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Transfer Students

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has a competitive admission process for transfer students. A transfer applicant is a student who has graduated from high school and has been or is currently enrolled at an accredited college or university. Students who have only earned college credits through a dual enrollment program at their high school must apply as entering freshmen.

UT will accept transfer credit of similar coursework from accredited institutions. When a student applies, a preliminary evaluation of the transfer GPA is completed for an admission decision. After a student is admitted, the official evaluation of transfer credit is completed. The transfer credit evaluation will be posted online at the time that the course timetable for the intended entry term is available online (summer– mid-February; fall– mid-March; spring– mid-October).

• Read more about our transfer credit policy.
• Learn about UT's articulation agreements and the new Tennessee Transfer Pathways with Tennessee community colleges.
• Find answers to your questions about course equivalencies.

The Transfer Admission Decision with 30 or more Transferable Hours:

The admission decision for transfer students with at least 30 earned transferable college-level hours will be based largely on students’ academic performance at their previous institution(s). In order to be considered for admission to UTK, a transfer applicant must have a minimum of a 2.00 grade point average (on a 4-point scale) in college credit courses eligible for transfer credit. All course grades earned (including all repeated attempts) in transferable courses will be calculated into UT's admissibility GPA. Academic colleges or departments may require greater than a 2.00 for acceptance into certain programs.

The Transfer Admission Decision with fewer than 30 Transferable Hours:

All transfer applicants who have completed fewer than 30 transferable credit hours (grade C or better) must have a transfer admissibility GPA of at least 2.50 and must show satisfactory performance in high school work in order to be considered for admission. All course grades earned (including all repeated attempts) in transferable courses will be calculated into UT's admissibility GPA. The admission decision will also take into consideration high school GPA and ACT/SAT scores. At the time of application, a transfer applicant must have completed at least 15 credit hours of transferable college work.

College Specific Information for Transfer Applicants

College of Engineering

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements stated below to be considered for admission to a major within the College of Engineering. These minimum standards do not guarantee admission to the intended major. The final admission decision for the major resides with the academic department.

• Applicants must have a minimum 2.8 cumulative transfer GPA.
• Applicants must have earned a C or better in each of these specific courses, or their equivalent:
  • English 101,
  • Chemistry 120 (for Computer Science students: Computer Science 102 and 140 or equivalents), and
  • Math 141 (and subsequent courses in three sequences, if taken).
  • Any Physics course, if taken.

External transfer students who are denied admission to the College of Engineering will still be considered for admission as "university undecided" students. Admission as a university undecided student does not allow admission into engineering or the study of engineering classes. As a university undecided student, students will be academically advised by the College of Arts and Sciences until they either select an Arts and Sciences major, or select another major within the university outside of the College of Engineering.

College of Nursing

Transfer admission to the College of Nursing is very competitive. Preference is given to applicants who have an RN degree.

Don't forget about deadlines!
Remember to apply early!

Step 1: Complete and submit the application for admission.

Become a UT VIP (Vol-in-Progress) and apply online. The updated application for Spring, Summer and Fall is typically available in early August each year.

Please apply online. A copy of the application is here for your review.

Step 2: Submit the application fee

The fee can be submitted through the VIP payment portal.

Step 3: Have high school transcripts (and GED transcripts if applicable) sent directly from the issuing institution to UT.

Read our transcript policy for more details. Transfer students who graduated from high school prior to 1989 or with 60 or more semester hours of transferable credit are exempt from high school course unit requirements (except for one unit of American History) but are still required to submit a transcript. Other transfer applicants with more than one deficiency in high school course unit requirements are not typically admitted to the University.

If you have completed any high school or college academic work outside of the U.S., you must submit your official transcripts to an evaluation agency that is a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services). A "detailed" or "course-by-course" evaluation" including a calculated college Grade Point Average (GPA) is required for all college work completed in a country other than the United States. Applicants who have completed fewer than 30 transferable college credit hours will also be required to also submit a general evaluation with calculated Grade Point Average that interprets all secondary or high school work. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will be able to process an application only after receiving the necessary report from the evaluation company.

Companies offering these evaluation services include:

• Academic Evaluation Services
• Educational Credential Evaluators
• Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
• World Education Services, Inc. (WES)

Step 4: Have college transcripts sent directly from each institution you have attended.

Read our transfer credit policy for information on transferable course credit.

Step 5: If you have fewer than 30 transferable hours, have your ACT or SAT test scores sent to UT.

If your scores are printed on your transcript, it is considered an official score. Transfer students who have 30 transfer hours or more are not required to do so.

Step 6: In 2-3 weeks you will receive notification of your admission decision.

Following admission, the evaluation detailing transfer credit received is completed and you will receive an online report.

Step 7: Admitted students should contact the Office of Orientation to register for a transfer orientation session.

» Transfer Application Completion Deadlines

Your application, transcripts, and all other supporting documents must be received by the UT Admissions office by these deadlines:

• Fall—July 1
• Spring—December 1
• Summer—May 1

» Already applied?

We're reviewing your application materials carefully, and that takes time. We also know that sometimes the wait is the hardest part. With that in mind, here's a quick and easy way to check your application status online. This information is available 24/7, and is updated as decisions are made.

» When do we evaluate transfer credit?

College transcripts are evaluated after a transfer student is admitted to UT. Upon completion of evaluation, the student will receive an online report of the evaluation detailing transfer credit received.
[Learn more]

» How many hours do you need to complete your UT degree?

Students transferring to UT must earn at least 60 semester hours of credit at a four-year college or university and the last 30 semester hours of credit at UT. Learn more about requirements for your major in the online catalog.

» What is an Articulation Agreement? What is the Tennessee Transfer Pathways program?

Articulation agreements and the Tennessee Transfer Pathways program promote transfer to UT after completing an associates degree at a Tennessee community college.
[Learn more]