Administrators FAQs

STARS was rebranded in November of 2022 and is now know as Alabama Transfers.  Over this 28 year period, over 1.6 million transfer guides were obtained through by transfer students using STARS.

From 1994 to 2022, STARS was an acronym for the "Statewide Transfer & Articulation Reporting System." STARS was a web-accessible database system which provides guidance and direction for prospective transfer students in the State of Alabama.

The STARS System allowed public two-year students in Alabama to obtain a Transfer Guide/Agreement for the major of their choice. This guide/agreement, if used correctly, would guide the student through their first two years of coursework and prevent the loss of credit hours upon transfer to their chosen public four-year university in Alabama.  

No. Currently, this program is funded solely through Alabama taxpayer dollars. There is no charge to individual students or institutions for the use of Alabama Transfers. The program is funded as a separate line item through the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE).

If at some point in the future, funding of this program makes it unsustainable, there may be some type fee added for this service.

Get in contact with us through our contact us page.

As required by state law, all accredited public two-year and four-year institutions in Alabama who received state funding are required to participate in the AGSC/Alabama Transfers Program (formerly know as STARS).

No. The AGSC does not mandate the curriculum for all public institutions of higher education in Alabama. However, all public institutions of higher education who receive state funding must adhere to the statewide transfer policy set forth by the AGSC. This simply means that four-year institutions must honor and accept transfer credit as prescribed by the Official Transfer Guide.

While the AGSC does not mandate state curriculum for all institutions, most, if not all, of the two-year and many of the four-year institutions have adjusted their general studies programs to be more in-line with the AGSC general studies requirements set forth in Areas I–V (approximately 60–64 SH).

AGSC stands for the Alabama Articulation and General Studies Committee. The AGSC was created in March of 1994 by the State Legislature through ACT 94-202.

The AGSC was created to simplify the transfer of course credit between public institutions of higher education within the State of Alabama. To accomplish this task, the AGSC has developed and implemented a statewide general studies and articulation program that facilitates the transferability of coursework among all Alabama public colleges and universities. The AGSC continues to serve as a monitoring committee for the articulation program. The committee members oversee and maintain the program on an on-going basis. Finally, the AGSC works to resolve any student appeals related to transfer of coursework as it relates to the articulation program.

For more information, click here.

The AGSC and STARS Program was created through by the Alabama State Legislature through the passing of Act 94-202.

Students and parents benefit.

Having a statewide articulation program that covers the transfer of course credit from one public institution to another can result in huge savings in terms of time and money for both parents and students. For example, if a student takes one or more courses that they believe will transfer and upon transfer finds out otherwise, the student not only loses the money spent on tuition, books, room and board but also must face graduation delays which might result in lost income from future job opportunities.

The public two-year institutions benefit.

In addition to saving time and money for students and parents, the two-year colleges across the state have begun to streamline their course offerings to better match the AGSC approved transfer requirements as prescribed by Alabama Transfers (formerly STARS). The two-year colleges can also provide better and more consistent advising and counseling for their students. Most two-year institutions, if not all, have started to use Alabama Transfers as their primary advising tool.

The public four year institutions benefit.

Now that a state articulation program is in place, four-year institutions can better support transfer students. The four-year institutions are more familiar with which courses they have to take in each of the various majors or programs. In addition, each month every four-year institution receives a list of prospective transfer students who have expressed an interest in transferring to their institution. This list provides the four-year institutions with student names, addresses, e-mails, and phone numbers (if provided). This reporting feature has greatly enhanced the transfer student recruitment process.

The State of Alabama benefits.

The Alabama Transfers program also makes it easier for students to begin and complete their degrees in Alabama. In addition, the state articulation program promotes accountability among the higher education leaders of Alabama. Through this program, millions of dollars are saved each year because students are better informed and they do not waste time and/or money taking courses that will ultimately not count toward their total degree hours.

Alabama is not alone in this effort. Many states have implemented similar state articulation programs. In almost every instance, the benefits gained from such programs far outweigh the costs and difficulties associated in implementing and maintaining such a program.

If you would like to have someone from the Alabama Transfers staff visit your campus and discuss the positive impact that the AGSC & Alabama Transfers Program has had on higher education in Alabama, please contact us.

