.png)
Business Law
Self-paced online Business Law course (Business 250). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →New YorkOther careers
How to get US credits onto a college transcript
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Choose an accredited US college first, ask it in writing which ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses it will post, finish those courses, send the official ACE or NCCRS transcript to the college, and wait for it to post the credits. Then send the college's official transcript to NYSED. Ask NYSED in writing first whether that college fits.
Why the college transcript matters
NYSED reviews credits from colleges. A course certificate or a credit recommendation alone does not appear in a licensing file as semester hours. The credits count when an accredited college posts them on its transcript, and NYSED then decides whether those hours close your shortfall.
This is the same for every subject. Whether the missing hours are economics, business law or total hours, the path ends with an official transcript from an accredited US college that NYSED reads as part of your file.
Step by step
The order matters: ask before you study, not after.
- Ask NYSED which subjects close your gap and whether your chosen college is acceptable.
- Apply to the college as a non-degree or degree student, as it requires.
- Ask the college in writing which courses it will post and how (grade or Pass).
- Finish the courses.
- Order the ACE or NCCRS transcript sent to the college.
- Wait for posting, then order the college transcript sent to NYSED.
Choosing a college
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, and Newlane is a third. Many other US colleges review credit recommendations case by case. Ask about cost to apply and to post transfer credit, posting time, and whether you can enrol from outside the US if you live abroad.
Ask each college the same questions so the answers can be compared: do you consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit for these subjects, is there a limit, what does it cost, how long does posting take, and can I enrol only to post credits. Pick the college whose written answers fit NYSED's written answer.
Living outside the US
Many foreign-educated candidates study from abroad. Online courses and online colleges make that possible, but check that the college enrols students in your country and that you can order official transcripts to NYSED from there. Outside the US, ask the team about per-course or bundle prices for UPI Study courses.
Time and paperwork
Posting can take from a few days to several weeks. NYSED then needs time to update your file. Keep a list of every request with its date, and send transcripts directly from each institution as NYSED asks; copies you send yourself are usually not enough.
Build a simple timeline backward from the date you want your licence. Allow for NYSED's review of the new transcript, the college's posting time, and your study time, and leave a margin. If any step depends on a reply, send the question that week rather than after the courses end.
A note on cost
The cheapest course is the one NYSED counts the first time. Compare the full cost: course fees, the college's application and posting fees, and transcript fees, against the time to your licence. A written answer from NYSED before you start is worth more than a small saving on any single course.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask NYSED in writing which courses and which college will close your shortfall, and ask the college in writing which courses it will post, before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Can I send my ACE or NCCRS transcript straight to NYSED?
Plan on the college transcript. NYSED reviews credits from colleges, so send the ACE or NCCRS record to the college you chose, wait for it to post the credits, and then send that college's official transcript to NYSED. Ask NYSED if you are unsure.
Do I need to enrol in a full degree?
Not always. Some colleges let you enrol as a non-degree or transfer student just to post credits; others require a degree programme. Ask the college what it allows and what it costs before you apply.
Will the credits show a grade?
It depends on the college. Some post transfer credit with the grade, others as Pass or as credit only. Ask the college, and ask NYSED whether the form it uses matters for your file.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Principles of Finance
Self-paced online Principles of Finance course (Finance 201). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Microeconomics
Self-paced online Microeconomics course (Economics 251). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Close a general business or total-hour gap with ACE- or NCCRS-recommended courses, moved via a college transcript. Outside the US, ask the team about per-course or bundle prices.
Sources
- NYSED Office of the Professions: Initial licence for certified public accountants (official)NIES may review foreign education only to sit for the exam; for licensure the Department reviews original transcripts or mark sheets itself and does not accept outside evaluations (read via NYSED search extract; the page refused the certificate check). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- 8 NYCRR 70.2: Professional education requirements for CPA licensure (eff. 28 Sep 2022) (official)150 semester hours for applicants from 1 Aug 2009; a baccalaureate or higher programme in accountancy or its foreign equivalent deemed substantially equivalent, as determined by the department; 120-hour exception for some applicants licensed in another state before 1 Aug 2009 who apply before 1 Aug 2027. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.