The University of South Carolina Upstate and Greenville Technical College have signed a partnership to establish a "reverse transfer" agreement - allowing students who transfer from a two-year technical or community college to be awarded an associate degree by utilizing credits earned at USC Upstate. This collaboration is the first of its kind in South Carolina and is aimed at promoting economic growth and degree attainment for the region and state, USC Upstate said in a June 14 press release.

The release noted that bachelor’s degree attainment in the Upstate region falls below 30 percent, emphasizing the urgency of initiatives like this agreement. The National Student Clearinghouse will play a crucial role in identifying students who could benefit from the program, which is open to any technical college in the state.

About 20 students have already begun the reverse transfer process, according to Greenville Technical College.

The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education supports reverse transfer as a best practice to promote student success leading to higher education attainment. The statewide South Carolina Transfer Task Force, comprised of transfer experts from more than 40 institutions across the state, also recommended development of a statewide reverse transfer process in the 2023 Transfer Action Plan. The CHE is continuing to pursue a statewide reverse transfer initiative through the development of a Transfer Leadership Council in partnership with all South Carolina colleges and universities.

Additional details on the USC Upstate and Greenville Technical College reverse transfer agreement are available in USC Upstate's press release, available at: https://news.uscupstate.edu/usc-upstate-partners-with-greenville-technical-college-to-establish-reverse-transfer-agreement-for-students/