Transferring University

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Are you sure?

Do you really need to transfer university? It is a big step, so you might find that Changing Course is better for you. Or you might just nеed some Exam and Study Tips to help you deal with your current course.

Try to discuss it with as many people as possible. You'll need your parents on your side, and if you need a reference from your tutor then it would help if they knew you wanted to leave.

Why are you changing university?

Your reasons will be personal to you, so I'm not going to try and discuss them all here. But you do need to think about why you want to leave your current university, and why you think that this new one will be better.

Remember that not so long ago, you were convinced you wanted to come to this university. Even if it was your insurance choice or you came through Clearing, you still made the decision to go there. You need to be sure that you're not just making the same mistake again, and that you will be happy once you've changed.

First or second year?

If you want to transfer straight onto the second year, you would need both courses to have a lot in common. You may also be asked to achieve certain marks in your current first year. So if you're changing for academic reasons, would you be able to meet those conditions?

In most cases, you probably won't be able to transfer directly onto the second year. You'll be repeating your first year at your new university, and you need to consider the implications of that. It will take you one year longer to graduate, and thus you'll be in more debt.

How to change university

Once you have decided which university and course you want to change to, you need to contact that university. Don't rush this, because you want to make a good impression.

• Phone the university, and ask who you would need to contact. You want to email a specific person: probably the admissions tutor for that course. Don't just email the general enquiries address.
• In your email, write exactly what course you're doing now and what course you want to change to. It would help to include your A Level grades, any work experience, and why you want to change. But this is your application, so make it individual to you.
• Wait for them to get back to you. This may take a while, but if you haven't heard in a week or so it might be an idea to phone them to ask about it.
• Once they've agreed, you will need to apply through UCAS. If you're applying for a second year transfer, then don't worry about the deadline as the UCAS application is just a formality, but you will need to ensure you put the "point of entry" as 2.
• From here, the procedure is pretty much the same as it was the first time!
• Make sure that you notify everyone at your current university.