Transfer guides are simply the documents created through Alabama Transfers (Powered by AGSC) that detail the specific courses and options required in the first two-years of college for students who currently attend or plan to attend a two-year community college prior to transferring to a state four-year institution. The guide has various parts. Students must use the Alabama Transfers System as instructed - Select Option 3 on the home page to obtain an "official" transfer guide. [Step-by-step/tutorial page coming soon.]

If you still have questions or need assistance in obtaining an Alabama Transfers Guide, please contact us.

AREA V PAGES are web pages maintained by each individual four-year institution in Alabama. Most Area V pages include general information vital for transfer student success. Information links include, but are not limited to:

• Admissions Requirements
• Admission Application
• Tuition/Fee Costs
• Financial Aid Assistance and Information
• Links to AREA V Pages
• Scholarship Information
• Advising Information
• Current Bulletin/Catalog
• Links to Various Departments/Colleges

Area V Pages are maintained by each individual four-year institution in Alabama. The primary purpose of Area V page is to provide transfer students with additional information about transfer coursework that can be taken at the two-year institutions to complete the Area V requirements not covered on the official Alabama Transfers Guide. Four-year institutions can use these pages to provide information about specific admission criteria and requirements for specific academic programs. In addition, four-year institutions can make strong recommendations in Areas I-IV as long as they do not limit choices by transfer students in those areas.

NOTE: To better assist students, every Alabama Transfers guide viewed includes a listing of the institutions that offer bachelor's degrees in the student's chosen major. This listing is linked to institutional websites and their Area V Pages.  Click here to access to these web pages and other helpful links.

If you have questions about your institution's Area V Pages, please contact your Institutional Points of Contact for AGSC & Alabama Transfers matters. The point of contact, in turn, will contact our office, if necessary.

If you still need help or have other questions, please contact us.

The Alabama Transfers guides (formerly known as STARS guides) prevent students from losing degree credit upon transfer to public four-year institutions in Alabama. They also prevent the four-year institutions from adding additional coursework on the "back-end" of the degree by forcing them to graduate transfer students in the same number of hours as native students in the same major.

No, Alabama Transfers does not provide individualized four-year to four-year transfer guides like it does for two-year to four-year students. However, students attending four-year institutions can use view the institutions approved course listing pages to see those courses in their major area which will transfer from their current four-year institution to other four-year institutions in the state.

Students contemplating a transfer from an Alabama four-year institution to another Alabama four-year institution are strongly encouraged to meet prior to transfer with the prospective receiving institution to discuss possible transfer options and discuss course equivalency information.

Many of the four-year universities can run a "degree audit" of a transfer student's transcript and provide feedback on course equivalency information and current progress made toward a specific major or degree.

NOTE: Once you click on the links below you will be sent to other institution web pages. You will leave the Alabama Transfers website. We at Alabama Transfers do not guarantee that the information you obtain from these institutions is accurate. Transfer to these institutions is not governed by transfer policies set forth by the AGSC.

Alabama Independent Colleges and Universities

The AGSC/Alabama Transfers is solely funded by state taxpayer dollars and was designed primarily to help students who attend public community colleges in Alabama as they transfer to the public four-year universities or colleges in the state. Therefore, we do not have official transfer guides for students who wish to transfer to or from a private college or university in Alabama. If you are a student looking to transfer to a private college or university in Alabama, we suggest that you work directly with the institution to which you plan to transfer. The links below are provided to help you research and find contacts at these schools. Most of the private colleges and universities in Alabama are members of the Alabama Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (AAICU). You should contact these schools directly to determine their transfer policies and procedures. You should be aware that these institutions may each have different transfer credit hour limitations, or they may have minimum hour requirements that are required in order to receive degrees from their institutions.

Links to AAICU member websites: Amridge University, Birmingham Southern College, Faulkner University, Huntingdon College, Miles College, Samford University, Spring Hill College, Stillman College, Oakwood University, Talladega College, United States Sports Academy, University of Mobile, and Tuskegee University.

