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 1780

bntanyax

8

Hi,

So my sister is at Canterbury Christchurch University studying primary education. She now realises that she isn't going to be a great teacher and that the job isn't for her.

She would like to apply for zoology at Queen Mary Uni (London) but on the website, it says it doesn't allow 'transfers'.
Now, I don't think that what she wants to do is a transfer. I think she is just reapplying all over again as she wants to apply for first year.

What does anyone think? What is meant by a transfer and what are the chances of her getting a place at uni to start September 2015?

Thankies!!

Reply 1781

Cranberrysauce

7

Hi guys , really need help ! I'm on my gap year with unconditional offers at Exeter and Southampton to study geography . I have A*AB . I'm already unsure about my course and I haven't even started the course ! I can't have another gap year and looking at other courses I'm drawn towards them . The job prospects for geography worry me as well . Any advice ?!

Reply 1782

Minerva

17

Original post

by Worms

Should you just enter the AS qualifications that you didn't continue to A2, or should you enter both the AS and A2 grades of the qualifications you did?

You enter both; the AS levels are free-standing qualifications in their own right.

Original post

by bntanyax

Hi,

So my sister is at Canterbury Christchurch University studying primary education. She now realises that she isn't going to be a great teacher and that the job isn't for her.

She would like to apply for zoology at Queen Mary Uni (London) but on the website, it says it doesn't allow 'transfers'.
Now, I don't think that what she wants to do is a transfer. I think she is just reapplying all over again as she wants to apply for first year.

What does anyone think? What is meant by a transfer and what are the chances of her getting a place at uni to start September 2015?

Thankies!!

She is indeed. This thread does not apply to her circumstances :smile:

Original post

by Cranberrysauce

Hi guys , really need help ! I'm on my gap year with unconditional offers at Exeter and Southampton to study geography . I have A*AB . I'm already unsure about my course and I haven't even started the course ! I can't have another gap year and looking at other courses I'm drawn towards them . The job prospects for geography worry me as well . Any advice ?!

If these offers are what you have from applying this year, you can decline them and use UCAS Extra to apply for a different course.

Reply 1783

mariaf12

2

Original post

by Cranberrysauce

Hi guys , really need help ! I'm on my gap year with unconditional offers at Exeter and Southampton to study geography . I have A*AB . I'm already unsure about my course and I haven't even started the course ! I can't have another gap year and looking at other courses I'm drawn towards them . The job prospects for geography worry me as well . Any advice ?!

Heyy Am doing my Master at BCU am so sorry to hear that you are confused but don't panic!! you need to think about what you really like to do and what you are good at! to find a subject you like is hard I know!! but you need to find something that you like coz you will do it for a lifetime

Reply 1784

Cranberrysauce

7

Original post

by Minerva

You enter both; the AS levels are free-standing qualifications in their own right.

She is indeed. This thread does not apply to her circumstances :smile:

If these offers are what you have from applying this year, you can decline them and use UCAS Extra to apply for a different course.

Hi there , are there actually any good courses in extra ?

Reply 1785

Minerva

17

Original post

by Cranberrysauce

Hi there , are there actually any good courses in extra ?

Depends what you mean by 'good', but yes, there will be plenty of choice and some very good options for people with strong grades.

Reply 1786

Cranberrysauce

7

Original post

by Minerva

Depends what you mean by 'good', but yes, there will be plenty of choice and some very good options for people with strong grades.

I may sound ridiuculous , but subjects like economics from Exeter or business from Exeter/bath ?

Reply 1787

Minerva

17

Original post

by Cranberrysauce

I may sound ridiuculous , but subjects like economics from Exeter or business from Exeter/bath ?

Never can tell. You'll only know when Extra opens at the end of the month.

Reply 1788

Cranberrysauce

7

Original post

by Minerva

Never can tell. You'll only know when Extra opens at the end of the month.

Ok thankyou for your help !

Reply 1789

cookiess

3

Original post

by Magic Dust

Many universities only consider a transfer if you have a really valid personal reason, it often isn't enough for you to just say 'I am not enjoying the uni I am currently at' as they may question if you'll like it at their uni, and if you don't it could lead to you not getting the grades and bringing down their average.

I just got accepted into Southampton as a transfer. I was previously at Oxford Brookes, so I don't see why the ones you have picked would be kicking above your place.

Good luck :smile:

can I just ask, what was your reason for transferring?
Also- if we've emailed a uni and they said that transferring is possible- do we wait until we get our grades then contact them again and fill out the ucas application after our first year grades? Or do we already have to take steps towards it at this point of the year?

