University Transfer

ECC is the ideal place to start a bachelor’s degree, earn summer credits for transfer, or begin dual admission with a university. Meet with an academic advisor to plan for your seamless transfer to a four-year college or university.

Benefits of Two Years at ECC

When you complete an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree at ECC or select a university in the Compact Agreement, you are guaranteed that students will complete at least 60 credit hours transfer and all your freshman/sophomore general education requirements.

For institutions participating in the Illinois Articulation Agreement, completing the general education core at ECC means your freshman/ sophomore general education requirements have been completed and transferred as a package.

General Education Courses and Package

All colleges and universities participating in IAI agree to accept a "package" of IAI general education courses instead of their own comparable lower-division general education requirements. Keep in mind the IAI general education transfers as a package. Any course-to-course transfer credit is not guaranteed. It would be best to work with your institution to see exactly how your courses transfer beyond the IAI package.

Read about the disciplines in the IAI general education package, also known as the GECC.

See how your courses map to the general education package (GECC). View the Course Worksheet.

Transfer Associate Degrees- AA, AS, AES, AFA, AAS

Institutions in Illinois grant two primary transferable Associates degrees (discuss Associate in Engineering Science (AES) and Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) options with your academic advisor). The Illinois Articulation Initiative general education package is part of both. The Associate in Arts degree, or AA, has a full general education package (GECC) fully incorporated. When you complete an AA degree and transfer, your transfer school should waive your general education requirements at the next 4-year IAI participating institution you choose. The Associate in Science degree, or AS, is specifically designed for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, areas of study. This degree has a modified general education package that allows students in these demanding fields to remain on track with their cohorts at the 4-year institutions and complete a couple of general education courses after they transfer to their institution of choice. Under the AS degree model, students will take one additional math course and one science course, delaying two GECC courses in the Humanities & Fine Arts and Social & Behavioral Sciences categories. The GECC package remains intact; however, a student will complete the package upon transfer to a university.

• Associate in Arts
• Associate in Science
• Associate in Fine Arts-Music Performance Emphasis
• Associate in Fine Arts-Music Production 
• Associate in Fine Arts-Visual Art Emphasis
• Associate in Engineering Science
• Associate in Liberal Studies

Don't hesitate to contact an academic advisor to determine which degree best suits your educational and career goals.