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Transfer Admissions Requirements

Transfer Status

You are considered a transfer student if you have attempted 12 or more credit hours at any college or university after high school graduation, equivalency completion, or permanent separation regardless of whether these credits were ever completed, are completed at the time of application, or if you intend to transfer the credits. If you do not meet this definition, you should apply through the first-year/freshman process and via that application.

  • Credits earned during high school through Dual Enrollment, Advanced Placement, or other sources, do not count towards the 12 credits. This also applies to students completing an associate degree program concurrent with high school; such students must apply for admission through the first-year/freshman process.
  • In-progress/planned college work to be completed by the intended Virginia Tech entry point is reported during the application process and considered during admissions review.
  • As transfer admissions focuses on the academic record at the college/university level and does not consider high school coursework or grades or SAT/ACT scores, recent high school graduates are unlikely to be competitive when applying in their first semester of college study. This is especially notable for applicants pursuing Spring term transfer entry following high school completion the previous spring. See below under Transfer Entry Terms for more information. 
  • First-year/freshman applicants cannot be considered again for transfer admission in the same application cycle.

Academic Requirements for Transfers

Transfer students must meet academic requirements outlined below and complete the Transfer Application for admission. The most important factors considered for transfer admission are as follows:

  • Completion or progress toward completion of prerequisite coursework for your intended program. Create a competitive schedule by following the Admissions Transfer Roadmap for the major to which you plan to apply. Transfer applications are not accepted for the majors of Architecture or Industrial Design. Students interested in these disciplines should explore other majors offered by Virginia Tech. 
  • Overall GPA in all college coursework with a special emphasis on performance in courses required or recommended for entry into your intended program, as well as your more recent work. NOTE: All prior college/university work should be reported and is considered in the admissions process, regardless of transferability or intent to transfer credits. Applicants who have had a significant break in their college education (5+ years) may need to showcase more recent study and/or renewed college success before they will be able to present a competitive application.   
  • Although there is no minimum GPA required for admission, most competitive applicants will present a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or higher. In majors where applications exceed available space, the competitive GPA may be even higher.
  • SAT/ACT scores are not considered as part of the transfer admissions process and are therefore not required.
  • Being in good standing at your current or most recent institution. Virginia Tech reserves the right to deny admission to students who have been suspended, dismissed, or subject to disciplinary action from any school, or those convicted of a felony. Per university policy, all applicants and currently enrolled students must report arrest, conviction, and protective orders. Disciplinary records are considered in determining eligibility for admission.
  • Completion of all aspects of the transfer application process by the appropriate deadlines, as outlined on the Transfer Application Checklist.

Transfer Entry Terms

In most cycles, transfer applications are accepted for three separate entry terms: Spring, Summer, and Fall. The vast majority of transfer students begin in the Fall term. Below is some additional information regarding entry terms and transferring:

  • Some majors accept applications for multiple terms but recommend a specific term of entry. The competitive nature of each term and cycle can vary based on the applicant pool and space availability in the program and the transfer class. To view a full list of major availability by entry term for the current cycle, and learn more about each program, please visit our Transfer Majors Page. 
  • Spring term admission is offered for select programs and on a space-availability basis. While the competitive nature of the Spring process typically mirrors that for Summer/Fall for most available programs, it is possible that admission for Spring entry could be especially competitive.
  • Spring admission is technically available to students in their first semester of college post-high school. However, barring very few exceptions, a strong Spring candidate will present at the time of application review (October) a minimum of two full semesters of post-high school college coursework, at least one full semester of post-high school college grades, and will meet any requirements and a strong mix of the course recommendations on the Admissions Transfer Roadmap for their program prior to their planned start at VT. Exceptions to the above typically include students who possess significant amounts of general and major-relevant work and college grades through dual-enrollment (20-30+ credits), and who have completed their high school study with a strong, major-aligned schedule in their first semester at another college or university.
  • Students may apply for Spring term admission and subsequently for Summer OR Fall term admission in the same cycle, but should not apply for both Summer and Fall. These applications are reviewed together under the same criteria and draw from the same capacities, with applicants also notified at the same time. Students who apply for both Summer and Fall will have only their Fall application reviewed.

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no admissions requirement for prior foreign language study. All students are expected to complete language study as part of their degree program at Virginia Tech or may satisfy this requirement with prior language study in high school. For further details, please see Advising's Foreign Langauge Requirement page.