Credit Requirements

General Requirements

To graduate from BYU, all undergraduate students must complete 14 total religion credits. These credits include:

1. Four cornerstone courses or approved substitutions (8 credits).

2. Three additional religion electives (6 credits).

New Religion Credit Policy

A new Religion Credit policy is being instituted that now allows these religion credit requirements to be completed at any CES institution of Higher Education (BYU, BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, or Ensign College) as well as BYU-Pathway and transferred between any of the listed schools as course equivalent credit. The new policy also allows up to four Institute credits to transfer to BYU and provides a simplified credit table for those transferring from non-CES institutions of higher education.

The new Religion Credit policy will take full effect for all new students whose first enrollment at BYU is Fall 2026 or later.

The new policy will not change the graduation requirements for students who have previously been enrolled in classes prior to Fall semester 2026. However, it will affect the number of Religion credits all students will be allowed to count toward graduation each year moving forward.

If it is beneficial, transfer students enrolled prior to Fall 2026 may choose to adopt the new policy by submitting a petition found here.

Pacing of Religion Credits

A vital part of education at BYU is the integration of spiritual and academic learning. As such, religion courses are meant to be taken throughout a college experience—not all at once. Therefore, starting Fall semester 2026 and moving forward, students may count no more than 6 religion credits per academic year (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer combined) toward the 14-credit requirement. Students attending the BYU Jerusalem Center may count up to 8 credits in that academic year.

Transferring Institute Credits

Students are expected to take religion classes at the school where they are enrolled. However, starting in Fall semester 2026, during semesters/terms when not enrolled in classes at BYU, all students may take an Institute class for “BYU transfer credit.” This may be repeated a second semester/term for up to 4 total Institute credits counting toward the BYU religion requirement. Institute credits completed while enrolled in classes at BYU will NOT transfer (Exception: the London Centre, Washington Seminar, and similar programs approved by the dean of Religious Education). Any Institute credits beyond the 4-credit limit will also not transfer and must be retaken at BYU if needed. Institute classes taken prior to Fall 2026 will not be accepted for BYU credit.

To verify that an Institute class qualifies for BYU transfer credit, the following conditions must be met:

Transferring Academic Credits from non-CES Schools

If students transfer academic credits (excluding AP, IB, and other exam credits) from non-CES institutions of higher education (public or private universities and colleges), their total religion credit requirement may be reduced based on the transfer table below. However, they must still complete all 4 cornerstone courses.

If a student transfers to BYU from both CES and non-CES institutions of higher education, their credit requirement will be determined in two phases:

1. Add up all non-CES academic credits and use the table to determine how many total religion credits are required.
2. Subtract all religion credits already completed at other CES institutions of higher education (following the pacing guide above) from the result found in step 1 above.

Petitions for Exceptional Situations

If students feel that they have circumstances that would merit an exception of any of the above policies, they may submit a petition found here.

Previous Religion Credit Requirements for Current Students

Last updated: July 13, 2026

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