4 Important Tips for Transferring to a US University

4 Important Tips for Transferring to a US University

By Grey Joyner, Admission Consultant

 

Are you studying at an Australian university but interested in transferring to a US university? Transferring is the process of changing universities partway through your studies. The transfer process differs significantly from applying as a prospective first-year student, so it is essential to understand how it works and what to expect. Whether you’re looking for a different academic environment, more specialized programs, or simply a change in scenery, here are 4 important tips for transferring to a US university.

 

Understand the Transfer Process and Eligibility

Different universities have varied policies on transfer admissions. Some institutions only accept first-year transfer students, meaning those with up to one year of experience at another university. Others may accept students with more experience but might limit the number of credits that can be transferred. Researching each university’s specific policies is crucial to ensure your eligibility.

The admission options also differ for each university. Some universities offer admission in the spring or other times of the year, especially those on a trimester or quarter system. However, many institutions only allow for fall admission. Make sure to check each university’s policies to understand your options.

Third, it is important to understand application deadlines. Deadlines for fall admission generally fall between February 1 and March 15, with the University of California (UC) system having an earlier deadline of November 30. For spring admission, deadlines are typically around October 1 but can vary by institution.

Lastly, when transferring to a US university you should do your best to understand which of your existing university credits will transfer over to your new university. To do so, you can:

  • Consult with a transfer counselor at the universities you are applying to, if they have one.
  • Review the ‘transfer table’ published by the school, if available. This document shows courses at other universities that in the past have been accepted as transfer credit.
  • In some cases, you may have to wait until you are admitted to find out which credits will transfer.

 

Know the Differences in the Transfer Application

Applying as a transfer student involves several key differences compared to applying as a first-year student:

  • College transcript: You will need to provide your college transcript in addition to your high school transcript.
  • Recommendations: Letters of recommendation should come from university professors rather than high school teachers or counselors.
  • Common App personal statement: This statement focuses on your academic journey and reasons for transferring. While not all schools on the Common App require this statement, most will ask about your reasons for transferring in some form.
  • Experiences section: The Common App for transfer students has an ‘Experiences’ section rather than an ‘Activities’ section, which focuses more on your university experience and asks slightly different questions.
  • Interviews: Alumni or admissions office interviews are less common for transfer applicants.
  • Application platforms: While the Common App is widely used, it is not as, well, common for transfer applicants as for first-year applicants. Notable universities that don’t use the Common App for transfer admissions include Dartmouth, Columbia, and the UC system.

 

Understand What Universities Are Looking For in Transfer Applications

Universities have different criteria for evaluating transfer applicants compared to first-year applicants. The most important things to show when transferring to a US university are:

  • A clear story: Articulate why you want to transfer. Possible reasons might include seeking a specific program, needing a change in academic environment, or pursuing career opportunities.
  • A focus on university experience: Your college transcript will hold more weight than your high school transcript. Highlight your university activities and achievements, including a few key high school activities if relevant.
  • Upward trajectory: Demonstrate growth in your academic performance, especially if you struggled in high school. Admissions officers want to see improvement over time.

 

Have a Clear Strategy on Where to Apply

Admission rates for transfer students can vary widely among universities and are often different from first-year admission rates. For example, Harvard (0.8%), Yale (1.2%), MIT (1.4%) and Dartmouth (1.6%) all had very low transfer acceptance rates in the past year.

However, other universities have higher admission rates for transfer students than they do for incoming first-year applicants, including Columbia (11.3% vs. 3.7%), University of Chicago (7.9% vs. 4.8%), and Northwestern (12.7% vs. 7.2%).

Public universities like UCLA (26.3% vs. 8.7%), University of Michigan (34.5% vs. 17.9%), and University of North Carolina (45.1% vs. 18.7%) generally have higher transfer admission rates than first-year admission rates. Public universities often focus more on academic performance for transfer applicants, unlike the more holistic approach for first-year admissions.

It is important to note, however, that transfer admissions rates can vary significantly year-to-year even at the same university (much more so than admission rates for prospective first-year students). For example, while the transfer admission rate for Dartmouth last year was 1.6%, it was 7.3% the prior year. These variations are often due to unpredictability in how many students will drop or transfer out of a university, and thus how many incoming transfer students a university will need.

Overall, when transferring to a US university you should research universities to understand how “transfer-friendly” they are and develop a school list accordingly. Useful data can be found in the Common Data Sets published by each university. In the appendix below I have listed the transfer admission rates for some top universities and how they compare to first-year admission rates.

 

Conclusion

Transferring to a US university can be a complex process, but with careful planning and research, it can put you on a better path. Understand the eligibility requirements, know the differences in the application process, and have a clear strategy for where to apply. By following these 4 important tips for transferring to a US university, you can increase your chances of a successful transfer and find the best fit for your academic and personal goals.

 

Appendix

 

First year vs. transfer acceptance rates for selected top universities:

 

School First year acceptance rate Transfer acceptance rate Difference (absolute)
University of North Carolina 18.7% 45.1% 26.3%
UCLA 8.7% 26.3% 17.6%
University of Michigan 17.9% 34.5% 16.6%
University of Virginia 16.9% 32.9% 16.1%
UC Berkeley 11.7% 26.8% 15.1%
Columbia 3.7% 11.3% 7.6%
Northwestern 7.2% 12.7% 5.5%
Cornell 7.9% 12.7% 4.8%
University of Chicago 4.8% 7.9% 3.1%
Cal Tech 3.1% 4.0% 0.9%
WUSTL 12.0% 12.2% 0.3%
Duke 5.9% 4.8% -1.1%
Brown 5.2% 4.2% -1.1%
Johns Hopkins 7.5% 6.4% -1.1%
Penn 5.9% 4.6% -1.3%
Princeton 4.5% 3.1% -1.4%
Stanford 3.9% 2.0% -1.9%
MIT 4.0% 1.4% -2.6%
Harvard 3.5% 0.8% -2.7%
Yale 4.5% 1.2% -3.3%
Rice 7.9% 4.5% -3.4%
Dartmouth 6.2% 1.6% -4.7%

 

Source: Common Data Sets (CDS) for each university. The data comes from the latest publicly available CDS for each university, which is 2023-24 except for Columbia and MIT (2022-23) and Duke (2021-22).