How to Transfer Universities in the UK

If you're unhappy with your current university, you may want to consider transferring.

The process of transferring universities in the UK is generally straightforward. However, procedures vary by course and institution, so it is important to do your research before committing to a transfer.

Unfortunately, some competitive courses do not allow mid-course transfers, and you may have to reapply as a new applicant.

It is also worth noting that in the UK, you are unlikely to transfer in the middle of an academic year. In most cases, you will need to wait until the end of the academic year.

So, if you want to transfer universities in the UK, what should you do?

Do Your Research

If you're thinking about transferring universities, research is essential. Several factors may affect whether you are eligible to transfer, especially if you want to enter directly into the second year, so it is important to ask yourself the following questions.

Why do you want to transfer?

Think carefully about why you want to transfer. It may be because you feel the university is not the right fit, or it may be for personal reasons, such as wanting to move closer to home.

During the application process, you will need to write a personal statement explaining why you are changing universities and why the new university is a better fit for you.

Do your grades meet the entry requirements?

Consider whether your grades meet the entry requirements for the course at the university you're interested in.

If your grades are below the entry requirements, contact the university's admissions team to see whether they will still consider your application.

When do you want to transfer?

If you apply to transfer in your first year at university, you will be classed as a "wrong start" and considered alongside first-time applicants during the admissions process.

If you want to transfer into the second year of the same degree, the university you are applying to will ask for details of the modules you have studied at university.

The university will then assess how closely the two institutions' courses match to determine whether appropriate credit can be transferred.

In most cases, it is not possible to transfer after the second year.

Get Advice

After doing some research, contact your department office or academic adviser for more information. They will be able to assess your options and give you practical advice on transferring.

Student visa

If you are an international student, contact your university's international student support team to find out how transferring will affect your UK student visa.

You should also consider whether your new course will end after your current visa expires. If so, you will need to apply to the Home Office for permission to stay in the UK until your course ends.

Student finance

The impact on your student finance will depend on several factors: your current course, how many years you have studied, and the course you choose to transfer to. Contact Student Finance England (SFE) to update them on any changes.

If you transfer to another university course within the same academic year, SFE will usually carry over your funding without any changes.

SFE normally covers the length of your course plus one extra year, so if you transfer into a completely new course in your second year, you may have to fund that additional year yourself.

Contact Universities Informally

In the UK, all university applications go through UCAS, so your formal application will be submitted through the UCAS system.

Before that, you should contact the relevant universities informally to discuss your situation and find out whether they would consider your application. This is worth doing for several reasons.

First, the course you want to transfer into may already be full. If you are applying after the UCAS deadline, this is quite likely.

Second, the university or course may not accept transfer students. This is especially possible if the course is highly competitive, such as medicine or veterinary science.

Third, you may not meet the entry requirements for the course you want to apply for. When emailing the admissions office, ask about the prospects of applying for the course and include information about your current situation, including:

• Your full name
• Details of your current university course
• The course you want to transfer to
• Your academic history, including your A-level results and university grades so far
• Details of the modules you have completed
• If you choose to call the admissions office, briefly explain your situation and make sure you have all of these details to hand.

The university admissions office will then tell you whether the university is willing to consider your application. You should then submit your formal application through UCAS.

Apply Through UCAS

Once you have received an informal response from the university you're interested in, you will need to submit your UCAS form based on the information you have already provided.

For entry into the first year, you will usually need to apply by the standard UCAS deadline (15 January for most courses, or 15 October for Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science).

When filling in your UCAS application form, you will be asked to confirm the entry point for your new course. This means the year you want to begin studying the course. If you want to start over in the first year, leave this section blank. If you have already agreed with the university that they are willing to consider your transfer into the second year, enter the relevant year in this section.

In the education section, include your A-level results and details of the university study you have completed so far.

Once you have entered your details and submitted your personal statement, you will receive a decision from the university and can then choose whether to accept or decline the offer.

Good luck!