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Michigan Transfer Landscape

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Michigan Transfer Landscape

Background & Project Introduction

The Michigan legislature appropriated funds in the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget to improve transfer student success outcomes. The boilerplate language for this $1M appropriation tasked the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) Office of Higher Education (OHE) to work with institutions across the state to “facilitate the transfer of students and acceptance of credits” among institutions in the state. To this end, MiLEAP OHE is actively planning several components of its Transfer Success Project focused on evidence-based decision-making and authentic cross-sector collaboration toward student-centric outcomes.

The objectives of the project are to:

  • Reduce complexities around transfer articulation between Michigan institutions
  • Improve transfer rates, and both associate and bachelor’s degree completion outcomes for transfer students;
  • Lessen transfer students’ time-to-degree and excess credits earned above typical degree requirements.

Michigan Transfer Landscape Analysis Briefs

One of MILEAP OHE’s first endeavors after launching this project was to analyze the transfer landscape in Michigan. To get a full picture, OHE reviewed state and national quantitative data to understand transfer student demographics, outcomes, and enrollment patterns. OHE also analyzed workforce data to understand which academic pathways would be most productive for Michigan transfer students’ long-term success in employment. Finally, OHE held discussions with over 100 transfer stakeholders to gain their perspective on the transfer landscape.

This series of briefs lay out OHE's findings from the qualitative and quantitative inquiry activities to provide a current landscape analysis of transfer in Michigan. Briefs can be accessed from the links below.

  1. Critical Context: A Brief History of Transfer Initiatives in Michigan
  2. Perspectives on Today’s Transfer Climate in Michigan
  3. Getting to Know Michigan’s Transfer Students
  4. Michigan Transfer Student Outcomes
  5. Enrollment & Mobility Patterns of Michigan Transfer Students (coming soon)
  6. Exploring Michigan Transfer Students’ Academic Pathways (coming soon)

Michigan Transfer Research Grants

One component of OHE’s transfer success project involves a focus on research and evaluation to more effectively assess transfer student outcomes and improve Michigan’s transfer infrastructure overall. As such, OHE solicited proposals for grants to advance new studies that will promote deeper understanding of the Michigan transfer landscape and contribute to statewide transfer success improvements. Grantees will be announced in May 2026.