In the fall of 2024, nearly 1.2 million college students transferred to a new institution, a 4.4% increase compared to fall 2023.
Transfer enrollment has risen by 7.9% since 2020.
Transfer Students make up about 13% of the US undergraduate population.
Transfer Facts & Requirements
High School Transcript with proof of graduation noted.
Most require 1-2 Recommendations, at least one should be from a college professor.
All College Transcripts.
List of past, current, and future classes; some schools require syllabi (collect them all just in case).
Many schools, especially ones with deadlines in March or later, require a Mid-Term Grade Report.
Most require a College Report. This is a standard form that shows whether or not you've been subject to any serious disciplinary action, and whether or you can return to your current school.
ESSAYS: All require 1-4 school specific supplementals. Some require either a long or short transfer essay. And still some others also require one of the Common Application personal essays. Many schools require all of the above.
Grade and Credit Minimum: All schools require a minimum earned credit amount of 12 to 24 credits. Most schools require a minimum of a "C" grade for any credit to transfer (see more on credit transfer policies below).
Timing Requirements: Some schools admit transfers for only certain semesters while others admit for all semesters.
Semester Requirements: Some schools also require 1 year of separation from High School. Most accept Sophomore and Juniors, some accept only Juniors. Few schools matriculate students in their second semester of freshman year.
Notification Timelines: Schools have their own timelines. Some release them on a rolling basis, some notify students in late February to March, most in April and May, and still others can stretch into June.
Preperatory Course Work: Most schools require a minimum number and level of classes to have either been completed in High School or at college. These requirements are intended to ensure you can handle the rigor of your new institution, and to ensure that you are not behind in meeting the new school's general education requirements or specific major requirements. If they determine you are behind but are accepted, you may be required to take classes in the summer, extra credits per semester, or graduate a semester late. This desired course load usually includes a mix of math, natural sciences, languages, social sciences, and humanities. Almost all require 1-2 semesters equivalent of a freshman writing course and seminar.
Credit Transfer Issues: Each school has different credit transfer policies. Most schools only accept credits from accredited institutions. They seek to match your transferring courses with classes they offer. If they determine there is a good match, they will accept them. If you take a unique class at your old school, such as agriculture science, for example, and the new school does not have a comparable class, they may not give credit or award you only a portion of the credit. Similarly, there are departmental or major credit requirements and most have a maximum number of credits that can transfer to your major. For example, your new school might accept credits towards your graduation requirements and your general education requirements, but they may not count toward your major requirements.
Pass/Fail classes are usually not accepted, nor are Physical Education (PE) classes--except where your new school has a similar PE requirement or offers PE classes as electives.
Articulation Agreements between community colleges and universities case ease credit transfer issues.
Many schools do not accept dual enrollment credit (CC credits you earned while in high school).
Over 40% of students seeking to transfer academic credits lose a proportion of those credits, with 15% unable to transfer any credits at all.
Grades: Generally, grades do not transfer to your new school even though your credits do.