Transfer Student Admission Criteria
The following applies to students transferring to Purdue West Lafayette from a regionally accredited college/university or another Purdue University location.
Individual Purdue colleges and majors have varying criteria (below) for transfer admission.
Resources to review before applying:
Transfer Criteria
Transfer students must have satisfied Purdue's high school course expectations and completed minimums of 12 to 24 semester credit hours of college-level coursework (not remedial or developmental) prior to enrollment at Purdue. The minimum number of credit hours will vary based on each student's high school and/or college academic credentials. During application evaluation, the Admissions Committee will determine whether an individual's college coursework is sufficient.
Transfer applicants who have not completed a bachelor's degree must provide a final high school transcript. If you did not meet Purdue's high school course expectations while in high school, we will review your college transcript(s) to determine if you have made up any deficiencies. One semester of college-level coursework is equivalent to two semesters of high school.
Transfer applicants also must provide an SAT or ACT test score unless they have completed at least 24 credit hours of college level coursework or have been out of high school for at least five years. Test scores must be sent electronically from the testing agency.
Applicants in their first semester of college may be admitted as transfer students based on their high school academic record, pending successful completion of their first semester of college coursework.
For consideration, transfer applicants also must meet specific criteria for individual academic programs as listed below.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Having only the minimum GPA does not guarantee admission. Each application is reviewed holistically for the program to which the student has applied. Criteria for admission may change without notice.
| Academic Program | Minimum GPA | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|
| College of Agriculture | 2.5 unless closed | |
| College of Education | 2.8 unless closed or listed differently at right | 3.0 - Social Studies Education |
| College of Engineering | Varies | |
| College of Health and Human Sciences | 2.5 unless closed or listed differently at right
2.5 unless closed or listed differently at right
2.5 unless closed or listed differently at right
|
2.5 - Apparel Design and Technology Also: Consultation with Bobbe Molter strongly recommended 2.5 - Brain and Behavioral Sciences Also: completion of college-level algebra with a grade of C or higher and completion of PSY 120 equivalent with grade of B or higher (Select Psychological Sciences on the undergrad application.) 3.0 - Dietetics Also: completion of at least one year of college-level chemistry with a grade of C or higher 2.8 - Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs 3.0 - Environmental Health Sciences Also: completion of at least two semesters of college-level chemistry with grades of C or higher 2.5 - Financial Counseling and Planning Also: completion of a Personal Finance Course (preferred), at least one semester of calculus with a grade of C or higher, no grade lower than C in any business-related course, and at least one college-level economics course with a grade of C or higher (required) 2.5 - Foods and Nutrition in Business Also: completion of at least one year of college-level chemistry with a grade of C or higher 3.0 - General Health Sciences Also: completion of at least two semesters of college-level chemistry with grades of C or higher 2.5 Hospitality and Tourism Management Also: completion of college-level algebra with grade of C or higher 3.0 - Medical Laboratory Sciences Also: completion of at least two semesters of college-level chemistry with grades of C or higher 3.5 - Nursing Also: completion of at least six hours of college-level natural science lab courses (biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, etc.) with grades of B or higher. See additional criteria below 3.0 Nutrition Science Also: completion of at least one year of college-level chemistry with a grade of C or higher 3.0 - Occupational Health Sciences Also: completion of at least two semesters of college-level chemistry with grades of C or higher 2.5 Psychological Sciences Also: completion of college-level algebra with a grade of C or higher and completion of PSY 120 equivalent with grade of B or higher 2.5 - Public Health Promotion Also: completion of college-level chemistry course with a grade of C or higher and equivalents of PSY 120 and COM 114 with grades of B- or higher 3.0 - Radiological Health Sciences Also: completion of at least two semesters of college-level chemistry with grades of C or higher 2.5 - Retail Management Also: completion of a business-related course with a grade of C or higher and a Management 200 equivalent (strongly preferred) 2.5 - Selling and Sales Management Also: completion of a business-related course with a grade of C or higher and a Management 200 equivalent (strongly preferred) |
| College of Liberal Arts | 2.2 unless closed | |
|
School of Management |
3.0 unless closed | Completion of at least a college-level calculus course with a grade of C or higher |
