Transfer student admission

A transfer student has attended a college or university after high school graduation (summer excluded) but has not yet earned a baccalaureate degree (Students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree should apply as a post-baccalaureate student).

Admission requirements

Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in all attempted college transfer course work/ secondary-level course work
Proof of English language proficiency (if required; see the section English Language Proficiency Requirement for more information)

Note: Students applying directly to majors must complete additional requirements to be considered for admission. Further details about undergraduate transfer students applications on the Admissions pages.

Application checklist

Completed application, including required writing section(s)
Non-refundable application fee ($60 domestic students, $75 international students)
Official transcript(s) from all colleges/universities attended
Official high school transcript(s), if applicable (High school transcripts are not required for students with more than 40 college credits earned by the time of application.)

Applicability of transfer credit to degree requirements

The Office of Admissions has the authority to make decisions on transfer of credit to the University and the application of transfer credits to fulfill University core subject, general education and proficiency requirements. Academic program offices have the authority to determine application of transfer credits to fulfill major requirements. During the first quarter of enrollment, a student should meet with an academic advisor to plan a program of study and learn how their transfer credits will apply towards degree requirements.

Academic credit

In general, it is University policy to accept credits earned at regionally accredited institutions, provided that such credits have been earned through college-level courses (see notable resitrictions on transfer credits below).

For courses taken at a Washington community college, UW Bothell follows the listing of transferable courses published in the University of Washington Equivalency Guide.

A maximum of 90 credits from lower-division course work (100 and 200 level courses) may be applied toward the credits required for the baccalaureate degree. Students can petition their program to transfer additional credits beyond 90 lower-division credits to apply toward their major. No more than 135 transfer credits (lower or upper division) may be accepted to count toward a baccalaureate degree.

Notable guidelines on transfer credit

College in the high school

Additional credit restrictions may apply when students enrolled in high school have been awarded college-level credit by a college or university other than the University of Washington, and the course work was completed on the high school campus rather than the college campus.

Extension credit from other schools

No more than 45 credits earned as extension credit from other schools may be applied toward a UW Bothell degree. Military credit, discussed below, is included in the 45 extension credit limit.

Guidance/personal development

A maximum of 3 credits is awarded for courses in this area as part of the 15 credits allowed for vocational/technical courses (see below).

Military credit

Credits earned in Armed Forces Training Schools [AFTS] and through USAFI and DANTES may not exceed 30 credits and are included in the 45 extension credit limit. Official transcripts or DD-214 or DD-295 forms must be submitted, and credit will not be awarded until after the student has enrolled. Scores received in such course work are not included in the transfer GPA. No credit is awarded for Military Occupational Specialty [MOS] programs. Regionally accredited military schools are evaluated under the same guidelines as all other regionally accredited two- and four- year schools.

Native language

First-year (elementary) or second-year (intermediate) world language credit is not granted either by examination or by course completion in a student’s native language. “Native language” is defined as the language spoken in the student’s home during the first six years of his or her life and in which he or she received instruction through the seventh grade.

Parallel / overlapping content

If a department considers two of its courses to have overlapping content, credit will be awarded for only one. For example, credit is granted for either CHEM 120 or CHEM 142, not both. Other departments in which such overlapping courses occur include Astronomy, Computer Science, Economics, Genetics, Geological Sciences, Linguistics, Physics, Psychology, and Statistics.

Out-of-sequence courses

Credit is not awarded for prerequisite courses in mathematics or world languages completed after a more advanced-level course has been completed. For example, students will not be awarded credit for Spanish 102 if it was taken after Spanish 103.

Physical education

No more than 3 quarter credits will be allowed for physical education activity courses.

Repeated courses

The transfer GPA is calculated using the repeat policy of the home institution. In the case that a student takes a course at one college, and then repeats it at another college, and then transfers to UW Bothell, the most recent grade will be included in the transfer GPA calculation.

ROTC credit

Credits earned in first- and second-year military training courses may not be counted in the basic 180 credits that are required for graduation. Some third- and fourth-year courses may count, depending on the institution the student attended previously.

Senior residency requirement

The University generally requires that at least the last 45 of final 60 credits of a baccalaureate degree be completed in residence at UW Bothell.

Vocational/technical credits

A maximum of 15 vocational/technical quarter credits (or 10 semester credits) may be awarded. Courses in this category are those which would ordinarily provide specialized training for an occupation (e.g., allied health, bookkeeping, electronics, or physical therapy assistant). When allowed, these credits will apply only toward the elective credit component of a baccalaureate degree at UW Bothell. Such courses are not included in the transfer GPA.

World language courses

Students who have completed two or more years of a world language in high school receive no college credit for an entry-level course (e.g., FRENCH 101) in the same language when that course is completed after matriculation at the University. Transfer students who complete such a course before matriculation at UW Bothell are eligible to receive transfer credit.

Courses receiving no credit

The University reserves the right to deny credit for courses that are not compatible with those offered in its baccalaureate degree programs. Some general categories of courses never receive transfer credit. Examples include:

Courses below college level (numbered below 100 or development classes, e.g. English 100)
Repeated courses or courses with duplicate subject content will only receive credit once
Courses that provide instruction in a particular religious doctrine
Math courses below college level (e.g. basic math, elementary and intermediate algebra)
Courses offered for non-credit continuing education units
Remedial English (e.g., reading, vocabulary development, grammar, speed reading, or any courses that are preparatory to an institution’s First Year Composition course)
Courses providing instruction in English as a Second Language (100-level or above) or English courses taken at an institution where English is not the primary language of instruction
Remedial courses in any academic discipline (100-level and above)
Lower division military science courses
Non-academic/vocational-technical courses beyond the 15 credit limit
Examinations offered by the College-Level Examination Program [CLEP]
Courses taken at unaccredited institutions or at any institution that did not hold at least candidacy status with its regional accrediting association when the course work was taken