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Transferring from Tulsa Community College to Oklahoma State University-Tulsa: Resources for TCC Transfer Students

Oklahoma ranks third in the nation for community college transfers, and Tulsa Community College (TCC), with a student body of 24,000 over multiple campuses, is the state’s largest source. Annually, Oklahoma State University-Tulsa welcomes thousands of TCC transfers seeking to complete their bachelor’s degree and enter the Tulsa job market with a career-ready credential.

Yet, across the country, the process of transferring from a community college to a four-year university frustrates, if not discourages, many students. In fact, along this higher education journey, the typical community college student loses an average of 13 credit hours, according to statistics from the US Government Accountability Office, and thus has to delay completing their bachelor’s degree. 

OSU-Tulsa realizes how much of a roadblock this scenario can create. Through the Tulsa Transfer Project and our Linked Degree program, we have teamed up with TCC to smooth out this process, get students like you on a clear path toward their educational and career goals and keep the costs of completing a bachelor’s degree down. 

Student meeting with an advisor

 

The Tulsa Transfer Project

As an investment in the Tulsa community and a way to stimulate the local job market, the Tulsa Transfer Project strives to increase the rate of TCC students transferring to a four-year institution like OSU–Tulsa and equip them with a bachelor’s degree, ready to make a difference.

Sponsored by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the program is based on the framework created by the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education’s Foundations of Excellence, and as part of that structure, TCC and partnering four-year schools have established a clear matrix of corresponding equivalent courses and transferable credits. Students, after declaring a major, develop a transfer plan with guidance from academic advisors and admissions counselors concerning courses, their degree, and career goals, with the objective of reducing lost or redundant coursework. 

As part of this effort, OSU–Tulsa offers 20 bachelor’s degrees that can be started at TCC and completed fully in Tulsa. Review the list of all bachelor’s degrees and certificates OSU-Tulsa offers.

Linked Degree

A reenvisioning of higher education in Tulsa, Linked Degree builds upon the foundation laid out by the Tulsa Transfer Project, along with existing TCC transfer guides and OSU-Tulsa’s Transfer Maps. Specific to OSU-Tulsa, OSU-Stillwater, and TCC, no other transfer program like this exists in Oklahoma.

Linked Degree’s structure connects students from their first day at TCC to the completion of their bachelor’s degree at OSU-Tulsa or Stillwater. In the process, TCC students gain an associate degree, receive targeted guidance and academic advising early on, and have access to OSU’s world-class programs and facilities.

However, Linked Degree isn’t based on a rigid, regimented format that leaves working adults by the wayside. Instead, flexibility remains at its heart to accommodate high school students concurrently enrolled at TCC, students managing a part- or full-time job while attending school and working adults seeking to complete their bachelor’s degree. As a result, courses are available on campus, online and in hybrid formats. 

Learn more about Linked Degree’s benefits and format.

TCC Transfer Guide: How to Transfer from Tulsa Community College to OSU-Tulsa

The typical TCC student transfers during their sophomore year, after earning an average of 45 credit hours. However, due to the time and financial commitments associated, transferring from a community college to a four-year university should never be a last-minute decision. For this reason, OSU–Tulsa recommends starting the process during freshman year, once you declare a major. 

Select a Major and Four-Year College, and Seek Academic Advising 

For TCC students, all of these points occur nearly concurrently. After you declare your major, TCC will assign you an academic advisor. Keep in mind that, for a smooth, Tulsa-based transfer, your major needs to be one of the approximately 20 bachelor’s degree–granting programs available at OSU-Tulsa. You can take courses toward many other OSU degree programs at OSU-Tulsa, but you may need to take courses in Stillwater or online. Your TCC academic advisor will assist you with identifying which courses you need to take to successfully complete the transfer process.

Students who don’t yet have an academic advisor are recommended to take advantage of TCC’s academic advising services, which include in-office and online appointments to accommodate your schedule. Students who already have an advisor should set up an appointment each semester to discuss their degree objectives, career goals, and the courses needed to achieve them.

Start the TCC to OSU-Tulsa Transfer Process

As you get settled into your major at TCC, get the ball rolling on the transfer process to OSU-Tulsa. Submit a request for information form and a prospective student services representative will reach out to you to discuss your career goals, give an overview of the transfer process and answer any questions you have about OSU-Tulsa.

Other opportunities to learn about transferring to a four-year university:

College Transfer Requirements and Application

For the TCC transfer process to begin, OSU-Tulsa requires that all students complete a minimum of 24 credit hours. Beyond the credits themselves, OSU-Tulsa has specific requirements for all transfer students:

  • Because OSU-Tulsa only offers junior- and senior-level undergraduate courses, TCC and all other transfer students must have completed their degree program’s general education requirements at another institution.

  • Students who have completed 24–59 credit hours must have earned a minimum 2.25 cumulative GPA at TCC.

  • Students who have completed 60 or more credit hours or who have completed an associate degree at TCC may transfer with a cumulative GPA no lower than 2.0.

TCC students who meet these requirements are recommended to start their transfer application to OSU–Tulsa:

Review the complete list of requirements before starting your OSU–Tulsa transfer application.

Transfer Credits from Tulsa Community College to OSU-Tulsa

OSU–Tulsa strives to ensure that no TCC student takes a wasted course or needs to make up subjects upon admittance. Rather, your TCC coursework through Linked Degree becomes a valuable stepping stone to the more advanced classes at our downtown campus or in Stillwater.

Although your TCC and OSU–Tulsa advisors guide you through all steps, students are recommended to take charge of their educational journey. While at TCC, routinely review your major’s corresponding OSU–Tulsa Transfer Map to verify the completion of all general education requirements.

Additionally, take advantage of OSU's self-service College Transfer Guides. These resources allow all transfer students, regardless of school, to look up equivalent OSU courses and see how those credits may be applied toward their degree.

Financial Aid and Scholarships for Tulsa Community College Transfer Students

Starting at community college helps ease some of the costs for earning a bachelor’s degree. For your junior and senior years after transferring, OSU-Tulsa provides multiple financing solutions for TCC students:

  • Academic, achievement, leadership, and community service scholarships

  • Tuition waivers

  • Grants

  • Work-study assignments

  • Student loans

  • Payment plans that space the cost of tuition and other student fees over the span of a semester

As a starting point, all TCC students are encouraged to complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form with their OSU-Tulsa application. OSU’s school code is 003170. Your application for admission serves as your scholarship application at OSU-Tulsa.

To understand your options, visit the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid website or stop by North Hall 130 on the OSU-Tulsa campus.

Learn More About Transferring from TCC to OSU-Tulsa

You’ve already taken the first step—now start the transfer process from TCC to OSU–Tulsa to proceed on to the next stage. For any additional questions, email the OSU-Tulsa Prospective Student Services office, contact us by phone at 918-594-8355 or fill out a request for information form today.