University Transfer FAQ

Hello.

I noticed that there have recently been a reasonably high volume of questions about this and, as I cannot be bothered to always make the kind of detailed replies that are appropriate, I thought it would be good to make this thread. Feel free to ask questions and make suggestions for improvements and additions because obviously the better this is the more useful it will be. It was written up very rapidly by me a little earlier and is subject to considerable editing at some point.

Feel free to suggest revisions.

Why do people transfer?

People decide to transfer for all manner of reasons; some do it because the course does not match their expectations and some because of personal considerations such as family illness and the need to be closer to home. Others simply don't enjoy themselves where they are or want to "upgrade" to a university they consider to be better. Whatever the reason, many people do transfer each year and it is not as difficult or time consuming as many people assume it to be.

However, it also isn't an easy option and there is absolutely no guarantee that you will be able to transfer at all, let alone to the university you want to transfer to. It is important you are making the decision for the right reasons and, in many instances, taking a gap year is probably a better option if you are already considering a transfer before you have even begun your course. You should not make any plans that are dependent on you definitely being able to make X transfer because you could very well end up disappointed.

However, it should be noted that you can also apply for first year entry to other courses while at university and in that case you may well be in a stronger position than many applicants as you will have university experience, hopefully more knowledge and possibly the expectation of achieving a Certificate/Diploma of Higher Education or certainly the corresponding amount of credits.

First steps and initial correspondence

Initially, before beginning a formal application, you will want to contact the universities you are interested in applying to to ask them whether or not they will formally consider your application. This is because a variety of things may impede your progress before you even begin. Some examples include the fact that not all departments, and indeed universities, accept transfer applicants and that the course you wish to apply for may already be full up which is more likely to be the case if you are applying later in the academic year long after the standard UCAS cycle.

There are two strategies with your initial message and I suggest the latter personally because it may well save you time, gives the impression you have done some research about the process and ultimately has no negative implications that can reasonably be attributed to it.

One: Simply email asking broadly about the prospect of applying for X course. The reply, if positive, will often ask you for some if not all of the things listed below.

Two: Send an email to the admission office, possibly a department specific one, providing the following information:

- Your name and current university course
- The university you are currently studying at
- The course you are interested in transferring to
- Your academic history, specifically your A levels (or equivalent) and the grades you achieved.
- The official module names and descriptions (and codes for their easy reference) of every module you are studying that year and the grades you have achieved so far.

If time is an issue then phoning is likely to get you an answer quicker. Ask for and note the name and job title of the person you speak to and have the above information on hand.

The UCAS Application

If one or more of the universities you contact inform you that they will formally consider your application based on the information you have provided then you will need to submit a UCAS application in much the same way as you have previously. The difference being that, when you enter the course choice, you need to state that it is for entry point 2 (or 3 if that is the case) if that is the year you will be entering at.

You will still need to pay for the processing of the application and the same rules apply as for all other applicants with regards to adding choices, changing choices and how much you have to pay.

You will still receive decisions via track and will still have to accept or decline them as before with regard to what the offer is, although we cover that a little later.

What about a reference?

While some universities will accept a reference from an old school teacher, much the same as your original application, many wont and those that do will still prefer something far more recent. The guidance from university admissions staff is that the reference should be made by somebody who is an academic member of staff at the university you attend and that the more senior their position the better. You of course need to strike a balance between this and ensuring the reference is representative of your abilities and, as such, many people choose to provide a reference from a class teacher rather than a senior lecturer, for example, which may ostensibly seem the better choice.

It is possible that the member of staff will never have had to write such a reference before so you need to be prepared to offer them guidance on this if they request it (although in my experience they will request it from the university they are providing he reference to). Much the same as your original reference it should outline how you are as a student and highlight your academic strengths and why they recommend you for study on your proposed course.

Here is where having a personable demeanor and having made good impressions on staff will serve you well. You should be aware that it can take quite a long time for a reference to be provided, especially if it is being provided by somebody with a great many commitments, so it is important to get the ball rolling on this swiftly.

Your reference it should outline how you are as a student and highlight your academic strengths and why they recommend you for study on your proposed course. You should be aware that it can take quite a long time for a reference to be provided, especially if it is being provided by somebody with a great many commitments, so it is important to get the ball rolling on this swiftly.

You can help them by getting a copy of your previous UCAS reference and letting them know about any mitigating circumstances.

What about a personal statement?

