TRANSFER CREDITS

NorthStar Academy accepts credits from other institutions that are accredited by the State Department of Education, Department of Defense, a church diocese, and/or a regional accrediting association. An official transcript must be provided to NorthStar Academy for credits and grades to transfer to NorthStar Academy. To be considered official, NorthStar Academy must receive the transcript directly from the accredited school. Grades earned through accredited programs appear on a NorthStar Academy transcript with a numerical grade and are also calculated in a student’s cumulative GPA.

It is the supervisor’s responsibility to request that a transcript be sent to NorthStar Academy within 3 weeks of the student’s start date.

Credit can be transferred to NorthStar Academy from a non-accredited school.

• NorthStar will need to receive an official transcript directly from the school.
• Before credit can be issued for the courses, NorthStar Academy will need to verify the student’s learning in their courses.
  • To verify learning, a student must pass a higher level NSA course in each subject. Where a higher level course is not available in the same subject, an academic advisor will explain the verification options, if available.
• Instructional hours may need to be provided by the school to verify the amount of credits earned per course.
• Grades earned through non-accredited programs appear on a NorthStar Academy transcript as letter grades and are not calculated in a student’s cumulative GPA.
• In order for NorthStar to grant a diploma, the student’s course selections must include the following courses taken in the NorthStar VRP or EVP program:
  • 1 credit NSA English taken during the first year
  • 1 credit of 400-500 level English during the final year
  • 1 credit of 300-500 level mathematics
  • 1 credit of 300-500 level social studies
  • 1 credit of 300-500 level science
  • 1 credit of Worldview

It is the supervisor’s responsibility to request that a transcript and any other required documentation be sent to NorthStar Academy within 3 weeks of the student’s start date. Contact the Academic Advising Office to confirm that all documents have been received.

Credit can be transferred to NorthStar Academy from a foreign or international school.

• To begin the process of international credit evaluation, an account must be created for the student. Click here to create an account.
• To initiate the process of non-US credit evaluation, send an email to [email protected] to request an evaluation of the student’s records.
• An evaluation fee of $250 plus $50 for each year evaluated above 9th grade will be charged to the student’s account. Once this fee is paid, the Academic Advising Office will begin the evaluation process.
• The Academic Advising Office will need to receive an official transcript directly from the school along with other documentation that will be requested during the evaluation.
• Documentation must be provided in English.
• Credit is established based on the number of instructional hours for each course. Instructional hours are direct contact hours in the classroom. Homework time does not count toward instructional hours.
• If the school is not US accredited, NorthStar Academy will also need to verify the student’s learning in their courses.
  • To verify learning, a student must pass a higher level NSA course in each subject. Where a higher level course is not available in the same subject, an academic advisor will explain the verification options, if available.
• If the school is not US accredited, letter grades will be assigned and these grades will not be calculated in the student’s cumulative GPA.
• Appropriate grade conversions to the US grading system will be made when applicable.
• In order for NorthStar to grant a diploma, the student’s course selections must include the following courses taken in the NorthStar VRP or EVP program:
  • 1 credit NSA English taken during the first year
  • 1 credit of 400-500 level English during the final year
  • 1 credit of 300-500 level mathematics
  • 1 credit of 300-500 level social studies
  • 1 credit of 300-500 level science
  • 1 credit of Worldview

It is the supervisor’s responsibility to request that a transcript and any other required documentation be sent to NorthStar Academy within 3 weeks of the student’s start date.

As of the 23-24 school year, NorthStar Academy will evaluate transfer homeschool credit only upon entry to NorthStar for diploma-seeking students in 9th-12th grade. NorthStar will no longer evaluate homeschool coursework completed through dual enrollment after the student’s initial course start date with NorthStar Academy.

