- How do I know if I should I apply as a transfer student?
- What are you looking for in a transfer student?
- What does a transfer application consist of?
- When would I apply for admission?
- Is financial aid available for transfer students?
- Are transfer students required to live on campus?
- How do I find out if my credits transfer to Puget Sound?
- Is there an orientation program available for transfer students?
- Do I need an interview? What if I cannot visit campus?
1. How do I know if I should I apply as a transfer student?
Students who have undertaken college coursework since high school graduation should fill out our Transfer Application.
If you are a transfer applicant who has completed less than a year of college coursework, we require that you submit final high school transcripts and SAT/ACT scores, in addition to the rest of the requirements for a transfer applicant.
If you are taking college credit while in high school (through Running Start, PSEO, College in the High School, or another program), you should fill out our First-Year Application and submit transcripts from any college you have attended, in addition to the rest of the requirements for a freshman applicant. Learn more about our credit transfer policy for first-year applicants.
2. What are you looking for in a transfer student?
Puget Sound values students who demonstrate intellectual independence and curiosity, manage their time well and commit to excellence both in and outside the classroom. We review your entire college program, including the courses you have taken, the grades you have received in them, and your extracurricular, work, and community activities. Furthermore, we will evaluate your ability to write.
3. What does a transfer application consist of?
- Common Application Transfer Application including the College Report, the Academic Evaluation, and Puget Sound Member Questions, all available online on the Common Application website
- $60 non-refundable application fee
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended including colleges, universities, professional or technical schools, etc.
- Official high school transcripts (Only required for applicants with fewer than seven transferable Puget Sound units or applicants who attended college while still in high school.)
- Official scores from SAT or ACT exam or Test-Optional Questions (Only required for applicants with fewer than seven transferable Puget Sound units.)
4. When would I apply for admission?
Transfer students may begin their academic work at the beginning of any term. Transfer students are encouraged to apply for admission by Mar. 1 for fall term and Nov. 1 for spring term. Applications received after the preferred deadlines will be accepted on a space available basis. We will mail our admission decision as soon as possible after all necessary documents have been received.
Each accepted transfer student will receive the Letter of Acceptance and an Official Transfer Evaluation indicating the total number of units transferring to the university, the cumulative transfer grade point average and specifying which courses fulfill university core requirements.
5. Is financial aid available to transfer students?
All prospective transfers who apply for admission by the priority deadline are automatically considered for a number of merit scholarships, ranging from $13,000 to $25,000 each year.
The university also actively joins in partnership with students and families to help finance a Puget Sound education. About two-thirds of the students enrolled at Puget Sound receive need-based assistance.
The amount of financial aid students receive depends on many factors, including their documented financial need and their academic record. For need-based financial aid consideration, Puget Sound requires submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
6. Are transfer students required to live on campus?
University of Puget Sound is a residential liberal arts college and is committed to an educational mission that supports learning in and out of the classroom. Campus housing is an integral part of this academic experience and enhances student success and learning. All students are required to live on-campus for their first two academic years with the university. Rare exceptions to the residential policy may be granted on appeal. Additional information about Puget Sound’s residency requirement can be obtained from the Office of Residence Life.
7. How do I find out if my credits transfer to Puget Sound?
It is our goal to maximize the retention of credit while maintaining the strong standard of a Puget Sound degree. While we are unable to provide evaluations of transfer credits for prospective students, admitted transfer students will receive an official transfer credit evaluation indicating transferable credits. Please note that while a course may be eligible for credit, acceptance of transfer credit toward major or minor requirements is at the discretion of the academic department, and may require review of course materials including assignments and syllabi.
We encourage students to compare and contrast course descriptions from their home institution against our bulletin to identify courses that may be awarded credit. The Puget Sound Transfer Course Equivalency Tool, while not an official evaluation, can help you approximate how your courses may transfer. Puget Sound considers courses offered by regionally accredited (or similarly qualified) institutions of higher education if the course is sufficiently similar to a course in our curriculum, is in a liberal arts discipline, and is a scholarly approach to the topic. The university reserves the right to limit the transferability of a course.
Students may transfer a maximum of 16 units. One Puget Sound unit is equal to six quarter credits or four semester credits, allowing students to transfer 96 quarter credits or 64 semester credits.
8. Is there an orientation program available to transfer students?
Yes. Fall transfer students participate in week-long new student orientation and are introduced to Puget Sound through our distinctive and award-winning orientation program. Spring transfer students are invited to participate in a condensed version of Orientation prior to the start of classes in January.
9. Do I need an interview? What if I cannot visit campus?
We do not require that students have an interview, but it is recommended. Interviews allow the Admission staff to get to know your interests beyond what a paper application can tell us. Visiting Puget Sound in person is the best way to get a feel for the campus and the community, and we would love for you to visit campus and have an interview. If visiting campus is not possible, we do travel to many areas of the country and could arrange to meet with you in your home state.