Skip to main content
UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION

TRANSFER APPLICANTS

A group of students smiling with Father Peter

Villanova University welcomes transfer applications from students with previous college experience from other institutions. To be eligible for transfer admission to Villanova, you must have enrolled in college as a degree-seeking student or a full-time student after completing high school. If you were previously enrolled at Villanova, you will need to contact the Dean of the college to seek re-enrollment.

Transfer applications will be considered for admission to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Villanova School of Business and College of Engineering (Electrical Engineering only). The M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing no longer considers transfer applications.

Admission criteria and prior course selections vary slightly depending upon the college and academic program to which you apply. Only completed files will be reviewed, therefore students should monitor their Applicant Status Page to view any missing requirements. All candidates will be notified of their admission decision through their status page as well.

For consideration, a minimum college cumulative GPA of a 3.00/4.00 is strongly recommended for all transfer students.

APPLICATION DEADLINES 2024

FALL TERM:

  • The application will become available December 15.  The deadline to submit the application and all required credentials is March 15.

SPRING TERM:

Villanova will not be considering transfer applications for the Spring 2024 semester.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

The following application materials are required for all transfer applicants. International transfer students can find additional required application materials below.

Complete the Common Application for transfer OR the Villanova Transfer Application.

Official College/University-Level Transcript(s)

Please submit an official transcript from EACH post-secondary school that you have attended. In order to submit official transcripts, you may:

  1. Request directly from your institution(s) to be submitted to Villanova University
  2. Request official transcript to be sent by a delivery service (Parchment Delivery Services, Clearinghouse, etc.)

Mid-Term Report

Please provide mid-term grades in order to begin the review process of your application.

Official High School Transcript

Please submit your official final high school transcript. Download the Final High School Transcript Request Form and have your high school forward directly to Villanova along with your official transcript.

Upload a copy of course descriptions from your course catalog(s) from all post-secondary institutions that you have attended to the Program Materials section of the Common Application. Your application cannot be reviewed without these descriptions.  

Print and complete top portion of the Transfer Conduct Form and then provide to your Dean of Students to complete and submit directly to Villanova via mail or email.

At Villanova, we view our writing supplement as a unique opportunity for students to move beyond the transcript and introduce the individual behind the application. This section allows you to provide information regarding your interest in joining the Villanova community and your academic background and future plans.

Villanova University is test-optional for transfer applicants.

While SAT/ACT results have been a part of our application process,​​​​​ we have always taken a holistic approach to our decision making. Grades, strength of curriculum, writing supplement, extra-curricular activities and recommendations all remain important components of our admission review. Under this policy, students may choose whether or not to submit SAT and/or ACT results for consideration when submitting their applications.

Applicants who choose to submit SAT and/or ACT scores may share either official or self-reported scores. Scores can be self-reported via a form on the student's Applicant Status Page. Students sharing self-reported scores will not be required to submit official scores unless they are admitted and choose to enroll. The Admission Committee will superscore the highest subscores from the SAT and/or ACT from multiple testing dates.

The writing portion of the ACT or the SAT is not required, nor are any SAT Subject Tests. 

$80

Eligible Pell-recipients or applicants meeting minimum financial requirements may request a fee waiver through NACAC.  Please submit the complete form to transfertovu@villanova.edu for consideration.

Please be aware that if you use Flywire to pay your fee, it will take a few days for us to update the checklist on the Villanova applicant status page. 

An international student is one who is not a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident and requires a student visa (F-1 or J-1) to study in the United States. If you are a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident residing abroad you will be considered as a domestic student for purposes of financial assistance.

In addition to the items above, international transfer students are required to submit the following:

  • Proof of English Language Proficiency is required for applicants for whom English is not their native language. English language proficiency can be demonstrated by submitting official test results directly from an in-person administration of TOEFL iBT or IELTS.  It is strongly recommended that applicants satisfy English language proficiency through either of these methods.  If an applicant is unable to access these tests, then the results from TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, TOEFL ITP Plus for China exam, or the Duolingo English Test (DET) will be accepted.
    • If an applicant meets one or more of the following criteria, the English proficiency requirement may be waived:
      • English is a native language and spoken in the home environment;
      • A 620 on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing subsection or a 27 on the ACT Reading subsection is achieved; or
      • Enrollment for more than three consecutive years at an American or International School where English is the primary language of instruction.
  • Transfer students with international academic credentials must have their documents translated (if not in English) and evaluated. To find an accredited evaluation company, please visit www.naces.org.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) will only consider transfer applicants who have completed two semesters (one complete academic year) for admission. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is only accepting applications into the following majors: 

Art History, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Chemistry, Classical Studies, Communications, Comprehensive Science, Criminology, Economics, Education, English, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, French and Francophone Studies, Gender and Women's Studies, Geography, Global Interdisciplinary Studies, History, Humanities, Italian, Liberal Arts, Mathematics, Peace & Justice, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Sociology, Spanish, Statistics, Theology and Religious Studies.

Admitted transfer students into CLAS are not eligible to transfer internally to one of the other Villanova academic colleges. If you intend to earn a degree from the Villanova School of Business or College of Engineering, you must apply directly to that college.

