Transfer Planning

You have options

You want to transfer to a 4-year school. Or finish up your studies at CLC. Transfer in or transfer out, we're here to make the process seamless and stress free.

Start here, transfer anywhere

You made a smart decision starting at CLC, saving time and money. Now you want to continue your studies at your preferred 4-year school to earn a bachelor's degree.

Transferring your credits or associate degree to a different school can be a smooth process at CLC. We have transfer guides by college and major, articulation agreements, even Guaranteed Transfer Agreements (GTA) for seamless transfers.

Most important, once you're enrolled at CLC, your Academic Success Advisor (ASA) will guide you every step of the way for a trouble-free transfer.

Need help?

Your College & Career Navigator (CCN) helps you

complete the admission process
choose an academic program
enroll in first-semester classes
get access to helpful resources

Talk to a CCN

Save $30,000 in tuition and fees

Average savings when you enroll at CLC for two years before transferring to an Illinois public university to complete your bachelor’s degree.

Top 5 transfer programs

What CLC students study most often at 4-year schools:

Engineering
Nursing
Business
Psychology
Biology, including biochemistry, molecular biology, neurobiology, human biology

Source: CLC Community Impact Report 2024

Plan your transfer from CLC

First, follow these simple steps to apply at CLC.
Easy steps to apply
Then, discuss your transfer plans with your College and Career Navigator (CCN). Your CCN will make sure you're set up for a successful transfer from the start and answer your questions about the process. You'll get personalized guidance through the admission process, help with choosing programs and classes and accessing resources such as financial aid.
If you'd like to reach out before a CCN contacts you directly, call (847) 543-2085 to schedule a same-day or future advising session.
Talk to your CCN
Choose your major and where you want to transfer. If you’re still deciding, review the Easy Transfer Checklist (PDF).
If you plan to stay in Illinois for your transfer, check out iTransfer.org to get help transferring higher education coursework within Illinois.
Review our transfer guides:
- Transfer guides by college (PDF)
- Transfer guides by major (PDF)
You can also review articulation agreements and guides for transferring associate degrees including the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree (PDF).
We can help you choose the right path for your goals, whatever those may be.
Can I transfer my A.A.S. career degree?

Usually, transfer agreements (articulation agreements and GTAs) apply only to degrees designed for transfer, including Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), Associate in Fine Arts (A.F.A.) or Associate in Engineering Science (A.E.S.) degrees.
However, the credits you earn with your career degree (A.A.S.) are eligible for transfer in certain circumstances. The career programs include two categories of courses:
- PCS code of 1.1 – These courses were designed to transfer.
- PCS code of 1.2 – Some of these courses may transfer, and others may not.
Talk with your Academic Success Advisor (ASA), faculty member or a representative from the school to which you plan to transfer to discuss what A.A.S. courses are transferable.
Discuss your future career and transfer plans with us. We can help you figure out what type of degree is best for your chosen career path. If you’re undecided what you want to study next, we can help you select the most adaptable degree.
View articulation agreements (PDF)
A Guaranteed Transfer Admission (GTA) is an official agreement that you are pre-admitted to your chosen university and how your credits will transfer. This is a great option if:
- You already know the university you plan to transfer to, and
- We have an agreement with that school.
Consult your four-year school’s advisors
Under most of these agreements, you work with advisors at CLC and your transfer school throughout your time at CLC. It’s like you’re already a student there. You know that your CLC courses match what your destination school expects—every term, every class.
Meet your goals & maybe win a scholarship
You have to keep up your side of the agreement—keep your grades up, make the expected progress, and so on. However, you may also qualify for a transfer scholarship that will help you complete your bachelor’s degree. Read up on the GTA with your target school to understand what is available.
Explore Guaranteed Transfer Admission (GTA) schools

See how transfers work

In this video, CLC alum Za'Tozia Duffie walks you through the transfer process. She gives tips for how to smoothly transfer from CLC to a 4-year school.

Watch the preparing for your transfer video on YouTube

Start anywhere, transfer to CLC

CLC is a great place to transfer to finish up your coursework.

You’ll get personal attention and feedback in small class sizes. You’ll learn from qualified and caring instructors who have real-world experience in various areas of study.

CLC offers financial aid, including scholarships, grants and work study programs. We'll help you get internships, apprenticeships and find a job.

How to finish your studies here

It’s easy and free. Follow these simple steps to apply at CLC.
Easy steps to apply
Then, discuss your transfer plans with your College and Career Navigator (CCN). Your CCN will make sure you're set up for a successful transfer from the start and answer your questions about the process. You'll get personalized guidance through the admission process, help with choosing programs and classes and accessing resources such as financial aid.
If you'd like to reach out before a CCN contacts you directly, call (847) 543-2085 to schedule a same-day or future advising session.
Talk to your CCN
After applying to CLC, fill out the Transfer Credit Evaluation Request form in the Student Portal. (You’ll need your CLC student username and password to access the form.)
Use the Transfer Evaluation System (TES) to see how credits from another school may transfer into CLC.
Review CLC’s Transfer Credit Policy for more information.
Sign up for classes through the Student Portal. Your CCN also can help you enroll in your first courses at CLC.
Can't wait to see you on campus!

What students say about CLC

Riley Pemstein
Transfer student
“The fantastic academic success advisors prioritized me having my schedule right so I had the classes to transfer where I wanted to go.”
Riley took general education courses at CLC. He then transferred to University of Illinois Urbana-Campaign to study accounting. He now works as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Read Riley's story
Za’Tozia Duffie
Transfer student
“I don't think I would have been able to grow academically, or even personally, if it wasn't for CLC.”
Za’Tozia studied communication at CLC. She transferred to Lake Forest College for her bachelor's degree and then to Syracuse University for graduate school.
Read Za’Tozia's story
Kamden Kuklinski
Transfer student
“CLC was a really good option for me. It was very affordable. The smaller class sizes and community feel definitely made it feel like home.”
Kamden studied biological sciences at CLC, then transferred to Lake Forest College to earn a bachelor's degree in neuroscience. He is doing biomedical research as he prepares for graduate school.
Read Kamden's story
Kenneth Dantes
Transfer student
"It felt like a community because there were actually those teachers that have time for you."
Kenneth studied literature at CLC, then transferred to Elmhurst University. While at CLC, he worked on film projects in Chicago to gain experience and to network. He now works in Los Angeles as a production assistant for streaming shows.
Read Kenneth's story