You will need to provide a personal statement with your application and ultimately it has the same requirements as for other applicants. Some people do choose to include information about why they want to make the switch here although this will often be asked by admissions staff and passed on to the relevant person(s) separately.

This is your chance to show them that you have used your year well and to communicate to them that you are the kind of person they want at their university. Different people employ different strategies here with some people targeting the university specifically if they are only applying to one and talking about why the specifics of that course interest them and some simply relay their interests and motivations and treat it the same as other PSs written for the standard UCAS application. There is no right or wrong answer, but the aim remains constant - to present a case for you being worth an offer.

Adding qualifications to UCAS

You need to include all previous qualifications (GCSEs, AS and A levels usually INCLUDING resits) as well as the dates of your university study. If you've attended university long enough to pass any modules then these also need to be added to your application as qualifications.This post explains how to add your university modules/study to your application.

UCAS deadlines for transfer students

For first year entry you will normally need to apply by the standard UCAS deadlines (15 January for most courses, 15 October for Oxbridge/Medicine/Dentistry/Vet courses).

Applying be the early 15 October deadline while at university isn't recommended. You're making it clear to the universities you apply to that you started on a degree course without intending to finish it. If you want to apply for a course/university that has the early deadline then it is FAR better to take a year out of education and do something else. Oxford say "Oxford does accept applications from students who are currently studying at another university. Your full academic record would be taken in to account in your application, including your A-levels (or other equivalent qualifications) and study at university level, so we would need evidence of your performance on your university course." This would only be possible if you applied to enter into Year 1 at Oxford at the start of your Second year elsewhere. Cambridge say "Cambridge Colleges will only, as a matter of principle, consider applications from students enrolled in a degree course at other UK universities in very exceptional circumstances. Any application to study at Cambridge would need strong support from your Course Director or other academic tutor at your current university." - again only possible if you apply at the start of your second year for entry into the start of a course at Cambridge.

Outside of courses with the early deadline most universities would only expect to get applications for transfer close to the January deadline. Applying too early will give the impression that you haven't made much effort to settle in at your current university.
Universities are sympathetic to applications for first year entry after the January deadline (so even if a course is closed to late applications it is often worth getting in touch). The January deadline is not normally applicable to applications for entry into second or third year - but you should aim to apply as early as possible.

What will my offer be contingent upon?

Essentially, anything they want it to be contingent upon.

Firstly, it is often - although not always - the case that your A levels must be at least reasonably similar to those of other students on the proposed course and policy on that will vary. Of course, a slight deficiency here can possibly be mitigated by improved attainment, evidenced in this case by the grades you are achieving at university currently.

Secondly, your offer will almost always (I say almost because, although I've never seen this not be the case, It would be inappropriate for me to say it with complete certainty) be contingent on obtaining a certain grade for the stage of study you are currently at. This may range simply from needing to pass the year, to having to achieve X percentage (often a 2:1) or to having to achieve a certain result in specific modules as well as meeting other conditions such as the aforementioned.

The onus will be on you to provide proof that you meet any conditions asked of you before your offer becomes unconditional and this will include providing A level documents (they often accept scans) and proof of your university results. You should be mindful of any deadlines for proving this poof and be proactive in providing it!

Other actions you will need to take and considerations

Obvious though it may seem, you have to remember to inform student finance about the change of circumstance and, dependent on the specifics, this may involve beginning a new application for finance which, if you are applying late in the day, may mean resubmitting financial information and other documents they require. Of course you should consult them about this but it is definitely something you need to consider.

As well as all of the above it is perfectly possible that you may have a phone conversation with staff at the university you have applied to in which you are asked about the course so you should not enter into the process without having done enough research to be able to provide a cogent, convincing case for why you have made the decision should it be required of you.

Student finance implications

Obvious though it may seem, you have to remember to inform student finance about the change of circumstance and, dependent on the specifics, this may involve beginning a new application for finance which, if you are applying late in the day, may mean resubmitting financial information and other documents they require. Of course you should consult them about this but it is definitely something you need to consider.

If you apply to continue your degree elsewhere without repeating or restarting a year then your finance eligibility should not be affected.
If you apply to restart or repeat a year elsewhere then this will count as using your "gift" year of funding. Everyone gets ONE gift year so any further additional years (if you need to restart again or fail and repeat a year) wouldn't be eligible for a tuition fee loan.
Transferring from a foundation year into year 1 of a degree without a foundation year will normally also count as using up your gift year.

This means it is important that you're confident that the change of university/course is right for you. If you're unsure or in doubt then speak to your current university about suspending your studies for a year - you can suspend your studies AND hold a deferred offer to give yourself time to make the right decision.

