Everyone has their own way of getting to Rome, and for international students, the way to apply to American universities is not only the regular freshman application, but also a good form of admission. And for some of the top universities, the acceptance rate for transfer students may even be much higher than the acceptance rate for freshmen. Today, let's take a look at some of the most popular American universities for transfer students~
01
/ UCLA /
Let's take a look at UCLA, which is familiar to everyone, if you have graduated from high school and completed regular college-level coursework at any college or university after graduation, then you are eligible to apply to UCLA for transfer. Transfer students with an average GPA of 3.5 or higher have a higher probability of admission, and admitted students have typically completed most or all of their pre-professional courses. UCLA has a preference policy for applicants from California community colleges and only accepts transfer students for the fall semester.
In the fall 2023 semester, UCLA received a total of 23,974 transfer applications, of which 6,189 applicants were admitted, and 3,696 students ultimately chose to enroll. The median GPA of admitted transfer students is 3.88, and 25% to 75% of students have GPAs ranging from 3.72 to 4.0.
U.S.News排名：#15 in National Universities (tie)
Undergraduate Population: 32,423
Freshman Acceptance Rate: 9%
Transfer Acceptance Rate: 26%
02
/ University of Virginia /
The University of Virginia also has a high transfer acceptance rate, and if you want to apply to transfer to Virginia, you need to have completed at least one year of college coursework before applying, and it is important to note here that summer courses do not count towards this year of study. While universities generally expect transfer applicants to the College of Arts and Sciences to be able to demonstrate that they can complete their intended degree in eight semesters of full-time study, the Admissions Committee also welcomes applications from outstanding students who have completed six semesters of full-time study elsewhere. However, these students need to be prepared to complete their degree in one year. Students who have already earned a bachelor's degree can only apply for a second undergraduate degree in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, but applicants who have already obtained a degree in engineering or physics cannot apply.
Successful applicants typically have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher at their previous university. The school requires applicants to submit all college and high school transcripts. Students typically only enroll in the fall, and the College of Arts and Sciences accepts only a limited number of transfer students during the spring semester. If students want to enroll in the spring, they must earn and complete 24 credit hours by the end of the fall semester preceding the spring semester for which they are applying.
U.S.News排名：#24 in National Universities (tie)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 17,496
Freshman Acceptance Rate: 19%
Transfer Acceptance Rate: 35%
03
/ Boston University /
BU is a "transfer student" with more than 700 transfer students joining Boston University each year, and you can apply to enroll in Boston University if you have completed an education equivalent to a U.S. high school and are enrolled in at least one full-time semester (12 or more credits) at another college or university. Transfer applicants must submit materials such as the Common Application, academic transcripts, transfer reports, high school transcripts, and graduation certificates.
U.S.News排名：#43 in National Universities (tie)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 18,459
Freshman Acceptance Rate: 14%
Transfer Acceptance Rate: 29%
04
/ University of Southern California
USC accepts transfer for sophomores and juniors, and if you transfer in early in your sophomore year, you'll have more opportunities to take a variety of general education courses and electives at USC. USC does not set a minimum number of credits that transfer students must achieve, but if you earn less than 30 transferable credits at the end of the spring semester, admissions officers will base their admissions decisions primarily on your high school grades and/or standardized test scores. It is important to note that if you wish to transfer to the Film and Television Production program at the School of Cinematic Arts, you will need to earn a minimum of 48 credits. Regardless of whether you have completed all of your coursework or degree requirements, you must submit official transcripts from all universities you have attended.
U.S.News排名：#28 in National Universities (tie)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 20,699
Freshman Acceptance Rate: 12%
Transfer Acceptance Rate: 24%
The fact that transfer acceptance rates are higher than freshman acceptance rates does not mean that transfer students are better, but rather because transfer applications may not be as competitive as freshman applications, and transfer students often have already demonstrated their academic abilities in college-level courses, which can give them an edge in the application process. Whichever way you choose to apply to university, the key is to find the path that suits you best, and this is your path to "Rome".