Location Change Information

Current Purdue students who wish to request a change in their primary location should review the following details carefully. Please consider financial aid, housing and course access prior to making a request. Note that requests for location changes, major changes, or location and major changes are not guaranteed.

Students can request a change of location (COLO) between Indianapolis and West Lafayette, either in conjunction with a change of major request (CODO), or to change locations while staying in the same major.

Students will need to meet the major change criteria to be eligible to change to a new major. A student’s catalog term, typically the semester you started at Purdue, will be used to determine the CODO criteria that applies. Student can find their catalog term at the top of their MyPurduePLan below the degree progress bar. Students can find CODO requirements in the Purdue catalog. Majors with a space restriction are noted by “Students are admitted on a SPACE AVAILABLE BASIS ONLY” under Other Requirements.

Decision Timelines

• Space-restricted majors: Decisions are communicated within 3 weeks after the end of the term.
• Non-space-restricted majors: Decisions are communicated on a rolling basis, typically within 5 business days.

Effective Term of Location Change

• CODOs are usually effective  the next term.
• COLOs will be effective two terms out (including summer) from the term in which the request is made. This will provide time to find housing and manage any changes to financial aid. Students in special circumstances may opt to make the location change effective as soon as the next term.

Questions?

Contact locationchange@purdue.edu to connect with our location change specialist who can help you determine the best path and how to manage potential consequences such as financial aid changes, housing availability, and schedule changes.   

Location Change Options

• Option 1: Change of location only
  • Students stay in their current major but change location between West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Approval is based on space availability, which is limited in some majors.
  • Example: Mechanical engineering (ME) student in West Lafayette moves to Indianapolis to continue in ME. 
• Option 2: Change of major and location
  • Students change both their major and location. These requests are subject to  CODO (change of degree objective) requirements and space availability.
  • Example: Biomedical engineering student in Indianapolis moves to West Lafayette to pursue Food Science.  

Location Change Planning Timeline

Deadline: CODO/COLO requests can be submitted as soon as the 7th week of each term and are due by  5 PM on the Thursday of Finals Week.

Decision Timing:

• Non-space-restricted majors: Within 5 business days
• Space-restricted majors: Within 3 weeks after term ends

Effective Term: COLO changes are effective two terms out (including summer). For example, a student submits a COLO request during the Fall 2025 term, the effective term will be Summer 2026. For questions, contact  locationchange@purdue.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions