foreign Language Exit. To meet this requirement, students must either “enter” (FLENT) with a foreign language, or “exit” (FLEX) with a foreign language. To be clear, the foreign language is a language other than English, including American Sign Language.
Summer Enrollment
Students transferring to FIU with less than 60 credits are required to earn at least 9 credits during one or more summer terms at FIU or any other university in the State University System of Florida. Courses may be completed in person or online.
Completing summer courses at a Florida public college, such as Miami Dade College, Broward College, Valencia College, or a private institution, will not satisfy the Summer Enrollment requirement.
Civic Literacy
The Civic Literacy Competency Requirement is a statewide mandate that applies to degree-seeking undergraduate students initially entering a Florida State University System (SUS) or Florida College System (FCS) institution in the 2018-19 academic year and thereafter. The requirement has been updated for degree-seeking undergraduate students initially entering the SUS or FCS in the 2021-2022 academic year (Summer B term) and thereafter.
Global Learning (GL)
The Global Learning for Global Citizenship (GL) requirement is unique to FIU, and therefore, students may not use transfer credits to satisfy it. GL courses, activities, and programs enhance students’ understanding of global issues and engagement as global citizens.
Transfer students may satisfy Global Learning as follows:
Category 1: Students who transfer with the UCC satisfied or AA degree from a Florida public college or university:
- Complete 2 Discipline-Specific GL courses. One of the two courses may be a UCC Foundations course in consultation with an academic advisor.
Category 2: Students who transfer without the UCC satisfied:
- Complete 1 Foundations GL course from the UCC.
- Complete 1 Discipline-Specific GL course.
Resources
Find out if you are eligible for the GL waivers.
Discipline-Specific GL courses do not need to be in your major. However, some majors include these courses as part of their degree requirements, which means you can satisfy two requirements with one course!
Where Can I Check if I Satisfied the UCC, FLENT/FLEX, Summer Enrollment, Civic Literacy, and Global Learning Requirements?
In your Panther Degree Audit (PDA). The UCC appears in the first section of the PDA, while the FLENT/FLEX, Summer Enrollment, Civic Literacy, and Global Learning requirements appear in the Undergraduate Requirements section. Sections will be listed as “Satisfied,” “Not Satisfied,” or “In Progress.”
Remember that Global Learning is completed at FIU, so you can return to your PDA to check that requirement at a later time. If you believe that your PDA is not reflecting these requirements accurately, meet with your academic advisor or Transfer & Transition Services staff member.