Transfer Students FAQ

Q: Who is considered a transfer student?
A: Any student who has already earned his/her high school diploma or GED and has enrolled at a college or university is considered a transfer applicant.

Q: What are Vassar’s requirements regarding the number of credits allowed to be an eligible transfer?
A: There is no minimum credit requirement; students may apply as early as the first semester of their freshman year. (However, students who have completed several semesters are generally more competitive candidates.) Vassar does have a maximum limit for considering applicants: once a student has completed more than four full semesters of college-level work, they are no longer eligible to transfer. Thus, students who already have a bachelor’s degree would not be eligible applicants.

Q: How can I receive more detailed info?
A: Please sign up for our mailing list to receive a copy of our viewbook and other admission mailings and reminders.

Q: What application should I use?
A: You will use the Common Application for Transfers with the Vassar Transfer Supplement.

Q: What are the application deadlines?
A: The deadline for spring semester is November 1; the deadline for Fall semester is March 15.

Q: What are the decision notification dates?
A: Transfer applicants for spring semester are notified in late December; applicants for the fall are notified in early May. Admitted transfer applicants are expected to respond within two weeks of notification and are expected to enroll in the semester for which they have been offered admission. Deferrals of admission to later semesters typically are not granted, except under extraordinary circumstances.

Q: May I re-apply if I previously applied as a freshman?
A: Yes, by submitting a transfer application.

Q: What are the standardized testing requirements?
A: Vassar College requires all applicants to submit standardized test results, either the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT Assessment. For transfer students submitting SAT scores, we will accept either the “old” SAT I (Verbal/Math) or the SAT Reasoning Test (Critical Reading/Math/Writing) which is “new” as of March 2005. Along with SAT Reasoning Test scores we also require two SAT Subject Tests, and we prefer that each be taken in a different academic subject. However, SAT Subject Tests may be waived for students who will have completed one full year of college prior to enrolling at Vassar. Students submitting ACT scores do not need to submit SAT I or II scores. The new optional writing test on the ACT is recommended, but not required. Please note that proficiency or skills tests offered by other colleges will not meet Vassar’s standardized test requirements.

In addition, if English is neither your first language nor the primary language of instruction you have used throughout secondary school, you should submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Vassar typically expects scores of at least 100 on the Internet-based TOEFL, 250 on the computer-based TOEFL , and 600 on the paper-based version. As an alternative to the TOEFL, Vassar also accepts IELTS. A minimum score of 7.0 on the IELTS Academic Test is required.

Q: How competitive is the transfer application process?
A: Vassar does not have many spaces for transfer students, so competition is keen. It is generally more difficult to gain admission as a transfer than as a freshmen. Over the past two years, about 15-20% of the students seeking admission as transfers were successful.

Q: How much is my high school record weighted in the evaluation process?
A: Since the competition is highly competitive, an applicant’s entire academic history is considered in the admission process, and we require high school records with the application. It is difficult for students who have had an unsuccessful high school career to be competitive applicants. However, as the distance from an applicant’s high school years grows, the weight assigned to that performance is lessened.

Q: What if I did not complete my high school diploma?
A: You will be required to submit GED scores or another applicable High School Equivalency along with that portion of your high school record you did complete.

Q: May I request a waiver of the application fee?
A: Yes, United States citizens or Permanent Residents may submit a fee waiver request from their transfer counselor or the Office of Financial Aid.

Q: Is there financial aid available?
A: Vassar does offer need-based financial assistance to transfer applicants. However, due to the highly competitive nature of the applicant pool and the limited financial resources earmarked for transfer students, we are not need-blind in the evaluation of transfer candidates.

Q: Is financial aid available for international transfer students?
A: We regret that we do not offer any financial assistance to international transfer students. Only U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible to apply to Vassar as financial aid candidates.

Q: What about the transfer of credit?
A: Transfer credit decisions are made by the Office of the Dean of Studies after a student has been offered admission. Vassar offers transfer credit for courses in the liberal arts and sciences which are the approximate equivalent in content, methodology, and rigor to courses listed in the Vassar catalogue (available online at http://catalogue.vassar.edu).  We do not offer transfer credit for physical education (excluding dance), preprofessional or vocational courses, business courses, or other similar subjects.  One Vassar unit is the equivalent of 3.5 semester hours of work.  We do not give credit for any course with a value of less than 2 semester hours and credit earned by means of distance learning is also not transferable.

Q: Is housing available?
A: Yes, Vassar will provide housing to admitted transfer candidates.

READ MORE FAQS
Admitted Students FAQ
International Students FAQ
Prospective Students FAQ
Financial Aid FAQ