Admissions
Credit Transfer
Already studied at another accredited institution? The credits you have earned there may count towards your degree at the University of South Asia — they are evaluated at the time of admission.
What Is Credit Transfer?
If you have completed courses at another accredited university, higher-education institute (HEI) or degree-awarding institute (DAI), those courses may count towards your degree at USA. You can request credit transfer only at the time of admission. The concerned Dean or Head of Department (HOD) reviews each applicant’s previous courses individually, case by case, under University regulations.
Credit transfer means bringing credits from another institution into USA. It is not the same as the internal ADP → Bachelor pathway — see the comparison below.
Credit Transfer Rules
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who is eligible | Students who have earned credit hours at another accredited university, higher-education institute (HEI) or degree-awarding institute (DAI). |
| When to apply | Only at the time of admission to the University. |
| Who decides | The concerned Dean / Head of Department, on a case-by-case basis. |
| Maximum transferable | Up to 50% of the total credit hours of the program. The remaining credit hours must be completed at USA. |
| How courses are matched | Course-to-course — each previous course is matched against a corresponding USA course. |
| Core-course similarity | A core course must match at least 80% of the content of the corresponding course in the USA scheme of studies. |
| Minimum grade — Undergraduate | Grade C or better (minimum grade point 2.00). |
| Minimum grade — MS / MPhil | Grade C+ or better (minimum grade point 2.5). |
| Effect on CGPA | Transferred grades count towards your CGPA. |
| Documents required | An NOC (No Objection Certificate) and an official provisional transcript showing the letter grades and grade points of the courses completed at your last university / HEI / DAI. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer my previous university credits to the University of South Asia?
Yes. You can transfer credit hours earned at another accredited university, higher-education institute (HEI) or degree-awarding institute (DAI) — but only at the time of admission.
Who decides whether my credits can be transferred?
The concerned Dean or Head of Department (HOD) evaluates and approves transfers on a case-by-case basis — your previous courses are reviewed individually.
How many credit hours can be transferred?
Up to 50% of the total credit hours of your program. You must complete the remaining credit hours at USA.
How similar must my previous course be to the USA course?
Courses are matched one-to-one (course-to-course). For core courses, your previous course must match at least 80% of the content of the corresponding course in the USA scheme of studies.
What minimum grade is required for undergraduate credit transfer?
For undergraduate programs, you need at least a grade C (grade point 2.00) in a course for it to be transferred.
What minimum grade is required for MS / MPhil credit transfer?
For MS / MPhil programs, you need at least a grade C+ (grade point 2.5) in a course for it to be transferred.
What documents do I need for credit transfer?
You must provide an NOC (No Objection Certificate) and an official provisional transcript showing the letter grades and grade points of the courses you completed at your last university, HEI or DAI.
Credit Transfer vs. ADP → Bachelor Pathway
These are two different routes: credit transfer brings credits in from another institution (external), while the ADP pathway lets ADP graduates continue into a Bachelor degree at USA (internal).
Credit Transfer (external)
You bring credits earned at another institution into USA at the time of admission. The Dean / HOD evaluates them course-to-course under the rules above.
ADP → Bachelor Fifth-Semester Pathway (internal)
- An ADP (Associate Degree Program) is a complete degree on its own: 4 semesters, 64–72 credit hours, minimum CGPA 2.00/4.00. You can stop after the ADP or continue into a Bachelor program at USA.
- Same or relevant discipline: you join the Bachelor program directly in the 5th semester with no deficiency courses — 4 more semesters (about 2 years). Example: ADP Business → BBA.
- BS Computer Science exception: entering the BSCS 5th semester from ADP Computing always requires a minimum CGPA of 2.00 plus a bridging semester of 15–18 credit hours of deficiency courses first — even though it is the same discipline. Entry is based on your ADP result, not Intermediate marks, and a non-Computing ADP does not qualify.
- Different discipline: you complete one bridging (deficiency) semester first, then join the 5th semester (about 2.5 years in total). The University decides which deficiency courses you need.
- Conditions: a minimum CGPA of 2.00 as per HEC (the University may set a higher requirement), plus program eligibility, seat availability, roadmap compatibility and Dean approval.
Programs Requiring Direct Admission
The professional programs below do not accept credit transfer, ADP progression or lateral entry — you must take direct admission from semester 1:
- DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy)
- PharmD (Raiwind Road Campus only)
- LLB (Raiwind Road Campus only; requires HEC LAT)
- Bachelor of Architecture (Cantt Campus only)
Key Terms Explained
Deficiency Courses
Extra courses you must complete to fill gaps in your academic background. Examples: 6 credit hours of Mathematics in the first year for Pre-Medical / non-Mathematics students joining BS Computer Science, or the 15–18 credit-hour bridging semester for ADP Computing → BSCS.
Credit-Hour Value & Notation
1 theory credit hour = 1 teaching hour per week; 1 lab / practical / field credit hour = 3 contact hours per week. Course notation: 3(3-0) means 3 credit hours of theory; 4(3-1) means 3 theory + 1 practical.
Total Credit Hours by Level
Use this table to see what the 50% transfer limit means for your program:
| Level | Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ADP (Associate) | 4 semesters | 64–72 credit hours |
| 4-year Bachelor | 8 semesters (max 12) | 124–140 credit hours (including a 6 CH project/thesis) |
| 5-year (DPT / PharmD / Architecture) | 10 semesters (max 15) | 160–180 credit hours |
| MS / MPhil | 4 semesters | Minimum 30 credit hours (including 6 CH of research) |
Contact Admissions
Credit-transfer decisions are made by the relevant Dean / HOD at the time of admission. Contact the admissions team to start your evaluation — helpline: 0311 711 1112.