1. A $250 homeschool credit evaluation fee (plus $50 for each year evaluated above 9th grade) will be charged to the student’s account if a student desires to transfer homeschool credits to NorthStar upon entry.
2. Non-accredited coursework that is successfully transferred to NorthStar Academy will be listed as “Homeschool” credit on the NorthStar Academy transcript once all instruction has been confirmed and learning has been verified. The number of course credits as well as the letter grade awarded will be listed next to the course name. Non-accredited coursework will not factor into the student’s overall GPA.
3. Students wishing to receive credit for any non-accredited high school course(s) will be required to complete four steps:
   
   1. Create an account for the student. Creating an account does not create any obligation with NorthStar.
   2. Download and complete a Homeschool Transcript Form. Then upload the completed form to the student’s account detailing minimally student’s name, date of birth, list of courses completed through homeschool each year, along with subject area, course dates, instructional hours, and letter grades.
      • Notate on the Homeschool Transcript Form any courses that were taken through other accredited schools rather than homeschool.
      • Request that official transcripts from all other high schools (outside of homeschool) be sent to [email protected].
      • Upload the completed Homeschool Transcript Form in the Upload Documents section of the student information system.
      • Email [email protected] to request a homeschool evaluation. Include the student’s name and intended start date in the email. The intended start date should be no sooner than three weeks from the date of the email request.
   3. A member of the advising team will review the submitted Homeschool Transcript Form and ask clarifying questions about the courses that will be submitted for review.
   4. If the completed Homeschool Transcript Form is approved for review, the advisor will send a Homeschool Curriculum Evaluation Form to the student’s supervisor.
   5. Once completed, upload the Homeschool Curriculum Evaluation Form in the Upload Documents section of the student information system. Note: Complete curriculum information must be submitted for each course; incomplete forms will not be reviewed.
   6. Within 3 business days, the homeschool credit evaluation fee will be added to the student’s account. The fee is non-refundable and no credit will be transferred until the student has met all conditions of credit transfer and has completed a full year of coursework with NorthStar Academy.
   7. Once the evaluation fee is paid, please allow at least 10 business days for the curriculum review. More time may be needed during peak enrollment season. NorthStar’s Academic Advising Office will evaluate the course and either approve or deny each course request.

If approved, the Academic Advising Office will notify the supervisor of how the course will fit into NorthStar’s graduation requirements.

If approved, the course will be listed on the student’s NorthStar course plan along with any remaining requirements needed to verify instruction and to verify learning.

• Notes on Verification of Learning and Instruction:
  • To verify learning in core courses, a student must pass a higher-level NSA course in each subject before homeschool credit will be transferred. Where a higher-level course is not available in the same subject, an academic advisor will explain the verification options, if available.
  • To verify instruction for electives, total hours of instruction time must be submitted. Hours of instruction only include the amount of time the student worked with the instructor directly. Practice time or homework away from the instructor does not constitute direct instructional hours.
    • Confirmation of these hours will need to be provided by the student’s instructor. The instructor can email the NSA Academic Advising Office directly ([email protected]) with confirmation of these hours, or
    • The instructor can provide confirmation of instructional hours along with his or her signature on company letterhead to the supervisor. The student’s supervisor can then forward this confirmation to the NSA Academic Advising Office. ([email protected])
    • No other method of confirmation will be accepted.
  • To verify instruction and learning in a world language course, a student must provide verification of instruction by a qualified language instructor as well as demonstrate learning through an NSA-approved course mastery exam.

Notes:

Homeschool credit is only awarded for the purpose of transferring to NorthStar as a diploma-seeking student. NorthStar Academy is not a credit bank and is not a homeschool umbrella. NorthStar Academy reserves the right to remove transferred homeschool credits should the student transfer to another school or transition to non-diploma seeking status for any reason.

It is the supervisor’s responsibility to obtain all required documentation and submit it to NorthStar Academy’s Academic Advising Office for review. Course work completed at the elementary school level through grade 8 (or equivalent) is not eligible for review as transfer credit, except for Algebra 1 if completed at the high school level.

NorthStar Academy reserves the right to award or deny credit based on the information obtained through credit requests, communication with the student or supervisor, and independent research.

Please contact NorthStar Academy’s Academic Advising Office with other questions pertaining to the transfer of non-accredited course work.