Nassau Hall

Princeton offers transfer admission process for undergraduate students

By
The Office of Communications
on Oct. 24, 2017, 2:33 p.m.
Photo by
Nick Donnoli, Office of Communications

Princeton University has reinstated a transfer admission process for undergraduate students, and transfer applications will start to be reviewed in the spring for entry in fall 2018.

The program looks to enroll a small group of exceptionally well-prepared transfer students from a range of backgrounds.

“We’re pleased to offer students the opportunity to transfer to Princeton," said Dean of Admission Janet Lavin Rapelye. "We especially encourage students to apply who are from low-income backgrounds, who have served in the military or who have started at community colleges. We are reinstating the transfer program after many years and we look forward to greeting the first cohort of transfer students on campus next fall.”

Princeton has had a moratorium on the transfer process since 1990. In January 2016, the Board of Trustees adopted a strategic planning framework identifying key goals and priorities for Princeton and authorized reinstating a transfer program. Resumption of the transfer program is part of the University's concerted efforts to increase diversity in the student body.

The strategic planning framework states: "Experience at other universities shows that transfer programs can provide a vehicle to attract students with diverse backgrounds and experiences, such as qualified military veterans and students from low-income backgrounds, including some who might begin their careers at community colleges."

The transfer admission program will be a highly individualized holistic review of each applicant's talents, achievements and potential to contribute to learning at Princeton.

Transfer students, like first-year students, must begin their enrollment in the fall semester. Most students will be expected to begin in their sophomore (second) year. However, in some cases, students may begin as juniors, or be required to enter as first-year students. In all cases, Princeton faculty and college deans will determine this standing after an evaluation of transfer credit.

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