News · 22 October 2026
Do associate degree credits count? How direct entry works
Your transcript decides where you join: Year 2 or the final year. Here's how the review works, what to send, what we can and can't promise about credits, and when you could start.
Do associate degree credits count toward a bachelor's degree at BHMS? They can, but nobody can promise it before your transcript is read: we review every transcript individually, and we don't guarantee that credits from another institution will be accepted.[2] What the review decides is where you join, Year 2 or the final year, and with an associate degree in Hotel Management, Business or Culinary Arts the final year is the door built for you.[3][4]
Here's how that works, what to send and when you could start.
Why does it matter what happens to your credits?
Because the step after community college is where a lot of plans stall. In March 2026 the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center updated its figures on students who first enrolled at a community college in fall 2018. Within six years, 31.6 percent had moved on to a four-year institution.[1] Of those who did, 48.7 percent finished a bachelor's in that time, slightly less than half.[1]
One more figure stands out. Students who moved on after earning an award, such as an associate degree, re-enrolled at their new school the following year at a rate of 86.9 percent, 9.2 points higher than those who moved on without one.[1] Finishing what you started counts, wherever you go next.
How does the credit review work?
You apply, then upload your documents. Admissions reviews your transcript individually and confirms your entry year: Year 2 or Year 3.[5] There are two ways in:
- The academic route. If you've completed the first or second year of a hospitality or culinary arts program elsewhere, a US community college included, you join Year 2 or Year 3, depending on what your transcript covers.[2]
- The experience route. Verified work experience in hospitality or culinary arts, equivalent to our first-year curriculum, can take you straight into Year 2.[2]
Studied something close, like tourism or another business subject? Send the transcript anyway. It decides whether you join Year 3 or Year 2.[3] To enter directly, you need to be at least 18, with at least one year of equivalent training or two years of work experience behind you, and English at IELTS 5.5 or equivalent.[2]
What do you send?
- The application form, which admissions emails you once you start on the Apply page
- Your CV
- A motivation letter
- Your associate degree transcript, or your latest college transcript if you haven't graduated yet
- A passport scan
Everything goes in English.[3] Final transcript not out yet? That doesn't have to hold you up: we can issue a provisional acceptance letter while it's on the way.[2]
How long does the final year take?
Twelve months. Semester 5 is a six-month academic semester in Lucerne, and Semester 6 is a six-month paid internship.[3] In certain cases you may need to complete an additional term to meet the module requirements.[2] If the review places you in Year 2, you graduate in two years instead.[2] Either way you finish with a Bachelor of Arts awarded by BHMS and Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, UK.[3]
When could you start?
The final year opens three times a year, in February, August and November. The next starts are November 16, 2026, February 22, 2027, and August 16, 2027.[2] Once your entry year is confirmed you receive a Letter of Acceptance, and the reservation fee, payable within 10 days, secures your place for that intake.[5]
The table is only an example to help you plan, not a BHMS rule. Tell admissions your target date and they confirm the timeline with you.[3]
| Example: if your associate degree ends | A final-year start that could fit |
|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | February 22, 2027 |
| Spring 2027 | August 16, 2027 |
What does this mean for you?
Get the answer about your credits before you decide, not after. The review turns a guess into a confirmed entry year.[5] If you're in your last semester now, send your latest transcript: the provisional letter exists for exactly that situation.[2]
Moving on to a four-year university at home is a good route too, and many students take it. Whichever you choose, the Clearinghouse figures make one point: students who moved on with an award in hand were more likely to re-enroll at their new school the next year.[1]
Read how direct entry works in full, then start your application and send us your transcript. We'll tell you where you'd fit.