Transferring courses within the same university

While this thread is primarily concerned with transferring to a university other than the one you attend, it is common for questions to be asked about this so I thought I should include it. University policy, indeed departmental policy, will vary but generally the following is true. There are two main times you can transfer internally without having to restart the year.

At the beginning of the year

The exact window will vary, as will the availability and ease of the option as some universities offer this as a promulgated matter of course and others simply make provision for it if a student presents a case for it. Generally, your academic attainment prior to university - A Levels etc - will be the determining factor of whether or not the switch is approved but thee may also be a discussion akin to an informal interview with somebody relevant beforehand.

At the end of the year

Most universities (perhaps all) allow this, but you usually have to meet the same module prerequisites with regards to core modules as other students. For example, if you study course X and choose elective module Y which happens to be the only core module for course Z then in most cases you will be allowed to switch. Most common is people switching from joint honors to one of the two constituent subjects alone as they always satisfy the progression prerequisites with regard to module choice.

Practice may vary massively at some universities and it is always better to call or email them and ask in advance of any binding decisions as obviously the advice your university provides is of far more use to you.

(edited 7 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1980

sydneybridge

Original post by goodwinning

Thank you for your reply.

If that's the case, I will probably apply in January then, I suppose applying as early as you can won't matter as much as if you were applying as a brand new student.

Be aware that the deadline for applications is 15 January - and that applications take longer to write than you think, especially as you need to leave enough time for your referee to write a reference. Early December would be safer. ALL applications received before the Jan deadline are treated equally so you will gain/loose nothing by applying in December instead of October.

Reply 1981

fmlurgh123

Hey, so i have an offer of a 2:1 for first year entry at sheffield and i recieved a few marks off a 2:1 and got an overall 2:2; you can imagine how gutted i was to hear that especially as sheffield was my first and only choice. So im currently perplexed to whether call up prior to clearing and explain hoping they'll squeeze me in or to wait to clearing? I got a A*CD which is around 280points but i got the A* in the course i'm applying to? I feel so embarassed that im in this situation to start with as i really think some personal issues that i thought wouldnt of effected my academics this year has. I am hoping to transfer from university of york. Its the first time posting on this and i could really do with all your suggestions thank you.

Reply 1982

PS Reviewer

Original post by fmlurgh123

Definitely don't wait to get in touch with them. You'll have to notify them of your results directly anyway so you might as well have the conversation at the same time. Presumably you've got some modules that were 2.1 and some that were 2.2...have your results to hand so you can talk through them (even better if you have a breakdown of exams/coursework marks).

Give them as much information as you can and they ask for and hope that they'll be flexible. I'd steer away from mentioning the impact of any personal issues *unless* those issues are definitely going to be resolved by the transfer to Sheffield.

Reply 1983

Skill Twix

Original post by returnmigrant

1) Planning a transfer isnt the answer. For starters its unlikely that top Unis for Economics will be interested in you or even have the space. This is particularly for competitive subjects like Economics. Why should they take someone with lower A levels than they would normally expect in the First Year? If you dont want Manchester, why did you choose it as your Insurance? Please dont fall into the trap of thinking that 'Warwick/LSE/UCL is everything and going there will guarantee me a job' etc. It wont. And a First from Manchester will be just as good as one from the other Unis - despite what other school leavers will tell you, employers actually are not that picky or mono-focussed.

2) Check what other Unis attitudes are to retakes. Often top Unis will not accept them at all or only in one subject where you missed by one grade etc. By retaking you could therefore be wasting your time. Having 4 a levels wont make any difference - you will have still done A levels over 3 years, again something top Unis penalise.

The other thing you have to think very seriously about is this : if you dont get A*AA, it should be fairly obvious to you that you are not a top-flight candidate. I'm sorry if this hurts but you do have to look at this objectively. If you are in the next band down you will struggle on an A* course, and you will feel dispirited by the simple fact that everyone else on the course is always way ahead of you academically.

If you miss your Firm and go to Manchester, accept it gracefully. Its a great Uni and you will be alongside some of the best Economics students/staff in the world. Constantly striving for something you cant attain because of grades/retakes is a very good recipe for feeling constantly frustrated and disappointed. So is feeling petulant and resentful about not getting into Warwick/LSE or wherever. Go to Manchester and work your butt off. Get a First. You will still have the same potential for a happy and fulfilling career as anyone else.

