Transfer and Visiting Applicants

Transfer Process

An applicant is considered to be a transfer student if they meet one of the following criteria:

1. They have been enrolled in a degree-seeking program, regardless of how many credits have been earned.
2. They have earned more than 30 semester hours of credit without being enrolled in a degree-seeking program. This is determined on a case-by-case basis, so students who fall into this category are encouraged to contact the Office of Admissions to discuss their situations.

Transfer students may apply for either the spring or the fall semester. The deadline for spring admission is November 15; the deadline for fall admission is April 1. Applications completed after these deadlines will be considered as space allows. We accept transfer applications from students in their first, second, and third years of college. If you are currently in your first year of study at another college, you may only apply for fall admission.

Transferring Credit

Credits are typically eligible for transfer if they are received from an accredited institution and are in a subject area that falls within the scope of a liberal arts education. The total allowed for all transfer of credit may not exceed 16 full academic courses (64 semester hours). We can’t guarantee that credit accepted for transfer will automatically be applied toward your major; acceptance requires the approval of the appropriate department or program. You have a time limit of one year from when you enter Oberlin to request transfer of credit and provide documentation.

View the complete transfer of credit policies on the Office of the Registrar website.

What We Look For

When reviewing the applications of transfer students, Oberlin admissions counselors engage in a holistic evaluation process. This means many factors are considered with each application, with no one component of the application singled out as most important.

• We seek a transfer class that represents a variety of talents, viewpoints, and achievements.
• We require both high school and college transcripts, though we do place more weight on the work a student has completed in college.
• We prefer a high school record demonstrating proficiency equivalent to four years of English, four years of mathematics, three years of the same foreign language, three years of laboratory science, and three years of social studies. If the high school record does not display these proficiencies, we strongly recommend that efforts are made to meet these benchmarks in college. 
• We prefer applicants to have maintained breadth in their college curriculums to the extent permitted by their current programs.

Application Deadlines

Transfer Students

Transfer students may apply to enroll in either the spring or fall semester. If you are currently in your first year of study at another college, you may only apply for fall admission. The application deadline for spring admission is November 15; the deadline for fall admissions is April 1. Applications completed after these deadlines will be considered as space allows.

Begin preparing your application materials well in advance of the suggested submission date. Be sure to give your professors and high school guidance counselor plenty of time to write letters of recommendation. Please call us at 800-622-6243 if you are having any difficulty completing your application.

Visiting Students

On your application form, please indicate whether you want to be considered for one or two semesters. We will notify you of your admission status no later than one month after the application deadline. Please call us at 800-622-6243 if you are having any difficulty completing your application.

Transfer Requirements

All items are required for transfer applicants unless otherwise noted. We cannot begin reviewing your application until we have received all required components. The College of Arts and Sciences does not require an application fee.

Applications