International Transfer Students

Fall Semester (August) Admission
November 1 - Common Application Open for Submission
March 15 - Decision Notification begins on a rolling basis
June 1 - Application Deadline

Spring Semester (January) Admission*
August 1 - Common Application Open for Submission
October 15 - Decision Notification begins on a rolling basis
December 1** - Application Deadline

*Spring transfer applications will be considered on a case by case basis after November 1. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

**International students who need to apply for a visa to attend Fordham should note that we cannot guarantee sufficient time for the visa process for applications completed after November 15.

• Common Application:
  
  • When completing the Common Application, you will be required to submit one essay. An applicant may select any of the Common Application essay prompts.
  • The transfer application fee is $70.
• Official or Unofficial College Transcript(s):
  • Required from all institutions attended, even if you were a part-time or non-matriculated student.
  • Under the Academic History quadrant of your Common Application, select the Colleges Attended section, and complete the steps to order your transcript.
  • Official transcripts may also be emailed or mailed to the Office of Admission directly by your institution.
  • Additionally, we accept unofficial college transcripts directly from the applicant and this may be uploaded to the Optional Documents 'Unofficial College Transcript' section of the Common Application, or can be emailed to the Office of Admission at [email protected].
  • Students who have completed international university coursework must have their transcript evaluated by World Education Services (WES) or another NACES-accredited evaluation service to be considered for potential transfer credit. Evaluations are not required for international institutions accredited by a United States regional accrediting organization.
• Unofficial High School Transcript or High School Equivalency Exam Results:
  • To be eligible for transfer admission, an applicant is required to have graduated from high school or received a high school equivalency diploma.
  • The applicant may provide this by email to [email protected], by mail, or by uploading it to the Common Application.
  • An official high school transcript or exam results may instead be sent to Fordham directly by your high school or the equivalency exam testing agency.
  • Fordham accepts the GED, TASC, HiSet, and CHSPE as high school equivalency exams.
  • National or external examination results are also required if used as a university entrance qualification in the home country.
  • All students who are admitted and enroll at Fordham must submit an official, final high school transcript, or official high school equivalency exam results, prior to the start of classes. In order for a document to be considered official, it must be sent to us directly by your high school or equivalency exam test center. Official documents will not be accepted from the applicant.
• Transfer College Report:
  • An academic official at the institution you currently or most recently attended should complete all portions of the transfer college report. Typically, your institution's Registrar's Office or an academic dean may complete this document.
  • The purpose of this form is to confirm your academic standing. Please be sure all questions are answered on the form.
  • A letter of good standing from a school official that addresses all questions listed on the form can serve as a substitute.
  • Please download the Transfer College Report editable pdf and send it via email to your school administrator. Your institution may complete the form and then email it to us at [email protected].
  • When complete, your institution should email or mail the document to us directly. Please note that we are unable to accept the Transfer College Report directly from an applicant.
• Transfer Mid-Term Report:
  
  • Mid-term grades are required for some applicants. If you have not yet completed one year of full-time college/university coursework (less than 24 credits post high school graduation), the Mid-Term Report is required.
  • The Mid-Term Report will be waived for all other applicants unless specifically requested.
  • If you are not currently enrolled in classes, the Mid-Term Report is waived.
  • The purpose of this form is to report your grades from each of your current classes. All classes must be reported. A student may self-report this information.
  • Please download the Transfer Mid-Term Report and complete the editable PDF form. When complete, the applicant may submit the Mid-Term Report by email to [email protected], by mail, or by uploading it to the Optional Documents 'Other' section below.
• Standardized Test Scores:
  • Submission of the SAT and/or ACT is optional for all applicants.
  • If a student chooses to submit SAT or ACT testing, Fordham will accept official scores from the testing agency or from the student's high school/secondary school counselor.
  • If a student chooses to submit SAT or ACT testing, or is required to submit English language proficiency test results, Fordham will also accept unofficial (self-reported) scores. After submitting the Common Application, you may only self-report scores using the form in your Fordham applicant portal.
• English Language Proficiency Exam Results:
  • International students whose first language is not English must demonstrate their proficiency through English Language Proficiency test results:
    • TOEFL iBT: 90+ (Fordham code: 2259)
    • TOEFL ITP Level 1 Test with Vericant Interview option (China only): 575+
    • IELTS & IELTS Indicator: 7.0+
    • Duolingo English Test (DET): 125+
    • Pearson Test of English (PTE): 65+
  • English language proficiency scores can be self-reported via the Common Application Academic History section. Or official scores will be accepted from the testing agency or from the student's high school/secondary school counselor.
  • International students who are not submitting required TOEFL or IELTS results must complete the English Language Proficiency Test Waiver Request Form linked within the online applicant portal after an application has been officially submitted.
  • Applicants who live in the New York City area can alternatively take Fordham’s 2.5 hour ESL placement evaluation (FELT) at the Institute of American Language and Culture. Email [email protected] or call +1-212-636-6353 to verify hours of operation and make an appointment.
• Letters of Recommendation:
  • Letters of recommendation are not required for transfer applicants.
  • If you elect to submit a recommendation, a letter from a faculty member is preferred.
  • You may request your recommender to submit their letter via the Common Application or by emailing Fordham directly at [email protected].
• Gabelli School of Business:
  • All students applying to the Gabelli School of Business must familiarize themselves with the unique curriculum recommendations for transfer admission here.
• Theatre and Dance:
  • Please review the special application procedures for prospective students in dance or theatre.