Villanova School of Business

The Villanova School of Business (VSB) will only consider transfer applicants who have completed two semesters (one complete academic year) for admission.

College of Engineering

Due to space limitations, the College of Engineering is currently only considering transfer applications for Electrical Engineering majors.

Fitzpatrick College of Nursing

The Fitzpatrick College of Nursing no longer considers transfer applications. Transfers who are admitted into the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may not request a transfer into the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing.

Transfer credit is reviewed and awarded after a student is admitted. While you cannot know for certain at the time of application which of your credits will transfer, you can compare individual course descriptions in your present institution's course catalog with Villanova's online course catalog. By comparing these descriptions, you may be able to ascertain the similarity of the courses and whether your present courses seem to correspond with any Villanova courses.

Villanova accepts a maximum of 60 transfer credits from other institutions. In order to earn a degree from Villanova, at least half of all major courses and the final 30 credits of a degree program must be taken at Villanova. You must earn a grade of "C" or better at an accredited institution in order for appropriate credit to be given.

Given the current pandemic and its impact on grading, Villanova still prefers to have letter grades for consideration. If, however, grades will be noted as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory or Pass/Fail, then students will need to submit an official explanation from the institution indicating what a Pass or Satisfactory is equivalent to (whether a C or a D).

Need-based institutional grant assistance for students seeking to transfer to Villanova University is limited. Students seeking need-based financial assistance should complete and submit their required documents by the stated deadlines, and the Office of Financial Assistance will determine eligibility for institutional need-based aid contingent upon funding available at that time.

Additionally, there are various options for financing a Villanova University education. Please review the Office of Financial Assistance's financing options page for more details.

Note: It is strongly recommended that transfer applicants who are U.S. Citizens or permanent residents apply for both admission and need-based financial assistance simultaneously. Please do not wait until you hear of your admission decision to apply for aid. Villanova does not offer need-based financial assistance for international transfer students.

Villanova University is dedicated to assisting veterans and their dependents as they reach personal, professional and academic goals. We are committed to guiding each individual from admissions to graduation, and beyond. Please contact our Office of Veterans and Military Service Members for more information on using your VA Benefits at Villanova. 

As part of our commitment, we are waiving the application fee for service members and veterans who are applying as a first-year or transfer student.  Please complete the application fee waiver.

Villanova University is unfortunately not able to offer on-campus housing for transfer students.

To assist with finding off campus housing, the Office for Residence Life maintains a web page with off-campus housing information, where you will find a list of apartment complexes in the area, a database that may help you find a roommate, and other resources. 

Please Note:  Several of the resources on the housing page are only viewable to Villanova students who are logged into the website. Transfer students will receive their log-in information shortly after their Admission Enrollment Deposit has been received.

INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

An international student is one who is not a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident and requires a student visa (F-1 or J-1) to study in the United States. If you are a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident residing abroad, you will be considered as a domestic student for purposes of financial assistance.

All documents submitted must be official and in the original language. An official copy is one that bears the original signature of the Registrar or other designated school official, an original impression of the institution's seal and/or the signature or seal of the examining board. In certain cases, "certified" or "notarized" copies may be submitted.

Transfer students with international academic credentials must have their documents translated (if not in English) and evaluated. To find an accredited evaluation company, please visit www.naces.org.

Secondary School Records

Secondary school records are required for all transfer applicants. Transcripts of course work and grades/marks are required for the equivalent of secondary school study. Records should list subjects studied each year and the mark or grade of proficiency earned in each. A key to the marking system with minimum passing mark should be included. If you complete secondary school in a country where a national secondary school leaving examination is administered, you will be required to provide the official results of the examination.

Proof of English Language Proficiency is required for applicants for whom English is not their native language. English language proficiency can be demonstrated by submitting official test results directly from an in-person administration of TOEFL iBT or IELTS.  It is strongly recommended that applicants satisfy English language proficiency through either of these methods.  If an applicant is unable to access these tests, then the results from TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, TOEFL ITP Plus for China exam, or the Duolingo English Test (DET) will be accepted.

  • If an applicant meets one or more of the following criteria, the English proficiency requirement may be waived:
    • English is a native language and spoken in the home environment;
    • A 620 on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing subsection or a 27 on the ACT Reading subsection is achieved; or
    • Enrollment for more than three consecutive years at an American or International School where English is the primary language of instruction.

International applicants are required to submit the Certification of Finances Form and a recent bank statement or letter through their Applicant Status Portal after submitting their application for admission. These documents must be submitted at that time in order for an application to be considered complete.

It is important to note that Villanova does not offer need-based financial assistance for international transfer students.

Villanova University does not provide admission interviews to applicants. However, if you have completed an interview with an outside interview service such as InitialView or Vericant, you may request that your interview be sent to Villanova to be considered with your application.

Transfer Committee
Office of Undergraduate Admission
Villanova University
800 E. Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085

Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Villanova is in the Eastern Time Zone.
Students holding Villanova signs on campus.

Have questions?

You're not alone! From the admission process and our test-optional policy to visiting campus and upcoming events, we've got you covered.

FAQs