Most universities will prefer that students have completed at least one year of study before transferring, though many will consider applications from first year students. In addition, most universities have a two-year residency requirement, meaning that students must spend at least two years as a student with that university to graduate with a degree from that institution.

When transferring, the student will be asked to submit details of the courses s/he has completed. Some institutions will send the student a printout of the courses for which they will grant credit before the student enrols at the university, while others may hold transfer credit decisions until enrolment. Students must be aware that not all work transfers automatically, and in most cases some work is "lost", especially when trying to transfer courses not offered by the new university. Therefore transfer students often need extra time to graduate, or must take summer school combined with a heavier workload. In addition, most colleges have a maximum number of courses that a student may transfer. For example, a college that requires 34 credits at graduation may specify that the highest number of these credits that may be taken at another college is 17, thereby keeping their two year residency requirement. In such a case, a student may have to "sacrifice" some courses that could ordinarily be given transfer credit, but which exceed the maximum number of transfer courses.

Applying as a Transfer Student
The transfer application process may differ slightly from that for first year "freshman" applicants.

• Transfer students usually fill out a separate application form, and write a personal statement in addition to an essay outlining their reasons for wishing to transfer. This essay should not be a negative statement of complaint about why you are unhappy at your current institution, but instead a statement of why this new university will better suit your academic needs.

• Transcripts, or detailed score reports, from all institutions of higher education previously attended will need to be produced along with records of any financial assistance given.

• In addition to having the basic college entrance requirements (e.g. transfer students may need to take the SAT or the ACT), transfer applicants are expected to have performed well at their current college, and to have proven themselves in higher education. It is important to note that transferring is not an easy way into the more selective universities; in fact, many of the more competitive colleges have even more demanding admissions standards at the transfer level than at the freshman level.

To apply for admission as a transfer student you must contact directly the college or university in which you are interested, with a brief explanation of your circumstances and a request for the application materials for a transfer student. The timeframe for transfer applications will most likely be later than for freshman applications, and some schools may have no deadline, but rather "priority dates" for which you should aim. Naturally, these details will vary with each institution. If you have not already taken the SAT, you will need to confirm whether it will be required by the university and obtain the information and registration materials accordingly. These may be collected from the US Educational Advisory Service (EAS), in person or by sending an A4 sized SAE with postage for 400 grams.

For more information on transferring, check the EAS reference library for the following guides:

• The College Handbook for Transfer Students, 1997, College Entrance Examination Board, New York, 1996.

• The Transfer Student’s Guide to Changing Colleges, by Sidonia Dalby and Sally Rubenstone, Prentice Hall, New York, 1993.

• Your Transfer Planner, by Carey Harbin, Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, 1995.

General Admission and Advanced Standing
Advanced Standing refers to the status of an incoming student who has already completed university-level work. Essentially, any university-level qualification, which relates to the course about to be undertaken, may be recognised for credit by the US university or college. Please be prepared for the possibility of having to prove both the legitimacy and relevance of completed university-level courses, especially in the case of technical or vocational qualifications. Proof may be presented in the form of a course syllabus and/or past essays.

There is no official method of equating British and American educational qualifications. Universities show no identifiable pattern in their attitude toward recognition of qualifications, so the guidelines below should be viewed as general as they only reflect our experience and consultation of previous evaluation studies of UK education. All evaluations are made subjectively by the individual universities to which one applies, however, colleges may refer applicants to a credential evaluator, who will review the qualifications for a fee.

Those who hold or are in the process of studying toward vocational or professional qualifications and wish to undertake further study in the US should be aware that post-secondary study in the US tends to be predominantly academic (as opposed to technical or vocational) and wide-ranging in subject matter. Therefore, not all UK courses will necessarily meet the entrance requirements of a US degree course, though it is possible that some level of credit may be given. This, as always, will depend on the individual institution, though it should be noted that regardless of which qualification one holds it will be necessary to have at least 4 or 5 GCSEs and 2 to 3 A levels before pursuing higher education in the US.

Some qualifications for which credit may be given are as follows:

A-Levels, Scottish Highers and Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS)
A-Levels, Scottish Highers and Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS) A student with A-levels or Scottish Higher Grades may be given credit by the US university and permitted to enter the first year with advanced standing status. Having completed the Scottish Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS) might also be grounds for advanced standing status, although it remains at the discretion of the individual institution to decide if credit will be given and what proof of accomplishment is needed.

Advanced General National/Scottish Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs/GSVQs)
Advanced GNVQs or GSVQs, or a programme of SCOTVEC National Certificate modules are generally recognised in the UK as equivalent to passes at A-level or Scottish Highers in two or three main subjects and may be considered sufficient for admission to a Bachelor's degree (undergraduate) programme. However, holders of Advanced GNVQs or GSVQs may find that because these are relatively new qualifications, some US admissions offices might not yet recognise them.

Higher National Certificates (HNC)
US universities may offer credit for HNC qualifications awarded by EdExcel (once BTEC) or SCOTVEC. The holder of an HNC may be considered as a transfer student into an undergraduate programme, with approximately one year of transfer credit.

Higher National Diplomas (HND)
US universities may offer credit for HND qualifications awarded by EdExcel (once BTEC) or SCOTVEC. Students with an HND may be admitted as transfer students with approximately 1.5 years or more of transfer credit. Students with a Business HND are sometimes admitted directly to postgraduate MBA programmes, though this would depend on their obtaining good scores in the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and having relevant work experience. Universities will examine the diploma/certificate syllabus against their own degree programme and allow credit on an ad hoc basis.

Applying for Admission
Holders of National Diplomas and Certificates or other qualifications will generally follow the same application procedures as other prospective undergraduates, transfer students and postgraduates, though some extra procedures may be necessary. The student should contact directly those universities in which they are interested, detailing their qualifications and their academic intentions. Although the university may not make a formal evaluation at this point, they should at least be able to provide the correct application form (freshman, transfer, graduate, etc.). Students should be prepared to submit copies of the syllabus/curriculum for the qualification to allow the university to make a thorough comparison when awarding transfer credits.