Transfer Students
The University of San Diego welcomes applications for transfer admission from community college, college, and university students. USD admits transfer students on the basis of their academic preparation, as demonstrated by satisfactory grades in college-level courses. Transfer spaces are limited and, therefore, admission is selective.
Academic Requirements
Core Curriculum/General Education
Transfer Admissions Appointments
Transfer Credit Policy
Bulletin (Course Catalog)
Advanced Standing
Faculty Advisor Program
Transfer Information Form 
[pdf 147 KB]
Grade Progress Report [pdf
20 KB]
(Do not send until you are at least 7 weeks into the semester)
Transfer Admission Appointments
Appointments are not required as part of the application process. Please refer to the transfer information form for details. Should you have questions that are not addressed here, please email them to our Transfer Admissions Counselor. Students who will apply for the Fall 2009 semester or later, may call for an appointment for advising purposes. Transfer admissions appointments must be scheduled in advance. Please call Undergraduate Admissions at 619-260-4506 or 800-248-4873 to schedule an individual transfer appointment.
Transfer Students Majoring in Business Administration
Students interested in business should be aware that the School of Business Administration (SBA) has specific requirements concerning professional development. These requirements are administered through the school’s Professional Development Passport Program. The purpose of the program is to provide guidance for students in career building skills and networking contacts to complement their education. Students will become familiar with professional development, which includes but is not limited to job searching techniques, resume building, interviewing skills, and other career opportunities. The Passport Program requires students to meet with the SBA advising office and to attend four professional development/career service events during their junior year, four events during their senior year, and four optional events to be completed at any time prior to graduation.
The completion of the Professional Development Passport activities is a requirement for the Bachelor’s of Business Administration, Bachelor’s of Accountancy and Bachelor’s of Arts in Economics degrees.
All passport activities must be completed by all business majors regardless when you declare your major (i.e., even if you declare you business major in your senior year, you must complete ALL of the activities required for completion of the Professional Development Passport). For more information about the Passport Program and the requirements of the SBA in general, please visit the SBA Undergraduate Advise Center webpage at www.sandiego.edu/business/programs/undergraduate/Advising_Center.php.
Academic Requirements
To be given admission consideration, transfer applicants are expected to have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in a minimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) units of transferable college work.
If you have completed 24 semester (36 quarter) units by the time we receive your application, we may also ask you to submit your current semester grades upon the completion of the semester.
Transfer applicants are required to be in good standing at their current or most recent institution. Applicants who applied to USD as freshman candidates and who were denied admission cannot reapply as a transfer student until one full year of college work is completed even if the prospective applicant has 24 semester (36 quarter) transferable units after one semester.
It is NOT necessary to complete all core curriculum requirements before transferring to USD. However, we expect the competitive transfer applicant to have successfully completed English Composition & Literature and College Algebra before applying for admission. We also ask that transfer applicants present a balanced curriculum including courses in science, art, humanities, and the social sciences.
Core curriculum requirements for Theology and Philosophy may be affected by the number of units transferred upon enrollment at USD. No student will be required to take more than one Theology and Religious Studies and one Philosophy course per year or partial year of residence at the University. For example, a student entering USD at junior standing (60-90 units) needs only two Theology and Religious Studies classes after entrance.
In summary, those applicants who possess well above 24 semester (36 quarter) units, a 3.0 cumulative GPA and competitive grades in English Composition & Literature, and College Algebra will have preference for admissions.
In depth information on both our curriculum and general education requirements can be found either in the Undergraduate Bulletin (Course Catalog) or in our Curriculum and Core Curriculum/General Education pages.
Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) credits will not count towards the required 24 semester unit (36 quarter unit) minimum.
Grades/Official Transcripts
Grade point averages are calculated from all transferable academic courses
in all semesters/quarters of college work attempted. There is no maximum
number of units transferable but students must earn a minimum of the final
30 semester units at USD. Transfer applicants are required to be in good
standing at their current or most recent institution. We require transcripts
of all work attempted. Individual official transcripts must be obtained from
each college/university attended. Students need to submit a final high school
transcript but it is not used in determining admission to the University.
Grade point averages are calculated from all transferable academic courses in all semesters/quarters of college work attempted. There is no maximum number of units transferable but all students are expected to complete their final 30 units from USD in order to be awarded a USD degree.
College transcripts for all completed, as well as all attempted work must be submitted as part of the admissions process. In order to facilitate your admission decision, mid-term grades will be required for the term in progress. Please refer to the Grade Progress Report Form.
Test Scores
If you have graduated from high school and have completed at least 24 transferable
semester units at a college or university, the SAT I or ACT are
not required.
Extracurricular
Activities
Extracurricular activities are an enhancement to the academic components of the application. Include any leadership, talents, and community service you have had.
Recommendation
Recommendations are intended to provide a professional evaluation of your academics and potential for growth. Students should obtain one recommendation from a college professor.
Essay
The essay required
of all candidates is intended to give us a better understanding of you as a
person. This is your chance to go beyond the facts and figures
on your application. Give us a glimpse of how your experiences
have shaped the person you are.
Transfer Credit Policy
Once you are admitted and submitted your enrollment confirmation form, the Academic Dean will determine which credit is transferable.
Courses
from accredited institutions are generally transferable if the grades are C
or better. Online courses and courses from nonaccredited institutions
or trade schools do not transfer. All courses transferred to USD are transferred
for unit credit only and are not calculated into the GPA.
Articulation Agreements are available for all San Diego community colleges and a few colleges outside of San Diego county.
Advanced Standing
Students reach sophomore standing after satisfactory completion of 30 units.
Junior status and upper division standing are reached upon completion of 60
units. For senior class standing, 90 units must be completed.
Faculty Advisor Program
All students are assigned an academic advisor even if they have not decided
upon a major. After receiving transfer evaluations students will meet with an advisor to register for classes. This typically takes place during mid-summer. All advisors are available to students on a regular basis,
however each student is responsible for initiating advising meetings
and for his or her academic progress.