Columbia Southern University

The AGSC/Alabama Transfers is solely funded by state taxpayer dollars and was designed primarily to help students who attend public community colleges in Alabama as they transfer to the public four-year universities or colleges in the state. Therefore, we do not have official transfer guides for students who wish to transfer to or from a private college or university in Alabama. However, Alabama community college students who are interested in transferring to Columbia Southern University should visit this CSU landing page and contact them directly about transfer to their institution.

Columbia Southern University

In 2002-2003, the AGSC determined (as a result of an outside evaluation study) that better communication was needed between the AGSC & STARS Office and the various public institutions (two- and four-year) in Alabama. To help resolve this communication problem, the AGSC created Institutional Points of Contact at each institution impacted by the AGSC & STARS. These individuals serve as the primary contact person on their campuses.

Click here to view the current roles/responsibilities of these individuals and to see a listing of the current individuals serving as their Institutional Point of Contact for AGSC & Alabama Transfers matters.

From the date you submit this transfer guide, it must be honored by all Alabama public universities that offer the specified major for four years.  

Exception:  If an accreditation body or organization requires specific academic changes for all students (both native and transfers) in their fields of study, then transfer and native students would have to be treated equally and and would be required to fall in line with the new accrediation mandates.  An example of this was the passing and acceptance of the federal "No Child Left Behind" mandate years ago.

The Alabama Transfers Guide is to be honored for a period of four years from the date it is generated from the website by all other Alabama public institutions of higher education that offer programs in the specified discipline. Students should maintain a copy of this guide for verification purposes. The Alabama Transfers Guide remains valid and is guaranteed only if the student continues in the major specified on their transfer agreement. Changes made by accrediting and/or other regulatory agencies could result in specific requirements being added to the Transfer Agreement. Any changes made by an institution in its degree programs will affect the transfer student in the same manner as the students native to the university.

Whichever catalog is in effect on the date that the student generates their transfer guide will the be catalog guiding the student's degree progression at the four-year college or university. However, transfer students can opt instead to graduate under the catalog in effect at the time of transfer if it is to their benefit.

If you experience any technical difficulties using this site, please contact us.  If you can describe your problem or issue on the contact form, that will greatly help us as we look into the issue or problem and try to find a solution.  

Since all Alabama Transfers Guides are based on current curriculum standards as prescribed by the various academic committees, this information changes periodically. In most cases, the information on Alabama Transfers is updated a few days after each regular AGSC meeting (meets every 3-4 months). However, should the need arise, the Alabama Transfers staff can often make changes depending on the circumstance or problem. To stay informed about changes that impact the content of Alabama Transfers Guides, check out our systems updates page. Each time our office changes or updates a particular transfer guide, we will post a summary of the change on this page.

NOTE: All two-year and four-year institutions are responsible for checking periodically for changes so that they too can update or change their Area V Pages (if needed).

Yes.

First of all, your grades will affect your eligibility for admission into your desired university and upper-level major/program.

Second, your pre-transfer GPA will follow you to the university and will be calculated into your final GPA upon graduation.

Third, if your grades fall below the university’s threshold for transfer, then you will not be awarded credit for the courses and will need to re-take them. Each university may decide how to handle the transfer of D grades; however, the same policy must be applied equally to all students — native or transfer — at a given university.

Congratulations on completing all the course requirements!

Unfortunately, this guide does not guarantee admission to any university; nor to any specific major at the university; nor, even, to any broader field of study. You must still be officially admitted under the admisison policy of the desired university/major/program.

For a link to the university’s admission requirements, visit its webpage.  For quick access to these and other helpful links, please visit our participating institutions page.

No, generating a transfer guide will not guarantee admission to any college or university, or any specific majors or degree programs. The transfer guides only serve to assist you in planning your course of study prior to transferring to a public four-year university.

We strongly recommend that you meet regularly with your advisor to plan for transfer, including researching your desired institution's and/or degree program's admission requirements, deadlines, scholarship opportunities, etc.

We also recommend that you communicate directly with your desired four-year institution well in advance of transferring. Talk with an admissions counselor, schedule a tour, and schedule a meeting with an advisor from your desired major. The earlier you plan for transfer, the better prepared you will be when that time comes.