Transfer FAQs

You are considered a transfer student if ALL of the following statements describe you:

• You wish to enroll at the UW Tacoma to earn your first bachelor's degree.
• You are no longer in high school (regardless of how old you are or whether you graduated).
• You will have completed any course work at a regionally accredited college or university after leaving high school (excluding the summer term immediately following high school).

All students looking to transfer to UW Tacoma must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Hold a minimum 2.0 transferable college GPA.
• Proof of English proficiency, in some cases. Please review link for more information.

Read more about transfer admission requirements.

Any amount of transfer credit from a regionally accredited institution qualifies you to apply as a transfer student.

UW Tacoma is test optional and does not require SAT or ACT scores.

An associate degree is not required to transfer to UW Tacoma.

Students who are Washington state residents and have completed an approved transfer degree at a Washington state community college with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 are guaranteed admission to UW Tacoma. Please note that this guarantees admission to the university and not to a specific academic program or major. Students must still submit an application by the application deadline to be admitted.

• Learn more about the guaranteed admission program

UW Tacoma admits students every quarter except summer. Review the application deadlines for more information.

Review the general transfer credit policies or look up the courses you have completed in the University of Washington's online course equivalency database. You may also make an appointment with an admissions counselor to review your transcripts . 

In most cases, the answer is yes. There are no time limitations on most credits used to satisfy general admission requirements.

Some prerequisite classes (usually in math or science) must have been completed within the last five years. Of course, if you haven’t taken math for 20 years, you may want to enroll in a basic math course to refresh your skills. An admissions counselor can help you evaluate your existing college credits.

One semester credit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter credits. Therefore, a 3-semester-credit course is equivalent to 4.5 quarter credits, and 60 semester credits are equivalent to 90 quarter credits.

In some circumstances, you can defer your application to a future quarter within the same academic year without having to re-apply or pay another application fee. Learn more about deferring your application.

Your admission to UW Tacoma is ONLY available for the quarter you were offered. Please see the Office of Admission about your options to attend in the future and decline your offer of admission.

Most degree programs offer a part-time option. Check with an admissions counselor or the school for more information.

Yes, student housing is offered at Court 17, and there are many other housing options available in the area. Learn more about housing options.

Students who wish to formally appeal admissions decisions must submit a written appeal letter to uwtinfo@uw.edu addressed to the Director of Admissions with the subject line "Admissions Appeal". Appeals should clearly define the basis of the appeal and a proposed resolution to the situation. Any relevant documentation should be enclosed with the appeal. The applicant may wish to submit updated high school or college transcripts, and/or updated test scores, as appropriate. Recommendation letters from counselors or teachers that know the applicant's academic and/or personal history are welcome, but not required. The appeal must be initiated by the applicant. Appeals will not be accepted from a parent, teacher, or other third party.

The Director of Admissions and the Admissions Review Committee will develop an appropriate investigational process depending on the circumstances surrounding the appeal and respond to the student filing the appeal. Once a decision has been made on a reconsideration, the decision will be sent via email.