Transfer Students
A transfer student is a student who enters a New York State school from another state, another country, or another New York State school.
Awarding Credit
The principal, in consultation with relevant faculty, evaluates the transcript or other records of a transfer student enrolling in a New York State school and awards the appropriate units of transfer credit.
Transfer credit must be awarded if credit was previously awarded by any registered New York State high school. Transfer credit may be awarded if the work completed at other educational or cultural institutions is deemed to be consistent with the New York State commencement level learning standards and is of comparable scope and quality to that which would have been done in the school awarding credit.
When students transfer from home instruction, the principal, in consultation with relevant faculty, evaluates the Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) and other records and awards the appropriate units of transfer credit. Transfer credit may be awarded if the home instruction included work consistent with the New York State commencement level learning standards and of comparable scope and quality to that which would have been done in the school awarding credit.
Diploma Assessment Requirements
Students who transfer from New York State schools or from home instruction in New York State must meet the same diploma assessment requirements as other students enrolled in the receiving high school.
When students transfer from New York State schools that do not administer Regents Examinations, they are still required to fulfill all the assessment requirements to earn a local or Regents diploma. The out-of-state transfer exemptions do not apply to in-state transfers. This includes students who received home instruction in New York State, as well as students who were enrolled in a public or private high school in New York State.
Student Placement
Student placement decisions are locally determined by each NYS school or district, this includes placing students in specific courses or grade levels. The Powers and Duties of Boards of Education (Ed Law 1709[3]; 2503[4][d]) requires local boards of education to, “To prescribe the course of study by which the pupils of the schools shall be graded and classified, and to regulate the admission of pupils and their transfer from one class or department to another, as their scholarship shall warrant.”
Information related to cohort assignment can be referenced in the Student Information Repository System (SIRS) Manual.
Awarding Credit
The principal, in consultation with relevant faculty, evaluates the transcript or other records of a transfer student enrolling in a New York State school and awards the appropriate units of transfer credit.
Transfer credit may be awarded if the work completed at other educational or cultural institutions is deemed to be consistent with the New York State commencement level learning standards and is of comparable scope and quality to that which would have been done in the school awarding credit.
Flexibilities for Out-of-State Transfer Students
Physical Education Credit Requirements
Out-of-State Transfer Students need to earn 1/4 credit in physical education for each semester attended in New York State. This could lead to an out-of-state transfer student earning a diploma with fewer than 22 credits. Additional guidance can be found in the Physical Education Regulatory Amendments memo.
Social Studies Credit Requirements
There is flexibility in the social studies credit requirements to allow for coursework other than the traditional courses completed by students who attend all four years of high school in New York State. The principal may exempt out-of-state transfer students who enter in grade 11 or grade 12 from the two units of credit requirement in global history and geography by substituting two units of credit in social studies. This flexibility can be found in Section 100.5(d)(5) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.
Additionally, if approved by the superintendent or chief administrative officer (or their designee), so long as a student has a total of four units of credit in social studies, they can use any combination of high school social studies courses to fulfill the credit requirement. This flexibility can be found in Section 100.5(a)(6)(ii)(d) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.
Credit in World Languages
Schools may award up to 3 units of credit for each year of documented school attendance and residence in an “other than English-speaking” environment, provided that the experience occurred at age 10 or older and that the residence resulted in direct contact with that environment, its language and people. No more than a total of 5 credits may be awarded for school attendance and residence in an “other than English-speaking” environment, regardless of the length of the experience. Additional guidance can be found in the Office of Bilingual Education and World Language's LOTE FAQ.
Diploma Assessment Requirements
Students Entering in Grade 9 or 10
Transfer students who enter a NYS high school for the first time in grade 9 or grade 10 must meet all assessment requirements applicable to the diploma they wish to receive. There are no assessment exemptions for students entering in grades 9 or 10.
