Transfer Students: University Of Edinburgh's Policy Explained

The University of Edinburgh does accept transfer students, but the process and requirements vary depending on the college and subject area. Transfer students are those who have completed one or more years of study at another institution and apply to Edinburgh to complete their degree. Applications are typically made online through UCAS, and the university advises prospective transfer students to contact the relevant college admissions office for advice before submitting an application.

Transferring from another university

The University of Edinburgh does accept transfer students from other universities, but the number of places available is extremely limited. The university can consider your application if you meet their transfer criteria.

Application Process

Applications must be made through UCAS, and the normal deadlines apply. You should contact the university before submitting your application to discuss your options.

Entry Requirements

Transfer students are those who have completed one or more years of study at another institution and apply to Edinburgh to complete their degree. It is not normally possible to transfer beyond the second year. If you apply to start in Year 1, you will normally be expected to have met the standard Year 1 entry requirements.

The US and Scottish Higher Education systems are structured differently, so transfer applicants may have to start from the first year of the programme. Advanced entry may be possible if a number of prerequisite courses have been completed within the US degree.

All transfer applicants will be required to submit a college/university transcript as part of the application process. The admissions office may also take high school grades into account when making their decision.

College-specific Information

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

It is normally possible for students to transfer into programmes within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Applications must be submitted by the normal UCAS deadlines and will be considered in the same way as those applying for entry to the first year.

College of Science and Engineering

It is normally possible to transfer into programmes within the College of Science and Engineering. Applications should be submitted by the normal UCAS deadlines and will be considered in the same way as those applying for entry to the first year.

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

It is not normally possible to transfer into Medicine or Veterinary Medicine programmes. However, pre-clinical medical students from certain universities may apply for medicine.

Special Circumstances

The University of Edinburgh can consider applications from students who need to change universities for essential personal reasons. For example, you may have a health condition that requires you to be near specialist services in the city, or you may have taken on primary caring responsibility for someone living in Edinburgh. You will need to provide sufficient documentary evidence, and you should contact the university to discuss your situation before submitting your application.

Transferring into the second year

The University of Edinburgh defines transfer students as those who have completed one or more years of study at another institution and apply to Edinburgh to complete their degree. The university can consider your application to transfer from another university if you meet their transfer criteria.

Application Process

Applications for transfer students are made through UCAS, and the normal deadlines apply. The University of Edinburgh advises that you contact them before submitting your application to discuss your options and circumstances.

Entry Requirements

Entry into the second year for Scottish universities is a slightly different setup, as students can go for second-year entry if they have the right grades. The University of Edinburgh will require information regarding the courses you have studied at university to assess the curriculum match with the first year of Edinburgh's degree.

The university generally expects you to have achieved an average of 60-70% or higher in your studies, with 60-70% in relevant courses, to be considered for entry. If you are applying to start in Year 2, you will need to have met the standard Year 1 entry requirements.

Limitations

The number of places available to transfer students is extremely limited, as the university receives many applications from well-qualified applicants each year. It is not normally possible for students to transfer beyond Year 2.

College-Specific Information

The transfer policy varies depending on the college and subject area you apply for.

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

It is normally possible for US students to transfer into programmes within this college. Applications must be submitted by the normal UCAS deadlines and will be considered in the same way as those applying for entry to the first year.

College of Science and Engineering

It is normally possible for US students to transfer into programmes within this college. Applications should be submitted by the normal UCAS deadlines and will be considered in the same way as those applying for entry to the first year.

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

It is not normally possible to transfer into medicine or veterinary medicine programmes. However, pre-clinical medical students from specific universities may apply for medicine.

Transferring into the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

The University of Edinburgh does accept transfer students, but the policy relating to transferring varies depending on the college and subject area you apply for. This response will focus on transferring into the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Transfer applications are normally made online through UCAS, and must be submitted by the normal deadlines. The University of Edinburgh will consider transfer applications in the same way as those applying for entry to the first year.