College of Science |
2.5 unless closed | 2.5 - Computer Science See additional criteria below 2.5 - All Other Majors Also: completion of at least one college-level calculus course with a grade of C or higher |
| College of Technology | 2.5 unless closed or listed differently at right |
2.75 - Building Construction Management Also: completion of at least a college-level precalculus course (equivalent to MA 159) with a grade of C or higher 3.0 - Computer Graphics Technology Also: completion of at least a college-level precalculus course (equivalent to MA 159) with a grade of C or high 3.0 - Computer and Information Technology Also: completion of at least a college-level calculus course (equivalent to MA 223) with a grade of C or higher 2.5 - Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology 3.0 Flight See additional criteria below 3.0 - Mechanical Engineering Technology |
|
College of Pharmacy |
Varies. See specific GPAs at right. | 3.2 - Prepharmacy See criteria below 3.0 - Pharmaceutical Sciences Pharm D (Doctor or Pharmacy) See criteria below |
| Undergraduate Studies Program | 2.5 |
CANNOT have more than 30 credit hours (or the equivalent quarter or trimester hours) of college-level coursework at time of enrollment. Required to enroll in EDPS 10500 during first semester on campus |
School of Veterinary Medicine |
Varies | Veterinary Medicine See criteria below Veterinary Technology See criteria below |
Computer Science
Transfer students with one year or less of college coursework must meet high school course expectations and be in the upper half of their high school graduating class or have earned a B or higher in a college calculus course. Students also must have a strong SAT or ACT score and a 2.5 college GPA (4.0 scale). Transfer students with more than one year of college coursework must meet high school course expectations, have earned a B or higher in a college calculus course, and have a 2.5 college GPA (4.0 scale).
Flight
Students transferring to professional flight must have completed at least an associate degree (or equivalent) and possess the FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating before the beginning of their studies at Purdue. Application deadline: June 1. Flight students begin only in the fall.
Nursing
To be considered for admission as a transfer student, applicants must meet one of the following minimum requirements:
1.Completion of a bachelor's degree or higher in another field of study from a regionally accredited college or university.
OR
2.Completion of at least 12 semester credit hours (or equivalent) at a regionally accredited college or university. Completion of at least six hours of college-level natural science courses (biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, etc.) with grades of B or higher.
Admission is selective. The most qualified students are selected from the pool of applicants. Students without a bachelor's degree in another field who are admitted to the School of Nursing begin as freshmen in the nursing program and are projected to complete the program in 8 semesters (4 years from the fall semester of admission.)
Prepharmacy
Students must complete the following courses with grades of B or higher in each course:
- General chemistry: 6 hours or 2 semesters
- General biology: 6 hours or 2 semesters
- Calculus: 6 hours or 2 semesters
Students should be enrolled in a minimum of 14 credit hours per semester to be academically competitive for admission to the professional program. They also are encouraged to make an appointment with a pharmacy academic advisor to review their academic record and to develop a plan of study.
Pharm D (Doctor of Pharmacy)
Two years of prepharmacy are required to apply for the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. Students who will have completed two or more years of prepharmacy by the end of the academic year must apply for the program through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) by December 1; this application can be found at www.pharmcas.org. Applicants also must complete a supplemental application from the Purdue College of Pharmacy and meet a deadline of December 1. For more information: (765) 494-1357, pharmacy-oss@purdue.edu, or www.pharmacy.purdue.edu.
Veterinary Medicine (Doctor of)
Undergraduate students who have completed the prerequisite undergraduate courses for the DVM program (refer to www.vet.purdue.edu/admissions for a course listing) should apply through the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) by October 1 of the year preceding their matriculation into the program; this application can be found at https://portal.vmcas.org. For additional information, please contact Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Student Services Center at: (765) 494-7893, vetadmissions@purdue.edu, or www.vet.purdue.edu.
Veterinary Technology
Transfer students interested in veterinary technology must meet the high school subject matter expectations and file their application by November 15. All applications will be reviewed, but only the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the interview process, which takes place in January. For more information, contact the Veterinary Technology Department at (765) 494-7619.
