SPRINGFIELD – Nearly one-in-10 Americans have an associate’s degree as their highest-level education attainment. To make higher education more accessible, Senate Higher Education Committee Chair State Senator Mary Edly-Allen advanced a new law to help more students earn their associate degrees by making it easier to transfer credits back to community colleges at no cost.
“Whether a student’s path takes them from a community college to a university or back again, our higher education system should work for them every step of the way,” said Edly-Allen (D-Grayslake). “By simplifying this process and eliminating fees, we are helping more students cross the finish line.”
Senate Bill 3720 will expand reverse credit transfer so eligible students can earn an associate degree automatically once they reach 60 combined credit hours. The law will also ensure students are not charged any fees related to the reverse transfer process.
The law, developed in partnership with the Illinois Community College Board, builds on existing transfer policies by strengthening pathways not just from community colleges to universities, but also in the reverse direction, ensuring students can maximize the value of the credits they have already earned.
"Getting a degree is not always a straight path- on average, college students change their major three times before landing on their perfect career path, and many change schools in the process,” State Representative Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville). “By allowing credits to transfer between community colleges and universities more freely, we create a more customizable path to education for students across Illinois."
Under the new law, community colleges will also be required to provide clear instructions for students seeking to complete their associate degree using transferred credits.
Senate Bill 3720 was signed Friday and goes into effect immediately.