Reply 1790

cookiess

3

Original post

by PQ

Tutors are people and their job is to support you. If you explain that you're unhappy and that this is affecting your motivation and that you think trying to move to x might help with that then they're unlikely to hold it against you. In fact by seeking help and explaining that you are unhappy most tutors will see that as a reason to keep an eye on you and do what they can to help.

mmm I agree with what you're saying completely.
I'm considering transferring too but I'm afraid of letting my tutor down. Like I feel bad telling him I'm not enjoying it here. But I feel like that's not a valid enough excuse to transfer apparently because then the uni you're thinking of transferring to may question why you wanna go there. And there's not a specific reason why I want to transfer to this university. It's better in the league tables- but that's about it. Mainly though it's because I want a change in environment.

Reply 1791

indieguy

9

Original post

by cookiess

mmm I agree with what you're saying completely.
I'm considering transferring too but I'm afraid of letting my tutor down. Like I feel bad telling him I'm not enjoying it here. But I feel like that's not a valid enough excuse to transfer apparently because then the uni you're thinking of transferring to may question why you wanna go there. And there's not a specific reason why I want to transfer to this university. It's better in the league tables- but that's about it. Mainly though it's because I want a change in environment.

If you did tell your tutor, how will you ask him/her to write you your reference?

Reply 1792

cherrycherry111

Hi! I'm sort of in the same situation. I just wanted to ask how slim are my chances of the computer science and mathematics course to be in extra? Is it really that popular a course that I can't hope for unis such as Exeter and Southampton to still have availabilities? sorry but the wait is killing me! thanks :smile:

Reply 1793

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post

by cherrycherry111

Hi! I'm sort of in the same situation. I just wanted to ask how slim are my chances of the computer science and mathematics course to be in extra? Is it really that popular a course that I can't hope for unis such as Exeter and Southampton to still have availabilities? sorry but the wait is killing me! thanks :smile:

You need to get in touch with them directly to find out. All sorts of factors (like if they're opened a new lab or got some new staff) could mean they can accept more students than in previous years....or the opposite could be true and they know they can't take another person.

Reply 1794

z00ser

2

I'm a first year student but not enjoying my current degree. I'm thinking of switching to philosophy and have emailed the department. I took a philosophy module last term and really enjoyed it although I found the reading very difficult. Nevertheless, I got 75% in the end with very positive feedback so it can't be too bad. I have anxiety and little self-confidence so I'm concerned that I'm overthinking this. Should I drop out completely and think about it more? I don't think I'll ever reach a decision that way though. Help!

Reply 1795

alanconnel

4

Original post

by CurtisBrown

Hello Everybody,

I am hoping for a little bit of help and if you think you know what to do, I would appreciate the advice!

Basically, I am a first year undergraduate student at University X, and would like to transfer if possible to University Y beginning the second year, taking up a place at a similar course if that is possible. Right now I study Business Information Systems at X and I am trying to studying Business Information Technology at Y. They are pretty similar and hopefully I would be allowed to move. My question is, has anyone done anything similar to this before or know if I would be allowed to transfer over? As well as this, would I need to create a new UCAS application? I have emailed the university I wish to transfer to and currently I am waiting on their response.

Secondly, If I were to get turned down, would I have any chance of being able to enter at Year one instead? I know I have missed the deadline date for UCAS applications, I wonder if it would be wise to fill it out again? I would appreciate any help you guys would provide, thanks! :smile:

I don't know whether you'll be allowed to transfer or not. What i do know is that even though you are past the UCAS deadline for submitting your application you could still apply and enter through ucas extra or clearing. Depending on which university you apply, business courses are not too competitive so may still be available on ucas extra or clearing

Best of luck

Reply 1796

alanconnel

4

Original post

by CurtisBrown

Thank you very much for your response and help! Would you know how I would go about filing out the UCAS? Before, I had done it personally with a teacher but now in University there isn't that sort of person about anymore, can I just do it entirely myself?

Yeah most people in fact apply individually just go on the ucas website they'll have all the info there. The only difference is that instead of a teacher filling the reference box and sending the application off you need someone like an employer to do your reference and you yourself send it off. You have full control!

Reply 1797

Comeback

14

On UCAS you can choose what year to start from (e.g. 1, 2) when you apply. As long as you get that right the university should be able to offer you a place based on your end of year results for your first year (or A-Levels if applicable).

Reply 1798

Ryan Pearce

3

I have confirmed my firm choice for business management at Cardiff University starting in September of this year. Its too late for me to change my choices through UCAS surely? I want to do urban planning at Cardiff now but I dont want to wait another year to reapply.. Once I start my university degree at Cardiff, would it be possible for me to transfer to urban planning?

Reply 1799

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post

by Ryan Pearce

I have confirmed my firm choice for business management at Cardiff University starting in September of this year. Its too late for me to change my choices through UCAS surely? I want to do urban planning at Cardiff now but I dont want to wait another year to reapply.. Once I start my university degree at Cardiff, would it be possible for me to transfer to urban planning?

Get in touch with them now - you might be able to swap before August. Alternatively find out what flexibility there is to switch when you arrive.

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