Special Applicants

 

 

SUNY Erie recognizes that students experience academic difficulties for a variety of reasons and encourage students to continue their academic pursuits and find success.

If you have been absent from the college for three years or more and wish to apply for a Fresh Start to improve your GPA, complete the steps on the Fresh Start checklist and the Fresh Start Agreement in the Fresh Start packet.

If you were academically dismissed, thank you for your interest in returning to SUNY Erie. Here are the steps to seek re-admittance after academic dismissal:  

  1. Complete the online application.
  2. Call the Support Center at the campus you wish to attend (online students may use any campus) to make an appointment to meet with a Counselor and complete the student letter of petition. A counselor must review your appeal, sign the letter of petition, and provide the Academic Review Committee with comment and recommendation.
    City Campus: (716) 851-1188
    North Campus: (716) 851-1488
    South Campus: (716) 851-1688
  3. Optional: Gather third party documentation which verifies extenuating circumstances that contributed to academic difficulty. These documents should not be statements by friends or family. These documents can be submitted to a counselor during the initial review. Please note these documents are shared with the Academic Review Committee.

 

The Academic Review Committee meets monthly prior to the start of each semester. Students will receive a letter by mail indicating the committee’s decision within 10 business days of appeal meeting date. Appeals can be submitted up until two (2) weeks before the start of the semester.

The Academic Review Committee will determine your academic standing. The following represent the possible decisions:

Academic Probation 1: Students may be readmitted and placed on Academic Probation 1. Registration restrictions will be in place and students will be required to meet with a counselor to develop a Success Plan in Starfish. If a student does not improve their GPA beyond the standards, they will be placed on Probation 2.

Academic Recovery: If dismissed following Spring 2019 or later, students may be readmitted and placed on Academic Recovery. Registration restrictions will be in place and students will be required to meet with a counselor to develop a Success Plan in Starfish. Students must earn a 2.5 in the returning semester to remain matriculated.

Remain Academically Dismissed: The student is advised to take courses as a non-matriculated student to raise their GPA. Students may be required to wait one calendar year following a dismissal and complete at least 6 credit hours as a non-degree student, earning a GPA of 2.5 or higher in those courses before being considered for readmission.

Students who have changed their major can request a QPA grade adjustment for coursework taken in the previous major which is no longer relevant to current program requirements. A student may have this rule applied to only one change of curriculum which occurs within the first 36 credit hours attempted at the college. Make an appointment to meet with the Department Chair in the new academic program to complete the Change of Curriculum QPA adjustment form.


The EAL Department helps students improve their English language skills in order to succeed in their programs.

Learn More About the EAL/ESL Department


An international student studies on a non-immigrant visa. As an international student, you will receive information and advice on the application process, U.S. immigration regulations, cultural adjustment, and academic and personal support.

As a member of the State University of New York (SUNY) family of institutions, SUNY Erie is part of the largest public university system in the USA. In addition, Buffalo has been rated #1 on housing affordability by Forbes.com and great food by Travel and Leisure magazine. 

International Student sERVICES

The International Student Services office is here to help our international students every step of the way and extend a warm welcome. International students receive information and advice on the application process; U.S. immigration regulations; cultural adjustment; academic and personal support; and graduation and/or transfer to another school. We also offer a special orientation event that helps international students prepare to study in the United States. For more information, email international@ecc.edu.

International Student Services: FAQ & Resources


SUNY Erie’s transfer counselors can help you create an educational plan by discussing transfer requirements, assisting with your college search, or researching fields of interest. Some of their work includes: college search assistance, Counselor in Residence Days, informal transfer credit evaluations, transfer application assistance, transfer application fee waiver, transfer counseling and the Tri-Campus Transfer Fair.

SUNY Erie offers various articulation agreements and dual admission opportunities with four-year schools. Additionally, under the SUNY transfer guarantee program, all New York residents who transfer directly from a SUNY community college with an A.A. or A.S. degree are guaranteed an opportunity to continue full-time study at a SUNY four-year campus. While this guarantee does not ensure admissions into every major, it does provide you with an opportunity to continue your education at a SUNY four-year institution.

The Course Evaluation Matrix is an unofficial evaluation tool intended as a guide for prospective transfer students. The matrix lists equivalencies for courses previously transferred to SUNY Erie. Courses not listed are those that have not yet been evaluated.


There are three ways students can transfer credits to SUNY Erie:

  1. Credit from Another College: Submit an official transcript from all colleges previously attended to the admissions office. Once admissions receives your transcripts and you have received an acceptance letter from SUNY Erie, ask an adviser from the major you’ve been accepted to for ‘an evaluation of transfer credit.’

    Things to note: 
    • Course credits can be transferred, not course grades.
    • A minimum grade of C- is needed to transfer credit; however, academic departments may require a grade higher than a C-.
    • Certain courses may be ‘time sensitive’ and may not transfer if they are deemed ‘too old.’
    • Completing a minimum of 30 credits at SUNY Erie is typically required in order to earn an associate’s degree.
  2. Credit from High School: College credit can be earned while attending high school in several ways:
    • Course credit can be transferred to a college while attending high school by earning a minimum grade of C- for a college course taken within the high school or taken at a satellite location.
    • Credit is also earned by scoring a minimum grade of 3 on a high school AP exam (AP credit).
    • Through our high school agreements, courses can be taken in high school which will transfer as credit to SUNY Erie. For a listing of our agreements, visit High School Agreements.
  3. Reverse Transfer: If you transferred to a four-year college before graduating from SUNY Erie, you can still earn your associate degree through Reverse Transfer. Reverse Transfer is a process where academic credits for course work completed at a four-year university are transferred back to your community college to satisfy associate degree requirements. There is no cost to you for the awarding of your associate degree through the reverse transfer process.

 

To be eligible for Reverse Transfer, you must:

  • Have completed 30+ credit hours at SUNY Erie
  • Have a total of 60 or more college credit hours from all colleges
  • Have a minimum GPA of 2.0 at SUNY Erie and the four-year school you attended

To learn more, contact our Enrollment Management team at (716) 270-2974 or Dr. Erikson Neilans at neilanse@ecc.edu.


There are three ways a SUNY Erie student can transfer to a four-year college. In each case, a student is required to apply and have an official SUNY Erie transcript sent to the college they are transferring to.

  1. Major-to-Major Agreements
    This is an agreement between a specific major at SUNY Erie and a specific major at a four-year college. This type of agreement informs students that a major completed at SUNY Erie is an appropriate match for the major a student intends on transferring into at the four-year college.
  2. Dual Admission Agreements
    This is a special type of major-to-major articulation agreement for "first-time" college students who have completed 30 credits or less at the time of their request for dual admission. Dual admission agreements ensure a smooth transfer upon graduation between SUNY Erie and selected four-year colleges and universities.
  3. Course-to-Course Agreements
    This is an agreement between a particular academic department at SUNY Erie and a particular academic department at a four-year college. Both departments have agreed that a certain course taken at SUNY Erie will transfer as an equivalent match for a course at the four-year college.

 

View the list of our current agreements with 4 year colleges and universities.