Students may choose to transfer for various reasons, including academic program availability, financial considerations, or personal preferences.
Additionally, some students begin their higher education journey at community colleges with the intention of transferring to four-year institutions later, a pathway often referred to as the "2+2 program."
The assessment of prior learning and the articulation of credit offered to a prospective student varies based upon institutional practices and the enforcement of government policies enacted through legislative or negotiated rules.
Student mobility spans institutions and regions, differing policies and practices often extending college degree completion by an average of one semester according to the GAO in a report to Congress in October 2005.
It forms a major part of the EU Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013, and is the operational framework for the European Commission's initiatives in higher education.