Transfer Agreements

The North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) is a statewide transfer agreement between NC community colleges and NC public universities to allow seamless transfer opportunities for students. The Board of Governors of the UNC System and the NC State Board of Community Colleges have approved this agreement. The CAA provides certain assurances to the transferring student; for example the CAA identifies community college courses that will satisfy general education  or pre-major course requirements. Courses that transfer as elective credits are also specified. The most recent revision of the CAA occurred in 2025, becoming effective in Spring 2026.

North Carolina community college students who earn an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree according to the guidelines of the CAA will be treated as juniors and will have 60-61 semester credit hours at the receiving UNC institution. Because UNC institutions differ in their admission requirements, students intending to transfer should contact the UNC institution(s) of their choice to learn about specific admissions requirements.

As part of the CAA, the universities have developed Transfer Guides to advise students about which courses to take at the community college. These guides show which courses are required or recommended for the university major; therefore, students should follow these Transfer Guides as closely as possible when planning their CCC&TI course schedules. 

A college transfer program is a set of courses that has been designed to transfer to most four-year colleges and universities in North Carolina. It represents the fundamental foundation for academic success. The set of courses includes a 31-34 semester hour Universal General Education Transfer Component and additional general education, pre-major, and elective courses that combine to earn either the Associate in Arts (AA) or the Associate in Science (AS) degree.

The CAA identifies a set of courses which are universally transferable to all UNC institutions as part of the Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC). Some UGETC courses can be taken as part of the AA degree, while others are aligned with the AS degree. Still others will apply to both the AA and the AS. If a student obtains a C or better in a UGETC course, then transferability of that specific course is guaranteed, regardless of whether or not the student completes the transfer degree.

The Associate in Arts (AA) degree requires the following UGETC credits:

It is not necessary to complete either the UGETC courses or the AA/AS degree before transferring. However, successful completion of the degree affords the student certain additional protections and benefits such as Transfer Assured Admissions eligibility. The UGETC courses will help satisfy General Education Requirements at the 16 NC public universities, but may not complete Minimum Course Requirements (MCR) for admission. Students planning to transfer to a senior institution without completing a transfer degree should consult heavily with their advisor and with an admissions representative at the university.

Yes, the CAA includes a Transfer Assured Admissions Policy (TAAP), which assures admission to at least one of the 16 UNC institutions with the following stipulations:

• Admission is not assured to a specific campus or specific program or major.
• Students must have graduated from a NC community college with an AA or AS degree.
• Students must meet all requirements of the CAA.
• Students must have an overall GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, as calculated by the college from which they graduated, and a grade of “C” or better in all CAA courses.
• Students must be academically eligible for re-admission to the last institution attended.
• Students must meet judicial requirements of the institution to which they applied.
• Students must meet all application requirements at the receiving institution including the submission of all required documentation by stated deadlines.

Transfer students will be considered to have satisfied the UNC Minimum Course Requirements (MCR) in effect at the time of their graduation from high school if they have:

• received the AA, the AS, the baccalaureate or any higher degree, or
• completed at least six semester hours in degree-credit in each of the following subjects: English, mathematics, the natural sciences, social/behavioral sciences, and (for students who graduate from high school in 2003-04 and beyond) a second language.

A number of NC private colleges and universities endorse the CAA. This list is constantly being updated. To verify an institution’s acceptance of the CAA, you may contact the admissions office of the private institution or consult the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities website.

The North Carolina Community College Combined Course Library lists courses that have been approved for transfer to the constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina. Transferring students must have earned a grade of “C” or better in a course in order to get transfer credit for the course.

See Comprehensive Articulation Agreement for Transfer Course List.

No, under the CAA, only courses in which a grade of “C” or higher is earned will transfer

If a student transfers to a University of North Carolina institution under the statewide CAA, 60-61 semester hours will transfer. The student should consult an academic advisor since special program articulations may exist between community college and four-year colleges or universities in North Carolina or elsewhere that may permit the transfer of additional credit hours.