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 8 years ago)

Reply 1580

TheBBQ

21

Original post

by Minerva

They'll never be 100% the same, but the 'receiving' uni needs to be satisfied that you have covered much the same ground as their own undergrads, otherwise you may not be able to keep up when you join in the second year.

It's really for the uni concerned to decide. You'll need to get in touch with them and find out what their essential requirements are - they may ask to see a copy of the curriculum for your current course.

Thank you.

Do you think I'd better off speaking to the admissions tutor or the head of the programme that I wish to transfer to? :smile:

Reply 1581

Minerva

17

Original post

by TheBBQ

Thank you.

Do you think I'd better off speaking to the admissions tutor or the head of the programme that I wish to transfer to? :smile:

I'd start with the admissions tutor, and see what they suggest.

Reply 1582

cultlogic

1

Super long, sorry!

I'm looking to transfer (although I don't mind starting from year 1 next year if that's the case) from my current uni - I'm a first year and in my third week.
Basically, I got into my insurance choice (Liverpool) and I'm really unsatisfied with the course and just everything really. I'm currently studying Evolutionary Anthropology and everywhere else I applied was for Archaeology & Anthropology - back when I was doing my UCAS application I was heavily advised to apply for EvAnth as it was apparently very similar to Arch & Anth... it's not. I've also come to realise from my Intro to Archaeology lectures that I don't care much for it in practice and I'm now thinking of switching to straight Anthropology.
There are some aspects of the course I enjoy and I've made quite a few friends here so that's not a problem, but I find that everyday I hate it more and more and know that I would ultimately be happy elsewhere.

I got very good A level grades imo (A* A B) so it's not an issue of me meeting the grade requirements at the universities that I am currently looking into.
The only reason that I'm at Liverpool (and it was my fave of my two other offers) is because I did not get into my firm (Oxford) and I feel that if I had not gotten an offer from Ox then I would've put UCL as my firm; I would've put UCL as my insurance with Ox as firm but as their grade requirements are really similar to Ox (they ask for AAB, OX for AAA) I didn't want to edge myself of getting a university place just in case I really messed up in my exams. Obviously I didn't and I really regret it! I also wasn't informed of Adjustment on results day so I really feel like I've kinda been put out if that makes sense.

Basically my question is should I mention the A level/Ox/firm-insurance scenario when enquiring into other universities or just omit it completely? I spoke to an adviser at my uni today and they didn't really seem to know if I should or not.

Thank you!

Reply 1583

Minerva

17

Original post

by cultlogic

Super long, sorry!

I'm looking to transfer (although I don't mind starting from year 1 next year if that's the case) from my current uni - I'm a first year and in my third week.
Basically, I got into my insurance choice (Liverpool) and I'm really unsatisfied with the course and just everything really. I'm currently studying Evolutionary Anthropology and everywhere else I applied was for Archaeology & Anthropology - back when I was doing my UCAS application I was heavily advised to apply for EvAnth as it was apparently very similar to Arch & Anth... it's not. I've also come to realise from my Intro to Archaeology lectures that I don't care much for it in practice and I'm now thinking of switching to straight Anthropology.
There are some aspects of the course I enjoy and I've made quite a few friends here so that's not a problem, but I find that everyday I hate it more and more and know that I would ultimately be happy elsewhere.

I got very good A level grades imo (A* A B) so it's not an issue of me meeting the grade requirements at the universities that I am currently looking into.
The only reason that I'm at Liverpool (and it was my fave of my two other offers) is because I did not get into my firm (Oxford) and I feel that if I had not gotten an offer from Ox then I would've put UCL as my firm; I would've put UCL as my insurance with Ox as firm but as their grade requirements are really similar to Ox (they ask for AAB, OX for AAA) I didn't want to edge myself of getting a university place just in case I really messed up in my exams. Obviously I didn't and I really regret it! I also wasn't informed of Adjustment on results day so I really feel like I've kinda been put out if that makes sense.

Basically my question is should I mention the A level/Ox/firm-insurance scenario when enquiring into other universities or just omit it completely? I spoke to an adviser at my uni today and they didn't really seem to know if I should or not.

Thank you!

You need to decide whether to drop out now and take a gap year or carry on and complete this first year.

First of all, I'd investigate the financial implications of either route. Will you have to pay tuition fees anyway, and what about your accommodation?

When you are talking to other unis, by all means tell them what grades you got, but I certainly would not advise explaining that you missed your Oxford offer. If you really don't like the course content at Liverpool, you might want to think through what it is you are really looking for instead. That's a much more positive approach to present to an admissions tutor.

Essentially, you need to find out what the compatibility is between your current course and any one you might think of applying to for year 2 entry. If there isn't enough compatibility (which might well be the case), then it would be worth finding out whether Liverpool would award you a Cert HE for completing their first year successfully. If the finances don't stack up for dropping out (ie you will lose a lot of money with nothing to show for it) then that would be a factor in favour of sticking with it while reapplying through UCAS. By the way, you should be able to apply for a mix of Year 1 and Year 2 starts - just make sure you've entered this correctly against the individual choices. So, if uni A says 'we'd be happy to consider you for a fresh start, but you wouldn't be eligible to transfer into year 2' but uni B says 'yes, you could transfer into our year 2' you can apply to both.

