Transfer Students
Transfer students make up nearly a third of the undergraduate student body at UMass Amherst, so you’ll be in good company. They represent a variety of educational backgrounds and include community college and two-year college graduates, returning students, and students from four-year colleges and universities, and they help make UMass Amherst a richer and more diverse place.
Who is a Transfer Student?
You are considered a transfer student if you are a high school graduate or GED recipient who has enrolled as a full-time degree student or who has attempted 12 or more credits of college study as a part-time student.
What Kind of Candidates Does UMass Amherst Look For?
The primary criterion for transfer admission is the quality of your academic record. UMass Amherst will also consider the number of transfer credits, prerequisite coursework, type of completed courses, consistency of grades, and available space. In addition to your college coursework, your high school record (or GED scores) and SAT or ACT scores will be evaluated if you present fewer than 27 credits when you apply.
Some Transfer Applicants Get Priority
Massachusetts Community College Graduates Meeting Commonwealth Transfer Compact (CTC) Requirements
The CTC is a credit transfer agreement that guarantees students a minimum of 60 transfer credits and completion of General Education requirements. If you have an associate’s degree that does not conform to CTC specifications it will be evaluated based on individual course acceptance. You should contact your community college transfer counselor for more details.
Participants in the Community College Joint Admissions Program
UMass Amherst has joined with the fifteen Massachusetts community colleges to guarantee acceptance of students upon completion of designated transfer associate’s degree programs with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade average. If you elect this option when you enroll at the community college, you will receive continuous advising assistance, periodic communications from UMass Amherst’s academic and other departments, and information sessions with faculty.
Students at the University of Massachusetts Campuses in Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell
If you are an enrolled degree-seeking student at the UMass Boston, Dartmouth, or Lowell campuses who wishes to transfer as a degree-seeking student to the Amherst campus, you may apply under the Interchange Transfer program. To be eligible, you must be in good academic standing, have completed 12-15 credits full-time with a 2.5 cumulative grade point average, and be currently enrolled in 12-15 credit hours. If you meet these eligibility requirements, no application fee is required.
(Note: Applicants from the Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell campuses who are special non-degree students must apply as transfer students and, therefore, must submit all fees and other application materials.)
