Transferring from a 4-Year College or University

Transfer Application Stages
1. Get ready
- View our majors
- Come for a visit
- Join our mailing list
- Research financial aid and scholarships
- Review courses that are likely to transfer to JMU
- Review courses that will count towards your major
- Familiarize yourself with JMU graduation requirements
- Keep up your grades! JMU will not accept a C- or lower for transfer credit
2. Apply
- Complete your application. Include:
- The online application
- $70 application fee or need-based fee waiver
- Official college transcripts, including transcripts for any dual enrollment classes taken in high school
- Official high school transcripts or GED results
- AP/IB/AICE test scores sent from the testing agency for credit review
- Fine arts and nursing majors have special requirements
- Dates and deadlines
- More on the transfer application process
3. Check your status
- Check your application status. See what documents we're currently processing and check your status in MyMadison. We'll email you access instructions a few days after your application is received.
- View the tutorial
- When will I know my decision?
Decision Received? Now what?
What we're looking for
To be eligible to apply for transfer admission, a student should have completed or be in the process of completing at least 24 credit hours post high-school graduation. If a student has less than 24 credit hours post high-school graduation, we recommend that the student first reach out to your regional recruiter to get advice on when is the best time to apply. Priority consideration is given to associate degree completers or those with at least 48 college credits earned. JMU offers admission to a very small number of students who only have one year of college coursework at their previous institution.
JMU considers transfer applicants' college courses, college grade-point average, high-school program, and high-school grades. The more credit hours you have earned in college, the less emphasis is placed on your high-school record.
Competitive transfer applicants should have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and successfully complete college course work in all core subject areas: English, mathematics, social science and lab science.
Transfer applicants are admitted for spring, summer and fall semesters.
We know changing from one college to another is a big deal and our Orientation Program has special transfer student programming in place to ease the transition.
Obtaining Transfer Credit
The Office of the Registrar will complete an evaluation of credit after an offer of admission has been made. Each course taken at another institution will be evaluated individually, and credit will be allowed only for equivalent college courses offered at JMU in which a grade of "C" or better has been earned. A "C-" will not transfer. You can get a preliminary review of how your credits will transfer by reviewing the Transfer Equivalency Guide through Transferology. You can input your classes into this system to see how they will transfer to JMU. You should also review the courses that will usually count toward JMU's General Education requirements.
Graduation Requirements
JMU requires a minimum of 120 credit hours for graduation. If you are offered admission to JMU, you must complete all prerequisite, major, program and degree requirements to graduate and you must meet the following requirements:
- Have earned a minimum of 25% of credit hours (30 credits for degrees programs of 120 credits) at JMU
- Have earned at least 50% of credit hours (60 credits for degrees programs of 120 credits) accepted by JMU from accredited senior (four-year) institutions of higher education, including JMU
- Meet course prerequisites for the major regardless of where general education requirements were completed
- Must be attending JMU during the semester in which degree requirements are completed
There is no limit to the number of hours that may transfer to JMU.
More Topics:
- How to apply - transfer application process
- Financial aid and scholarships for transfer students
- Some programs have special admissions requirements or progression standards
- Transfer Advising - helpful tips on planning coursework at your current institution, a list of resources for transfer students and more
Transfer dates and deadlines:
Fall Term (Aug. – Dec.)
- March 1 - Application deadline for all pieces (application, transcripts, etc.)
- Late April - Admission decisions posted online in the Applicant Center of MyMadison
- Early May - Tuition deposit deadline
Spring Term (Jan. – May)
- October 1 - Application deadline for all pieces (application, transcripts, etc.)
- Early November - Admission decisions posted online in the Applicant Center of MyMadison
- Late November - Tuition deposit deadline
Summer Term (Jun. – Jul.)
- February 1 - Application deadline for all pieces (application, transcripts, etc.)
- Early April - Admission decisions posted online in the Applicant Center of MyMadison
- Early May - Tuition deposit deadline