Here is some general guidance for transferring schools.
Will the credits I’ve already earned at my current school be accepted at my new school?
Is there a limit to the number of credits that I can transfer?
What is an articulation agreement?
How do I find out if my previous school has an articulation agreement with my new school?
If my school closed and I want to transfer to another school, where can I get more information?
Will my financial aid automatically transfer with me to my new school?
What actions do I need to take to get federal student aid at my new school?
How will transferring schools affect my eligibility to receive federal student aid?
Is it true that my student loans will go into repayment when I transfer schools?
Will the credits I’ve already earned at my current school be accepted at my new school?
To determine whether or not your credits will satisfy program requirements at your new school, you should speak with an admissions advisor or transfer advisor at that school.
Some schools feature information on their websites on the transferability of specific courses from colleges from which students often transfer. You should look on the transfer student page of the school’s website to see if they offer this kind of course-specific guidance.
Make sure you inform your current school that you are planning to transfer.
Is there a limit to the number of credits that I can transfer?
Many colleges have limits on the number of credits that you can transfer from another college (usually about two years’ worth of credit). For more information about a potential limit, you should contact the college you are planning on transferring to.
What is an articulation agreement?
An articulation agreement is an agreement between two schools that explains how earned credits will transfer between the two schools.
How do I find out if my previous school has an articulation agreement with my new school?
Upon request, schools must provide you with a list of partner schools (if any) with whom they have an articulation agreement.
Each school must disclose and make available to prospective and enrolled students a statement of the school’s transfer of credit policies that includes, at a minimum,
- any established criteria the school uses regarding the transfer of credits earned at another school, and
- a list of schools with which the school has established an articulation agreement.
If my school closed and I want to transfer to another school, where can I get more information?
If your school closed and you’d like more information on transferring to another school, please visit our Closed School information page.
Will my financial aid automatically transfer with me to my new school?
Most financial aid will not automatically transfer with you. You should check with your new school and your aid provider to determine whether or not any financial aid you previously had will transfer.
Your federal student aid will not automatically transfer. Make sure you understand what to do to get federal student aid at your new school (below) and what factors might affect your eligibility for aid at the new school.
What actions do I need to take to get federal student aid at my new school?
Use this list of recommended actions to ensure you receive all the federal student aid for which you're eligible at your new school.
- Check to see if your new school participates in the federal student aid programs.
- If your new school participates in the federal student aid programs, you should update your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form to include your new school. Find out how to add a school to your already-submitted FAFSA form.
- When you hear from the new school about the financial aid they're offering you, review the aid offer and figure out how much you'll need to pay out of pocket—and how you'll afford that amount.
- Make sure the financial aid office at your current school knows that you plan to transfer; and ask whether your account at the school is fully settled. (If it isn’t, your transcript may be withheld.) If you're transferring midyear, you may need to submit a withdrawal and a request to have your remaining financial aid disbursements canceled.
- If you're receiving federal student loans at your current school, you'll go through exit counseling. Find out what you need to know about how your federal student loans are affected when you transfer schools.
- Top tip: Keep in touch with financial aid professionals at your current school AND your new school about any steps you need to take and deadlines you need to meet.
Note: Generally, you are not eligible to receive federal student aid from two different schools when you are attending two different schools at the same time.
How will transferring schools affect my eligibility to receive federal student aid?
There are a variety of factors that will affect the amount and types of aid you're eligible for at your new school. The cost of the school, the aid programs the school offers, and even the time of year you transfer—among other factors—may affect the amount of aid you receive.
You also should be aware of this information about how your eligibility for federal student aid can change, particularly if you take a long time to get through school:
- Staying Eligible—Find out what you need to do to make sure you remain eligible to receive federal student aid.
- Borrowing Limits for Federal Student Loans—Find out how much you’re eligible to borrow each year, as well as limits to the total amount you can borrow for your college career as a whole.
- Calculating Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility Used—Learn what the Federal Pell Grant limits are and how your remaining eligibility is calculated.
Is it true that my student loans will go into repayment when I transfer schools?
Your Direct Subsidized Loans and/or Direct Unsubsidized Loans enter repayment status when you withdraw from a school to transfer to another school. To avoid having to start making payments on your loans while you're enrolled at your new school, you can get an in-school deferment if you qualify. Learn about deferments.