Student Transfer & Articulation
Many Windward Community College students transfer to other colleges and universities to complete their bachelor’s degrees. Because receiving institutions establish their own credit evaluation and transfer policies, students should review target institution catalogs carefully and meet with a WCC counselor early to plan an effective course sequence.
Transfer Credit Basics
Degree & Credit Requirements: Students generally complete 60 transferable credits (courses numbered 100 and above) prior to transferring. Courses numbered below 100 are developmental and do not transfer to four-year institutions.
Permanent Academic Record: Transcripts are evaluated by the receiving school to determine how credits apply toward degree requirements. Your official academic record remains permanently at Windward Community College.
Electives vs. Requirements: While college-level courses (100+) transfer, specific courses may fulfill general education or major requirements while others transfer as general electives.
When to Apply for Transfer
Students should apply for transfer at least one semester prior to their intended enrollment term. Application deadlines vary by institution, and official transcripts from all previously attended colleges must be received by the receiving school's published deadline.
Transferring to UH Mānoa
Students planning to transfer to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa should observe all application deadlines and note the following academic guidelines:
Admissions Criteria: Transfer applicants must present at least 24 college-level credits (numbered 100 or above) with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Applicants with fewer than 24 transferable credits are evaluated using high school transcript criteria.
Transfer Grades: UH Mānoa accepts transfer credits completed with a grade of "D" (not "D–") or higher.
Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) Limits: CR/NC grading options should be avoided for courses intended to fulfill UH Mānoa core or major requirements. UH Mānoa applies CR/NC marks only to general electives (unless the course was exclusively offered on a mandatory CR/NC basis).
Upper-Division Degree Requirements: UH Mānoa requires 60 or more credits of non-introductory coursework (300-level and above, or courses with explicit college-level prerequisites) to earn a bachelor’s degree.
For personalized advising, see a WCC counselor or visit the UH Mānoa Transfer Coordination Center.
Ka‘ie‘ie Degree Pathway Program (UH Mānoa Partnership)
The Ka‘ie‘ie Transfer Program is a dual-admission, dual-enrollment partnership between Windward Community College and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Designed for students who plan to earn a four-year degree at UH Mānoa while starting at WCC, Ka‘ie‘ie provides dedicated transfer advising, early registration options, and a seamless transition between campuses.
Contact: Ka‘ie‘ie Transfer Counselor | Hale Kākoʻo 123 | 808-235-7464 |
Automatic Admission and Reverse Transfer
As part of the University of Hawai‘i System, WCC students benefit from initiatives designed to streamline transfer and degree completion across campuses:
Automatic Admission: Eligible students completing an Associate in Arts (AA) or designated Associate in Science (AS) degree receive an automatic admission offer to UH four-year campuses (UH Mānoa, UH Hilo, UH West Oʻahu). Qualifying students are exempted from submitting a new application or paying an application fee.
Reverse Credit Transfer: WCC students who transfer to a UH four-year campus before completing their associate degree can apply completed upper-division coursework back to WCC to retroactively fulfill and earn their associate degree.
Transferring to Non-UH Institutions
Students intending to transfer to private or out-of-state universities should consult college catalogs and contact admissions offices early in their academic planning. WCC counselors assist students in mapping course selections to satisfy general education and lower-division major requirements at target non-UH institutions.