Admission - Transfer — Admission — FAQ

QUESTIONS

1. What are the deadlines for applying to the University of Washington?

Autumn quarter – February 15
Winter quarter – September 15
Spring quarter – December 15
Summer quarter (degree status) – February 15
More information about the application process

All closing dates are the dates by which the required materials must be postmarked.

Quarter of application	Quarter begins	Advised to apply during	Application deadline	Notification period
Autumn	Late September	December	February 15	June – July
Winter	Early January	August	September 15	November – December
Spring	Late March	November	December 15	February – March
Summer * (degree status)	Mid-June	December	February 15	May – June

* Choosing summer means you wish to begin regular enrollment in summer and continue into autumn as a degree-seeking student. Failure to enter summer will cancel autumn admission and any registration.

2. I have completed one college course. Am I still a transfer student?

You are a transfer student if all of the following apply:

You wish to enroll at the University of Washington to earn a first bachelor’s degree.
You have left high school (regardless of your age and whether you graduated).
You have completed-or will complete-college courses at a regionally accredited college or university after leaving high school.
You have not yet completed-or will not have completed-a bachelor’s degree by the time you wish to enroll at the UW.

3. As a Running Start student, am I considered a freshman or transfer student?

If you are currently enrolled in Running Start in Washington State, apply as a freshman.
If you do not begin college the fall after you graduate from high school, apply as a transfer student.
If you are not sure of your status, contact the Office of Admissions.

4. What are my chances for admission to the University of Washington?

Admission is competitive, which means that there are more applicants who meet the minimum qualifications than the University can accommodate. It is difficult for anyone to predict how competitive transfer admission to the University might be in any particular quarter. Many factors are considered in making admission decisions, which are based on much more than GPA or predicted academic performance. Applicants are assessed holistically based on their academic performance and personal qualities and achievements. More info: Comprehensive review

5. I heard that the UW-Seattle no longer has transfer agreements with Washington community colleges. Is this true?

No. The University has long-standing agreements with Washington community colleges but not one that guarantees admission. The University continues to honor the 1994 proportionality agreement, which stipulates that 30% of all newly enrolled undergraduates at the UW annually will come from Washington State community colleges. Among community college transfers, the highest priority in admission is given to those with academic associate degrees and to those with 90 transferable credits taken in preparation for a professional academic major.

The Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) is a statewide transfer credit policy. A qualifying DTA associate degree is generally defined as that degree awarded by a community college to students who have completed a transfer curriculum designed to fulfill most general education requirements for a baccalaureate degree program in Washington State. The approved DTA degree programs follow specific guidelines established by the Inter-college Relations Commission (ICRC), a commission of the Washington Council. The purpose of this voluntary statewide agreement is to facilitate the transfer of credit. It is not an admission agreement. The UW Seattle continues to honor the DTA associate degree in this context; there is no change to the UW’s transfer credit policies.

6. Do I need to take ACT or SAT?

Applicants who have completed fewer than 40 transferable quarter credits (slightly less than one year of college) at the time of application are required to submit official scores from ACT or SAT. Applicants who have completed more than 40 transferable quarter credits may choose to submit test scores, which will be used in the admission review. More information about test scores

7. Will my courses transfer?

The Office of Admissions completes a course-by-course evaluation of transfer credit only after a newly admitted student pays the New Student Enrollment and Orientation Fee. We consider for transfer all academic courses taken at regionally accredited colleges and universities.

Useful Links:
Equivalency Guide for Washington community & technical colleges
Students attending any other college or university may want to compare their courses with UW course descriptions by consulting the University Catalog.

8. What classes should I take?

Good preparation for your intended major is the best preparation for admission. It’s important that you work on various requirements – for admission, for your intended major, for graduation from the UW – which overlap and are interconnected. The more you work on multiple requirements at the same time, the smoother and more successful your transfer to the University of Washington will be. Because requirements for transfer admission are so specific, you’ll need to investigate and make decisions early.

As you plan your transfer, you’ll want to use the Academic Planning Worksheet for your intended major to guide you in selecting classes

9. Can I talk with someone about admission?

To start, all prospective transfer students are invited and encouraged to attend a Transfer Thursday session, held every Thursday afternoon in the Undergraduate Gateway Center, 171 Mary Gates Hall. Read all about schedules, departmental sessions, and other details on the Transfer Thursday website.

If you are not able to attend Transfer Thursday or have a question about admissions, please contact Admissions

10. I have college credit. Do I still need to send my high school transcript?

Yes! An official high school transcript is required of all transfer applicants. We use this record to check that an applicant has completed the minimum academic requirements for admission and to learn more about an applicant’s educational background. For those applicants who have completed fewer than 40 transferable credits, the high school grades play an important part of the admission review.

11. I have some bad grades. Can I just start over?

Unfortunately, your academic record cannot be erased. In calculating the Transfer GPA, the Office of Admissions uses all transferable academic courses from all regionally accredited colleges a student has attended, in which the student has received grades between 0.0 and 4.0 on a 4.0 grading scale. Credits attempted but not successfully completed, i.e., those for which a grade of “F” was earned, will be included in the GPA calculation. An applicant who shows improved grades after an extended absence from college or evidence of a new maturity in approaching college work can make it successfully through the admission review. Contact Admissions for counseling.

12. How do I re-enroll in the University of Washington?

You are considered a Returning Former Student if you wish to enroll at the UW in the same status in which you left and you haven’t earned a degree from the UW or another institution in the meantime. The Returning Former Students website provides complete instructions, including an online application.

13. Which community college should I attend?

The Office of Admissions cannot recommend a specific college for you to attend when preparing for transfer, but you’ll find many options in the Washington community college system. You should choose the college that best fits your needs.

University of Washington Seattle
Office of Admissions