FAQs
How does William & Mary define a transfer student?
A transfer student is anyone who wishes to enroll in an undergraduate degree program at William & Mary and has enrolled at another college or university after graduating from high school. If you have earned advanced placement credit or college credit while attending high school, you are not considered a transfer student (although you may still potentially receive credit).
If I already have a bachelor's degree, can I earn a second bachelor's degree from William & Mary?
No. University policy prohibits the awarding of a second baccalaureate degree.
When are your application deadlines for transfers?
October 1 is the deadline to submit the Common Application for spring 2024 transfer admission.
March 1 is the final deadline to submit the Common Application for fall 2024 transfer admission.
When are transfer applicants notified of admission decisions?
If you apply for the Fall semester, decisions will be released in early May. If you apply for the Spring semester, decision notifications will be released around mid-November.
How many students apply to William & Mary as transfer students?
The number varies each year; however, we usually receive around 850 transfer applications for Fall and 250 transfer applications for Spring. William & Mary enrolls approximately 175 transfer students for the Fall and 175 transfer students for the Spring (which includes students pursuing the Spring Pathway program).
Does William & Mary accept the Common Application?
Yes. The only way to apply to William & Mary is with the Common Application for Transfer. Supplemental materials are also required within three weeks of the application deadline, such as the official high school transcript (and if applicable, GED Certificate), official college transcripts from all institutions attended, a College Report from the most recent institution, and if currently enrolled, the Mid-Term Report (or students can instead choose to upload a snapshot of mid-semester grade estimates from their online learning portal).
How do I add your institution to the Common Application for Transfer?
When adding our program to the Common App, please search for "William & Mary" (with the ampersand symbol) to find and select the correct institution. Please note that if you see Richard Bland College in the results, they are a separate program. The spring transfer application is available from August 1 to October 1 each year, and the fall transfer application is available from December to March 1 of each year.
Do you require a high school transcript or test scores?
Yes, a high school transcript is required to apply as a transfer student. If you have a GED, you will need to send the certificate as well as your high school transcript. Your GED/transcript is required within three weeks of the application deadline.
Do you have a minimum GPA requirement?
There is not an absolute GPA requirement. However, the admission committee generally finds that our traditional transfer applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher (and with at least a couple of recent semesters) tend to be the most competitive for transfer admission. Each applicant is reviewed in context to the applicant pool as well as the information they share in their application. All submitted materials (required ones such as the application, official high school & college transcripts) and supplemental materials (mid-semester grade estimates, optional letters of recommendation) are taken into consideration. Each application is reviewed multiple times by the transfer dean and admission committee.
What else is considered during the transfer admission review process?
The committee employs a holistic review and considers multiple factors in addition to the applicant's GPA, such as the strength of the curriculum, preparation for the intended major, full-time academic status, recent coursework, and the total number of potential transfer credits. The committee will also consider anything the applicant shares in their application to best understand any unique circumstances. The personal statement responses in the Common Application should reflect an applicant's reasoning for transfer and why they are interested in William & Mary specifically.
How do you determine a student's GPA if he or she has attended more than one college or university?
The admission committee will review each individual cumulative GPA from each institution attended and in context to the amount of credits they earned at each institution. The admission committee will look at factors such as dates of attendance and grade trends when reviewing multiple college transcripts.
What type of college classes are you looking for from your applicants?
We are looking for applicants that have taken a variety of general education requirements (math, natural sciences, social sciences, history, humanities, English, languages, etc.) and are likely to be transferable. The admission committee looks for a well-rounded curriculum to ensure a student's success in William & Mary's liberal arts and sciences environment. The admission committee also looks closely at the strength of the curriculum. For example, we would rather see a Calculus or Statistics level math class than College Algebra or Math for Liberal Studies. In relation to the sciences, we would rather see Biology with lab, Chemistry with lab, or Physics with lab, as opposed to Science for Liberal Studies (no lab) or Physics in our World Today (no lab).
When will my credits be evaluated from my transcripts and who will evaluate the credits?
The Office of the Registrar will complete transfer credit evaluations after a student is admitted to the College. We do not evaluate transfer credits before a student is admitted. Most credit evaluations will be completed after students submit an enrollment deposit. Study Abroad coursework will be evaluated through the Global Education Office located in the Reves Center for International Studies.
Can I apply to be a part-time student?
Transfer and Freshman applicants may be eligible for admission as FlexTrack students if they live within 30 miles of our Williamsburg campus, meet the usual admission standards of the university, and can show compelling reasons why full-time status is not feasible. A part-time degree student must earn a minimum of 12 hours each year (two semesters and a summer term) and is limited to 10 credit hours the first semester at the College. More information on Flexible Degree Track status.
Is there a limit to the number of credits that can be transferred?
While there is no limit to the number of courses that may be transferred, William & Mary requires that at least 60-semester credits, including a minimum of 15 credits in the concentration, be earned at William & Mary.
Are the Mid-Term and/or College Reports Required?
The Mid-term Report is required for currently enrolled students. The midterm report should capture your estimated overall grade. It can be uploaded to your application portal or sent to transfer@wm.edu. Students also have the option to upload a screenshot of their estimated grade standing mid-semester from their online learning portals, such as Blackboard or Canvas. The committee requires this by March 28 for fall admission applications, and by October 28 for spring applications.
The College Report is also required from your current or most recent institution and should be completed by a college official at your institution who has access to your academic and disciplinary record. This is required from all admitted students prior to enrolling.
Is a letter of recommendation required from a professor?
Although not required for the completion of your file, we welcome you to have a professor write a letter on your behalf. The Common App allows you to enter a recommender's information, or you can have one emailed to us at transfer@wm.edu. There is no deadline for the recommendation as it is not a requirement.
If I am admitted as a transfer student, am I automatically admitted into my major?
All students are admitted as undeclared and do not transfer with a major; it must be officially declared through the Office of the University Registrar after enrolling at William & Mary and reaching junior status. The School of Business and the School of Education have a separate application process once students have been admitted to William & Mary.
Mason School of Business
Macie Osborn
Coordinator for Undergraduate Business Programs
757-221-3208
Macie.Osborn@mason.wm.edu
School of Education
Elizabeth Cavallari
Recruitment and Admissions Manager
757-221-2380
emcavallari@wm.edu
Do you allow transfer students to defer their admission?
Transfer students who have submitted a deposit are eligible to defer their admission on an individual basis. Students interested in a semester deferral should contact the transfer office with a written request to transfer@wm.edu. Transfer students approved for deferral are not permitted to take additional college coursework during their deferral period. Students intending to take additional coursework would need to withdraw their application but are welcome to reapply for a future semester. Please note, Spring Pathway transfer students are not eligible for a deferral.
Is housing required for transfer students?
Housing is not required nor guaranteed for transfer students. We encourage students who transfer to complete a housing application by the posted deadlines for any potential opportunities to live on campus. Questions regarding housing policies or off-campus housing resources can be directed to Residence Life at living@wm.edu.
As a veteran, what do I need to know about applying or becoming a student at William & Mary?
William & Mary is pleased to waive the application fee for anyone who has served honorably in the armed forces of the United States. Please select the applicable fee waiver on the Common App. The Student Veterans of William & Mary is a good resource providing information about admission, financial aid, housing, and more. As questions arise about using your VA benefits, contact the Office of the University Registrar.