It is normally possible for US students to transfer into programmes within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. However, it will not usually be possible for students to transfer into years above the second year.

If you are transferring between or within schools in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, your application will be dealt with by the school that owns the degree programme you wish to transfer into.

Transfer Criteria

The University of Edinburgh receives many applications from well-qualified applicants each year, so the number of places available to transfer students is extremely limited.

If you have studied for more than a year at your current institution before applying to transfer, you will not be given priority for a place over qualified applicants who have not yet studied at degree level.

You will be classed as a “false start” if:

• You apply to transfer during your first year at another university.
• You leave your original university during (or at the end of) your first year and apply to the University of Edinburgh in a subsequent year.

As a false start, you will be treated as a new applicant and will be considered alongside all other new applicants in the competitive admissions process. You may apply to restart Year 1 on a different degree or transfer to the same degree in Year 1 or Year 2. It is not normally possible to transfer beyond Year 2.

If you want to transfer to Year 2 of the same degree, the University of Edinburgh will require information regarding the courses you have studied at university to assess the curriculum match with the first year of its degree. However, even if you apply for Year 2, you will be considered in the same way as a Year 1 applicant in terms of competition for places and will need to have met all of the published entry requirements for Year 1 of the degree, including required subjects.

Additional Information

If you are currently studying at the University of Edinburgh and would like to discuss transferring to a different degree, you should contact your Student Adviser in the first instance. Unfortunately, it is not possible for the University of Edinburgh to consider UCAS applications from students currently at the university.

Transferring into the College of Science and Engineering

The University of Edinburgh does accept transfer students into the College of Science and Engineering. However, there are some important points to note:

Application Process

Applications for transfer students are made through UCAS, the same way as any other undergraduate application. The normal deadlines for UCAS applications apply to transfer students. It is important to contact the University of Edinburgh before submitting your UCAS application to discuss your options and circumstances.

Entry Requirements

Entry to undergraduate degrees in the College of Science and Engineering is highly competitive. The University of Edinburgh generally expects applicants to have achieved an average of 60-70% or higher in their studies, with 60-70% in relevant courses. If you are applying to start in Year 1, you will normally be expected to have met the standard Year 1 entry requirements.

Advanced Entry

Advanced entry beyond the first year of the programme may be possible if a number of prerequisite courses have been completed within a US degree. However, transfer applicants may still have to start from the first year of the programme.

Curriculum Match

The University of Edinburgh will require information regarding the courses you have studied at university to assess the curriculum match with the first year of the degree at the University of Edinburgh.

Transferring from the University of Edinburgh

If you are currently studying at the University of Edinburgh and would like to discuss transferring to a different degree, you should contact your Student Adviser in the first instance. Unfortunately, it is not possible for the University of Edinburgh to consider UCAS applications from students currently enrolled at the university.

Transferring into the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

The University of Edinburgh does accept transfer students, but the policy relating to transferring varies depending on the college and subject area. Transferring into the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine is difficult due to high competition for places. It is not normally possible to transfer into Medicine or Veterinary Medicine programmes.

However, there are some exceptions. Students from the University of St Andrews may apply via the St Andrews/Scotland matching scheme. Students from the universities of Cambridge and Oxford who have completed the appropriate parts of the Medical degree can apply for entry to Year 4, although places are limited. Students from St Andrews and IMU may also be accepted into Year 3 or Year 4 of the six-year MBChB programme.

In addition, the University of Edinburgh will consider transfer requests from those with extenuating circumstances who are studying medicine elsewhere. However, these opportunities are extremely rare due to the lack of available places. Applicants must provide full details of their circumstances, along with an official transcript and a letter of support from a Dean or senior member of staff at their current institution.

If you have left your previous institution during or at the end of your first year, you may be able to apply as a new applicant for Year 1 of the MBChB Medicine or BVM&S Veterinary Medicine degrees.

Frequently asked questions