Second Degree Seekers

Students who have successfully completed the equivalent of a United States secondary school education and who have enrolled in any university-level coursework at another institution either in the United States or abroad must apply for transfer admission.

Those who have received the equivalent of a United States bachelor's degree and are seeking a second degree (even if in a very different field of study) are recommended to apply to a Fordham University graduate degree program or in some cases to our undergraduate School of Professional and Continuing Studies. Second degree seekers should generally not apply to the traditional undergraduate colleges at Fordham University.

Post-Secondary Students

Any applicant who graduated from high school or received a high school equivalency diploma, who completed or will complete coursework at a 2 or 4 year regionally accredited college or university at the time of application, and who intends to enroll full-time (15 credit hours per semester) in one of Fordham’s three undergraduate colleges to pursue a bachelor's degree qualifies as a transfer applicant. A student must meet all of these criteria to be considered a transfer applicant.

Any student who earns college credit after completing a secondary school diploma is considered a transfer student, regardless of the number of credits completed. Both matriculated and non-matriculated students who earn credit will be considered a transfer. If you have audited a class or completed noncredit coursework, then you may be considered an incoming first-year student. Typically, students who complete language intensive classes, who do not earn credit, are considered an incoming first-year student.

Students who begin their studies at a college or university and withdraw prior to earning credit must contact the Office of Admission via email at [email protected] to confirm their status. In order to be considered as a first-year, a student must withdraw prior to the add/drop date at the institution they attended and provide official documentation (college transcript, withdrawal form) indicating the date of their withdrawal. In addition, to be considered a first year, the student must not have had any financial aid disbursed from the federal government while at the college or university that he or she attended.

The Office of Admission will exercise professional judgment and consider each student’s circumstances to ensure that, regardless of status (first year or transfer), the best interest of the student’s needs are met related to enrollment.

Please review more information about what you can expect after submitting your application.

Accepted students will receive a comprehensive transfer credit evaluation after admission outlining what previous coursework is being considered for credit at Fordham University. Generally, transfer credit may be awarded for courses of three or more credits, with a grade of C or better and for which Fordham offers a course equivalent. A maximum of 60 credits (approximately two years of full-time study) from other institutions can be accepted.

All undergraduate students are required to complete the Core Curriculum and specific academic major requirements to graduate with a Fordham degree. Students applying from international universities where their tertiary education has been focused on a single subject area should keep in mind that undergraduate transfer to Fordham University will require completion of a number of liberal arts and sciences courses. This may necessitate additional semesters or years of study.

Your next steps for enrollment at Fordham after admission.

If you require Fordham sponsorship for an F-1 student visa, you must submit a completed Application for Certificate of Financial Eligibility (AFCOE), supporting financial/bank statements showing your ability to fund your study at Fordham and the data/photo page of your current passport. We encourage you to submit these documents at the time of your application. The documents can be emailed to [email protected].

Enrolling students currently in F-1 visa status must have their SEVIS records transferred to Fordham University. Please complete the top portion of the F-1 Transfer Recommendation Form and have the remaining section completed by your current institution's Office of International Services.