Students Entering in Grade 11
The principal may exempt an out-of-state transfer student who enters a NYS high school for the first time in grade 11, or who re-enters a NYS high school in grade 11 after spending 3 or fewer semesters in a NYS high school, from the requirement to pass a Regents Examination in Global History and Geography. If the student chooses to accept this exemption, in addition to meeting the credit requirements, they will need to pass the following Regents Examinations or the NYSED-Approved Regents Examination Alternatives to receive a Regents or local diploma:
- English,
- U.S. History and Government,
- one mathematics, and
- one science.
In this situation, the student need not pass an additional +1 pathway assessment.
To receive a Regents diploma with advanced designation, the student must meet the credit requirements and also pass the following Regents Examinations or NYSED-Approved Regents Examination Alternatives:
- English,
- U.S. History and Government,
- two science (one life science and one physical science), and
- three mathematics.
To earn advanced designation, the student would also need to complete one of the following three sequences:
- 3-unit sequence in world languages and a passing score on the locally developed checkpoint B examination,
- 5-unit sequence in the arts, or
- 5-unit sequence in career and technical education (CTE).
Students Entering in Grade 12
The principal may exempt an out-of-state transfer student who enters a NYS high school for the first time in grade 12, or who re-enters a NYS high school in grade 12 after spending 3 or fewer semesters in a NYS high school, from the requirement for the Regents Examination in science and the Regents Examination in Global History and Geography. If the student chooses to accept these exemptions, in addition to meeting the credit requirements, they will need to pass the following Regents Examinations or the NYSED-Approved Regents Examination Alternatives to receive a Regents or local diploma:
- English,
- U.S. History and Government, and
- one mathematics.
In this situation, the student need not pass an additional +1 pathway assessment.
To receive a Regents diploma with advanced designation, the student must meet the credit requirements and also pass the following Regents Examinations or NYSED-Approved Regents Examination Alternatives:
- English,
- U.S. History and Government,
- two science (one life science and one physical science)*, and
- three mathematics.
To earn advanced designation, the student would also need to complete one of the following three sequences:
- 3-unit sequence in world languages and a passing score on the locally developed checkpoint B examination,
- 5-unit sequence in the arts, or
- 5-unit sequence in career and technical education (CTE).
*Students entering a NYS high school for the first time in grade 12 would still need to pass two science assessments. For additional information, reference Section 100.5(b)(7)(v) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.
Student Placement
Student placement decisions are locally determined by each NYS school or district, this includes placing students in specific courses or grade levels. The Powers and Duties of Boards of Education (Ed Law 1709[3]; 2503[4][d]) requires local boards of education to, “To prescribe the course of study by which the pupils of the schools shall be graded and classified, and to regulate the admission of pupils and their transfer from one class or department to another, as their scholarship shall warrant.”
Information related to cohort assignment can be referenced in the Student Information Repository System (SIRS) Manual.
Additional flexibility exists for students covered under the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The provisions of the Compact cover the following:
- Family members of active duty military personnel who are in transition as a result of their military status are covered under the Compact. These include active uniformed service of the United States including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty; and
- Children of members or veterans of the uniformed services who are severely injured and medically discharged or retired for a period of one year after medical discharge or retirement; and
- Children of members of the uniformed services who die on active duty or as a result of injuries sustained on active duty for a period of 1 year after death; and
- Children of Uniformed Members of the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and United States Public Health Services (USPHS).
The Compact addresses on-time graduation as a priority and states that:
- Specific required courses shall be waived if similar coursework has been satisfactorily completed.
- Receiving schools shall accept exit or end of course exams required for graduation from sending state, or national norm-referenced achievement test, or alternative testing, in lieu of testing requirements for graduation.
- If there is no way to complete the necessary coursework for an on-time graduation, the receiving school shall work with the sending school to ensure receipt of an on-time diploma from the sending school, assuming the student meets the graduation requirements of that school.
Additional guidance can be found on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children webpage.
Additional information can be found in the "Transfer Students" section of the Frequently Asked Questions about NYS Graduation Requirements.
