Community college transfer requirements to Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University is a major receiving institution for community college transfer students in Arizona. This page summarizes the published minimum GPA, application deadline, credit cap, and articulation framework you need to plan the transfer.

Transfer-admission profile

Northern Arizona University publishes a transfer-admission policy distinct from its freshman policy. The minimum cumulative community college GPA for transfer applicants is approximately 2.5; competitive majors — particularly engineering, nursing, computer science, and the business school — typically require a higher GPA, often 3.2 or above, plus specific grades in named lower-division prerequisite courses. The university accepts up to 64 semester hours of community college credit toward the bachelor's; anything earned beyond that cap will appear on the transcript but will not reduce the credits required for graduation.

The application window is Rolling, and applicants should plan to have an official transcript from every previously attended college, the FAFSA submitted by the priority deadline, and (where required) a brief transfer essay or major-specific supplement. Some Northern Arizona University programs admit only for the fall term; others admit for both fall and spring. Confirm with the receiving department before you commit to a transfer term.

Articulation framework

Because Northern Arizona University is part of Arizona Board of Regents in Arizona, transfer students from in-state community colleges benefit from the following articulation programs:

• Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) — Completing the 35-credit AGEC at any Arizona community college fulfills lower-division GE at all three state universities (ASU, UA, NAU).

Following the relevant articulation program is the cleanest way to ensure a credit-for-credit move into Northern Arizona University. Out-of-state transfers and applicants who skip the program are evaluated course-by-course by the registrar, which usually loses some credit at the margin.

Step-by-step transfer plan

1. Decide your target major. Read the Northern Arizona University department's transfer guide for that major, which lists every required and recommended lower-division course.
2. Pick a feeder community college in Arizona that offers the matching transfer-track associate degree (AA, AS, or the state's transfer-associate variant).
3. Map every semester against the Northern Arizona University articulation table. Confirm with both your community college advisor and the receiving department that the courses you plan to take will count.
4. Maintain a cumulative GPA above 2.5 — and well above for the competitive majors. Aim for at least 3.2 if you're targeting an oversubscribed program.
5. File the FAFSA before the priority deadline, request an official transcript from every prior college, and submit your application before Rolling.
6. After admission, attend the transfer orientation, lock in your major declaration with the receiving department, and request a final credit evaluation in writing.

Common feeder community colleges

The community colleges below are the largest in Arizona by enrollment, and they each maintain established transfer pipelines into Northern Arizona University. Each profile lists the college's transfer rate, costs, and program offerings:

Popular majors for transfer-in

Each program-area page below outlines the typical two-year coursework, prerequisites, and recommended sequence for transferring into the corresponding bachelor's program at Northern Arizona University:

• Business Administration at Northern Arizona University
• Nursing (RN) at Northern Arizona University
• Computer Science at Northern Arizona University
• Information Technology at Northern Arizona University
• Engineering Transfer at Northern Arizona University
• Early Childhood Education at Northern Arizona University
• Criminal Justice at Northern Arizona University
• Psychology at Northern Arizona University
• Biology / Pre-Health at Northern Arizona University
• Communications & Media at Northern Arizona University
• Liberal Arts (General Studies) at Northern Arizona University
• Hospitality & Culinary at Northern Arizona University