From a student finance perspective, you are allowed one 'false start' so you should get full funding for a three year degree.

Reply 1584

cultlogic

1

Original post

by Minerva

You need to decide whether to drop out now and take a gap year or carry on and complete this first year.

First of all, I'd investigate the financial implications of either route. Will you have to pay tuition fees anyway, and what about your accommodation?

When you are talking to other unis, by all means tell them what grades you got, but I certainly would not advise explaining that you missed your Oxford offer. If you really don't like the course content at Liverpool, you might want to think through what it is you are really looking for instead. That's a much more positive approach to present to an admissions tutor.

Essentially, you need to find out what the compatibility is between your current course and any one you might think of applying to for year 2 entry. If there isn't enough compatibility (which might well be the case), then it would be worth finding out whether Liverpool would award you a Cert HE for completing their first year successfully. If the finances don't stack up for dropping out (ie you will lose a lot of money with nothing to show for it) then that would be a factor in favour of sticking with it while reapplying through UCAS. By the way, you should be able to apply for a mix of Year 1 and Year 2 starts - just make sure you've entered this correctly against the individual choices. So, if uni A says 'we'd be happy to consider you for a fresh start, but you wouldn't be eligible to transfer into year 2' but uni B says 'yes, you could transfer into our year 2' you can apply to both.

From a student finance perspective, you are allowed one 'false start' so you should get full funding for a three year degree.

This has been really helpful, thank you!

Reply 1585

Minerva

17

Original post

by cultlogic

This has been really helpful, thank you!

Good luck

Reply 1586

chelseafan

21

What month should i start contacting unis to show my interest in a transfer?

Reply 1587

Minerva

17

Original post

by chelseafan

What month should i start contacting unis to show my interest in a transfer?

That's up to you - there's no particular time that this has to be done as the deadlines for year 1 entry don't apply.

Reply 1588

weirdnessandcoffee

15

So I'm studying law at QMUL but I've realised I don't actually like studying most of it apart from 2 modules. Consequently, I can't stop thinking about history and recently looked at the history information for Kings. Yeah I'm a month into my course and I just really want to study history there now. What are the chances of transferring?

Reply 1589

Carnationlilyrose

18

Original post

by weirdnessandcoffee

So I'm studying law at QMUL but I've realised I don't actually like studying most of it apart from 2 modules. Consequently, I can't stop thinking about history and recently looked at the history information for Kings. Yeah I'm a month into my course and I just really want to study history there now. What are the chances of transferring?

Only they can tell you this.

Reply 1590

Da Di Doo

19

SOMEONE GIVE ME A VALID REASON TO TRANSFER TO A DIFFERENT UNIVERSITY (first year entry) FOR THE SAME COURSE (Law).

My real reason is to upgrade because the profession I want to go into cares about University reputation.

I have the correct grades (or will do) which are A*A*A for A Level and good GCSEs.

I just need a valid reason.

Reply 1591

Da Di Doo

19

Original post

by Minerva

As far as I am aware, in-year transfers are not possible. Your choice would be either to do your best in your first year where you are, and apply to transfer next September/October (which may not be successful as the courses need to be compatible), or drop out and reapply to start again in your first year.

Original post

by Carnationlilyrose

Only they can tell you this.

Can you guys please answer my question (which is in the post above this)?

Reply 1592

Minerva

17

Original post

by Da Di Doo

Can you guys please answer my question (which is in the post above this)?

Any particular reason why we should? As I'm sure you know, writing in upper case comes across as shouting. Most of us don't like being shouted at, much. You might also like to consider how the post in which you quoted me and Carnationlilyrose comes across.

Original post

by Da Di Doo

SOMEONE GIVE ME A VALID REASON TO TRANSFER TO A DIFFERENT UNIVERSITY (first year entry) FOR THE SAME COURSE (Law).

My real reason is to upgrade because the profession I want to go into cares about University reputation.

I have the correct grades (or will do) which are A*A*A for A Level and good GCSEs.

I just need a valid reason.

I assume you mean you want us to suggest some explanation for you to include in your PS, as to why you don't plan to continue with the course you are currently doing, rather than admit you are chasing the prestige?

I'm sure you'll come up with something.

Reply 1593

Da Di Doo

19

Original post

by Minerva

Any particular reason why we should? As I'm sure you know, writing in upper case comes across as shouting. Most of us don't like being shouted at, much. You might also like to consider how the post in which you quoted me and Carnationlilyrose comes across.

I assume you mean you want us to suggest some explanation for you to include in your PS, as to why you don't plan to continue with the course you are currently doing, rather than admit you are chasing the prestige?

