Transfers and Withdrawals

Policies & Procedures
Policies Governing Transfer Within the University

Students who wish to apply for an internal transfer to any of the four undergraduate schools should meet with an advisor in their home school as well as an advisor of the school they wish to enter. Students must indicate what course of study they plan to pursue in the new school. A transfer request must be filed through the student's home school advising office; the request is sent to the other school for consideration.

  • Students are not eligible for transfer until they have completed 8 c.u. (or two semesters, whichever comes later) at Penn.
  • Applications for internal transfer will not normally be considered after the end of the sophomore year.
  • Students applying for internal transfer must be in good academic standing in their home school and should have no NR's, GR's or I's on their record.
  • Internal transfers to any of Penn's undergraduate schools or divisions are not eligible to transfer again within the University.
  • External transfers admitted to any of Penn's undergraduate schools or divisions are not eligible to transfer again within the University.
  • Students in Penn's College of Liberal and Professional Studies are not eligible to apply for an internal transfer into the College of Arts and Sciences.

Transfer into the Wharton School

Students should be aware that the Wharton School requires a 3.4 minimum g.p.a. for transfers, though students should have closer to a 3.7 g.p.a. in order to be competitive. However, very few students will be accepted for transfer into the Wharton School. Students who transfer to the College with junior standing, whether they are internal or external transfers, may not apply for a dual degree with Wharton.

  • If applying at the end of freshman year, students must have completed ECON 001 and 002 and MATH 104.
  • If applying in the middle of sophomore year, students must have completed BEPP 250 or ECON 101 as well as STAT 101 and ACCT 101.
  • In order to apply at the end of the sophomore year, students must have taken STAT102 and ACCT 102 as well.
Transferring Credit

A representative of the appropriate Penn department will need to review external courses before transfer credits will be awarded. To request transfer credit for a College course through a Penn department, login to XCAT (External Course Approval Tool) and submit all course syllabi and other supporting materials from the previous institution.

Transfer Credit to the Major
  • Only the department or program advisors determine which credits transferred from another institution can count toward the major.
  • At least half the courses in the major must be taken at Penn. Some departments require more.
Transfer Student Class Standing and the Curriculum

Students transferring into the College of Arts and Sciences from outside the University of Pennsylvania should first consult the Office of Admissions, with particular attention to information for transfer students. Any questions concerning class standing should be directed to the Office of Admissions. Questions concerning the curriculum should be addressed to an academic advisor in the College Office. Note that at least half of the overall course units required for the BA degree, as well as at least half of the course units required for the major, must be completed at Penn.

Transfer Credit from a Two-Year Institution

Credit earned at two-year institutions either while the student is in high school (including the summer after) or after the student has matriculated at Penn (Credit Away) will not be posted to the Penn transcript. For students who transfer to Penn from a two-year institution, however, departments may at their discretion grant credit for course work done at the two-year institution.

Withdrawal from a Course

Students may withdraw from a course with the instructor’s permission between the 5th and the 10th week of the semester. Read more >>

Students considering either a drop or a withdrawal should speak with an advisor before taking any action and should be aware of the risks of being enrolled in fewer than 4 c.u. Read more >>

Withdrawal from the University

A student who wishes to withdraw from the University must inform the College Office in writing. If a student withdraws after the fifth week of the semester, all course grades from that semester will be reported on the transcript as W (withdrawal).

Tuition Refund

A student who withdraws from the College (or who is requested to withdraw for failure to maintain a satisfactory scholastic standing) or who is granted a leave of absence during either term of the academic year will be eligible for a reduction in tuition and fees in accordance with the conditions set forth below. The effective date of separation is the date the student files a written request for withdrawal or leave of absence.

A student who is required to withdraw because of a violation of University regulations will receive no tuition refund.

For all other students, the percentage of the term charges will be adjusted as follows:

  • Request within the first two weeks of class - 100%
  • Request within the third and fourth weeks of class - 50%
  • Thereafter - 0%

In the case of students receiving financial aid, eligibility for the term will be redetermined based on actual charges and prorated allowances for living expenses.

For rules regarding reductions in residence and meal contract charges, see the current year's residential handbook and the terms and conditions of meal plans.