How Reverse Transfer Works

Reverse Transfer is a secure automated national solution for exchanging unlimited course and grade data across public, private and state lines. It doesn’t matter if the student transferred to another associate degree granting or bachelor’s level institution first, attended public or private institutions, or transferred across state lines. If eligible, the student is awarded an associate degree.

Uploading Reverse Transfer Files

If you are a data provider (aka host institution), you will submit a file consisting of student and course data for students you have identified as eligible for Reverse Transfer and who have consented to participate in Reverse Transfer. (Note: The Clearinghouse does not track student eligibility or process consent forms for its Reverse Transfer service.)

• Preparing your file: Course data file format specifications are in the Course Exchange Implementation Guide for Reverse Transfer and our Quick Start Guide. Pipe delimited, XML, and EDI file formats are accepted.
• Transmitting your file: You can send your files to the Clearinghouse via a secure FTP account or the SPEEDE server. Each time you successfully upload a file, a file delivery receipt is emailed to you or an acknowledgement is posted on the SPEEDE server. If there is an issue in transmitting your file, a notification and error description is emailed to you as well as posted to the “File Submission” screen on the Reverse Transfer user interface.
• Data provider reporting: As a host institution, you have access to two types of reports:
  • Host Student Report: Number of students whose course data has been sent to the Clearinghouse
  • Host Degree Report: Number of Reverse Transfer degrees granted by the Degree Granting Institutions (DGIs) in your network

Retrieving Reverse Transfer Files

If you are a data receiver (aka degree granting institution or DGI), you will receive validated course grade data from Reverse Transfer.

• Accessing your files: The Clearinghouse generates a response file containing course grade data each time a host institution submits course information for your institution. The file is placed in your corresponding Reverse Transfer FTP account and you will receive an email alerting you that student data is available for evaluation. Alternately, you can check the “DGI Response Summary” screen on the Reverse Transfer user interface, which displays new and previously received files.

Response files are generated as pipe delimited, EDI, or XML files, depending on the format you chose when you signed up for Reverse Transfer. Files are generated when validation rules are completed, and credit thresholds are achieved. You can send a request to the Clearinghouse at any time to change your file format preferences.

• Individual student lookups via the web: If you have web access, you can search for a single student and view and download their course data. To request web access, contact your institution’s Clearinghouse user administrator. If you do not know who your user administrator is, contact rtsupport@demo.studentclearinghouse.org.

• Submitting Reverse Transfer degrees: In order to ensure accurate degree metrics, you should continue to report degrees via DegreeVerify. Selecting the Reverse Transfer flag (RT flag) identifies the degree as a Reverse Transfer degree. The Clearinghouse uses the flag to compile reports for institutions, such as the number of total Reverse Transfer degrees and the degrees from a specific DGI.

• DGI reporting: As a degree granting institution, you have access to two types of reports:
  • DGI Student Report: Number of students whose data has been sent to your institution
  • DGI Degree Report: Number of Reverse Transfer degrees granted by your institution