I'm sure you'll come up with something.

I wasn't shouting. I'm sorry if I offended you.

Instead of continuing into second year, studying Law at X university, I would like to study Law (first year) at Y university.
I have to 'chase the prestige' if I want to have the career I want because I want to go into investment banking. They don't even care what degree you do as long as you have the minimum 2:1 and do activities which demonstrate your interest in finance IF you go to the top 6 Unis.

You don't need to help me. After some hours on the internet I found someone else's transfer story which I will use.

Goodbye, have a nice day.

Reply 1594

Minerva

17

Original post

by Da Di Doo

I wasn't shouting. I'm sorry if I offended you.

Instead of continuing into second year, studying Law at X university, I would like to study Law (first year) at Y university.
I have to 'chase the prestige' if I want to have the career I want because I want to go into investment banking. They don't even care what degree you do as long as you have the minimum 2:1 and do activities which demonstrate your interest in finance IF you go to the top 6 Unis.

You don't need to help me. After some hours on the internet I found someone else's transfer story which I will use.

Goodbye, have a nice day.

Really? What unis want to know is about you, not someone else. Making up reasons to move unis is not recommended.

Investment bankers look for bright people wherever they are to be found. There may be a predominance of graduates from top-ranked universities in their intake, but they do not exclude anyone simply on the basis of which university they went to. IB firms may not turn up on the milk round at your current university, but that doesn't mean you can't investigate their schemes independently and apply if you choose.

Reply 1595

Da Di Doo

19

Original post

by Minerva

Really? What unis want to know is about you, not someone else. Making up reasons to move unis is not recommended.

Investment bankers look for bright people wherever they are to be found. There may be a predominance of graduates from top-ranked universities in their intake, but they do not exclude anyone simply on the basis of which university they went to. IB firms may not turn up on the milk round at your current university, but that doesn't mean you can't investigate their schemes independently and apply if you choose.

I thought that too but more and more research discourages me about where I will study (even though it isn't that bad) and the more people I talk to the more worried I get about my university because apparently if I don't attend one of the top 6 unis then I am hugely disadvantaged.

I needed a reason to transfer to a different university because when the unis I apply to transfer to ask me why I want to move I need so say something convincing. I'm sorry if I came across rude.

Reply 1596

Minerva

17

Original post

by Da Di Doo

I thought that too but more and more research discourages me about where I will study (even though it isn't that bad) and the more people I talk to the more worried I get about my university because apparently if I don't attend one of the top 6 unis then I am hugely disadvantaged.

I needed a reason to transfer to a different university because when the unis I apply to transfer to ask me why I want to move I need so say something convincing. I'm sorry if I came across rude.

You need to reflect on who is saying this. Particularly on TSR, there are many seriously obsessed prestige whores, most of whom have no idea what they are talking about and just say these things to make themselves feel better.

I'd give a couple of the IB firms a ring and see what sort of reaction you get. If you like the uni where you are now and you make the most of what's on offer, you are much more likely to get a really good degree and lots of extra skills that employers really like. Just knowing you are at a top 6 uni isn't enough to make up for hating it.

It's also worth remembering that you might fancy IB now, but three years is a long time, and you might have completely different ideas by then.

Reply 1597

sophiequarless

Is it possible at all to transfer Universities during or after the Christmas period?

Reply 1598

cultlogic

1

Posted on the last page about dropping out and applying for 2015 entry and I'm definitely going to do it.
I'm meeting with my academic tutor this week to discuss my situation and I've researched all the financial implications of dropping out etc.

However, when it comes to my personal statement I know that it's probably advisable for me to mention my current degree course but how exactly would I word this (especially considering that I've been here for only a month).
Secondly, references. I'm not really sure if my current academic advisor at uni will be able to give me an apt reference as I've only ever met him once and, again, I've been here less than a month. My old tutor from college is happy to supply one for me and as I also have some mitigating circumstances regarding my educational background he is probably more suitable for a reference.

Thanks!

Reply 1599

Minerva

17

Original post

by cultlogic

Posted on the last page about dropping out and applying for 2015 entry and I'm definitely going to do it.
I'm meeting with my academic tutor this week to discuss my situation and I've researched all the financial implications of dropping out etc.

However, when it comes to my personal statement I know that it's probably advisable for me to mention my current degree course but how exactly would I word this (especially considering that I've been here for only a month).
Secondly, references. I'm not really sure if my current academic advisor at uni will be able to give me an apt reference as I've only ever met him once and, again, I've been here less than a month. My old tutor from college is happy to supply one for me and as I also have some mitigating circumstances regarding my educational background he is probably more suitable for a reference.

Thanks!

If you've only been at the uni a month, your tutor from college is definitely the better choice for a referee. I don't think you need to mention your current course, except perhaps to say something like "Having begun a degree in XX I realised very soon that what I really want to do is YYYYY because...". If you are re-applying because you didn't like the uni rather than the course, don't say anything.

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