I don't know bruv!
I just lacked the motivation this year.Warwick just sent me an offer in March(2 months before my finals).I wanted to go there!I am still thinking of retaking the year!

Reply 1984

Roving Fish

Hi all,

There are many of you trying to look into the possibility of transferring universities over the summer vacation.

For some, you don't like your uni and for others you want to find a 'better' course or even go to a 'better' university.

I transferred university after my first year and it turned out to be the best decision ever! :woo:

We thought that we'd give you a thread to share your experiences on and give or ask for any advice!

We'll be keeping an eye out on great posts and incorporating them into an FAQ in the next post. :smile:

Thanks!

RF :h:

Reply 1985

cate_anne

I'm on a taught Masters course, and I followed four of my lecturers on twitter about six months ago. On is my dissertation supervisor, one is my personal tutor, and the other ones I know to talk to although it must be said we are not close. I quite often favourite or re-tweet stuff they post. They haven't followed me back, but I just thought they must have a policy on not following students. Anyway a friends of mine is saying it's an invasion of their privacy and I shouldn't follow them, or at least shouldn't be liking or re-tweeting their stuff. She says I should 'take the hint' that they haven't followed me back. They have their professions listed in their bio, 'researcher, lecturer' etc, it's not like they are personal twitter accounts, although not everything is to do with work either. I don't see the issue, but wondering what others think?

Reply 1986

rock92

We were told to actively follow our tutors, as they often post helpful information, and tips. Plus we found with our tutor it was the easiest fastest way to contact her. but they are all professional accounts not their personal ones.

Reply 1987

Phan66

If I get a good grade in my first year (i'm doing Law) is it possible to transfer to a better uni? Will I have to start over again / do UCAS again?

Reply 1988

Skill Twix

Original post by Phan66

If I get a good grade in my first year (i'm doing Law) is it possible to transfer to a better uni? Will I have to start over again / do UCAS again?

Only possible if you meet their minimum entry requirements(their A levels one)

Reply 1989

Himeros

I kinda feel like this is one of those situations that will vary completely depending on 1. the university and 2. the people involved.
I know certainly at my university a lot of my tutors are super private outside of class and definitely would not appreciate this - and I personally find the idea of it really strange. But I'm sure everybody's different. Maybe find out if any of your other friends do similar?

Reply 1990

Klix88

If it was a Twitter feed for their personal or family stuff then I might think twice. However, Twitter is now seen as a standard tool for academic debate, public engagement and info exchange/dissemination. Retweets are a measurable contributor to REF scores. If all they're tweeting about is their subject or uni business, then the more followers they have, the better for them.

It's nonsense to say that following someone on Twitter is an invasion of their privacy. Twitter is a public communication tool. If anything is "private" then they either wouldn't tweet it in the first place, or they would have blocked you ages ago. The fact that they haven't followed you back is meaningless. They potentially meet hundreds of new students every year - they aren't going to follow more than a handful back, and those will be the ones posting useful stuff about their subject.

Following them is absolutely no issue at all.

Reply 1991

Kathiye

Nah, following on twitter is fine. One of my lecturers even put up a QR code to his twitter page in one of the lectures! :tongue:

It's not like you're adding them on facebook.

Reply 1992

PsychologyNerdy

Original post by cate_anne

My lecturers put their twitter names on the powerpoint slides. If they didn't want you to see they would put it on private

Reply 1993

Phan66

Original post by Roving Fish

Thanks!

RF :h:

I did a foundation year to get onto the Law degree at my current Uni, and was wondering if I can transfer to a better uni for next year to still do Law?

Reply 1994

UghDecisions

If i do a foundation year but applied for other universities and have been offered by other univerities, do i still have my place at my old university should i decide i want to stay there.

Also if i decide i dont want to go to my firm choice university and i got accepted to it, can i decline the offer and go into clearing for other universities?

Also if i start a certain degree at a university how soon am i able to switch course, is it within 1-3 weeks of starting the term

Reply 1995

ComedyKiller

Does anyone know if the module weight matters? Say i may have studied the same modules as another universities first year but some of there modules are worth 10 credits more. It's never mentioned as being relevant when i contact admissions. I study law btw.

Reply 1996

Skill Twix

What if you get a first in your first year and want to transfer to UCL.LSE ETC. for Economics despite getting AAB?

Reply 1997

sydneybridge

Original post by ComedyKiller

You will need to check this with the individual Uni.
Send them a transcript of your current modules/grades and check the situation. Every Uni weights/credits modules/units/courses differently so you do need to be certain of this and not leave it to chance.